How many are suprised that religion still exists?

Question

One of my favorite philisophical quotes is.

"Nothing on earth has had to evolve more rapidly and desperately than religion in order to survive."

While blatently apparent to anyone who researches religious history, does it suprise you that people still believe in a structured form of a God/God(s). It is truly astounding how these people can convince themselves, with no knowledge on the subject, that their religion is right and everyone else is wrong. I am clearly interested in the psychological side of these thoughts.

What are your guys thoughts?

Answer 1

Hmmm..... Well like you said, I'm... not surprised, but.... puzzled in a way, about how people change fundamental religious principles. I just finished a book about the transition from the Roman Empire to the Catholic Church, and how split the people actually were over doctrines we do not even think about now.

One if my favorite quotes by Ben Franklin, "If men were so wicked with religion, what would they be without it?"

Answer 2

I'm very interested in this topic. The fact that the majority of the world is religious is astonishing and is a testament to the fact that people will believe ANYTHING at all without evidence, even in spite of evidence. Humans believe in their religions based solely on feelings. It is indeed strange that the creator of the universe has chosen to talk to us through feelings and emotions instead of logic and proof. The block that religion puts on the mind is incredible. I was raised as a Christian and I didn't break free of it until I turned 18. My friends would argue with me about why religions made no sense, but because of what I was brought up to believe, their logic didn't reach me and I simply tried to find answers to justify what I "knew" was right. I did start to look into the issue though and read a lot of books on Evolution and arguments against God that piled up the evidence and made it impossible for me to keep justifying my faith. I'm a firm believer that the enemy of religion is information and knowledge. I do think that you have to be a pretty intelligent person to break free of religion if you were raised in it. What you learn as a child stays with you and everything else you learn is built upon it.

Answer 3

Religion has evolved a lot. For better or for worse. I am not shocked it still exists. It is a human need to believe in something. Maybe now because we are so intelligent people would like to think they know everything but we don't. If God(s) are false then thats it. You people who have been blabbing forever will win. But do you think that's going to happen? Also I love how you think any religious person is closed minded and shrouded within their religion's rules and ignore all others and start wars because of it (Which is true still but not always) I do not think my religion is right out of all of them. I find it is right for me and what is for me may not be right for you. Its perfectly normal for us to not believe in the same things and why people find it so hard to comprehend that we are different and you can't change that is well like being punched in the gut. How many years has the human race suffered from intolerance of beliefs? Many more than anyone would like. I also love how your analysis of this is so oddly creepy that everyone that is interested in psychology is like. They want in OUR minds. Very pleasant thoughts right? You are not an omniscent narrator, you will never know. And we will never know. Plan as glass.

Answer 4

i'm not surprised because it's human nature to hold onto something to hope for

i think it's too harsh for people to think that you're born and then you die and that's it, i think people want a more secure explanation, because they probably think life would be meaningless then, they have religion to convince themselves that god is the meaning of life- you define the meaning of life, people should stop with religion, but they won't, it's easier to put faith into something like that than to face reality

in response to dan c, where did god come from? it's more probable that there's a big guy in the sky watching our every move than the formation of amino acids? At least we can work with amino acids in search for an answer, what about god? why should i put absolute faith into something made up by humans?? I can still be a moral and ethical person without religion, it's called higher reasoning and higher emotions, that's what seperates us from animals

and in response to drshorty, no one religion is more true than another, you need to find the truth yourself by questioning, don't ever disregard otehrs beliefs for not being true, that's just ridiculous, if you can believe in jesus, then someone else can believe in krishna, the things that is unacceptable is people shoving religion into other people's faces, let me be damned then! mind your own business

Answer 5

Actually the quote is very true. Religions as a whole are not stuck in the dark ages, but many of their followers are. Religions has changed greatly through nearly every century for the last 1,000 years.

Answer 6

I'm not surprised, religion has even evolved into over 3,000 different religions and plus some cults... The more ,the more confused people will be to find the truth.

Answer 7

I got a question.If there is no God,why are you so afraid?Why are you so obsessed why it?If your faith is science.Then her is a couple of good ones.Where did the original matter that came from the big bang?Second question,what is the probability of all the chemicals coming together to form amino acids?

Answer 8

Although I don't think there was ever a time that we didn't need religion, I think we need it now more than ever. The problem is that there are many false teachings out there, but the ones we need are the true ones.

Answer 9

I think people have a need for ritual worship. Even when Buddha had told his followers not to pray to him...what did they do? They made a bunch of statues and monasteries and pray to him. LMAO. People can screw up something as simple as be a light unto yourself and live within the golden mean. Why do humans have to complicate things?

Answer 10

I think its funny and very contradictory to all the non-religious claims that religion is "stuck in the dark ages" it cant be if its had to evolve faster than anything else LOL