How can grown adults cling to religion as a crutch?

Question

I can see as a child using religion like training wheels for life. You learn your morals and values using religion. But once you reach the age of reason if you're still using those training wheels on your bike you only look like a fool.

labscimas....you are correct:
Marx is saying that religion’s purpose is to create illusory fantasies for the poor. Economic realities prevent them from finding true happiness in this life, so religion tells them that this is OK because they will find true happiness in the next life.

To those who think I'm intolerable:
I was raised as a Christian and have become a born-again atheist. My soul has never felt better knowing that if something bad happens to me, it is not because an imaginary man in the sky is punishing me because I am unworthy or bad.

Answer 1

Was it Marx that called it the Opiate of the Masses?

Answer 2

Some people do. Actually a lot of people do. It's pretty much brainwashing. I was raised to go to church every Sunday and until 8th grade I didn't even realize there was a possibility of there not being a God. I did lots of research and since then have been an atheist. I don't think you should ever take your kids to church until they are old enough to understand what they're getting into. My kids are not going to church until they are at least 14 years old. Then I'll tell them that there are people that believe in a concept of God and I'll tell them it's a decision they need to make on their own whether they believe in him or not.

Answer 3

Religion can be used as a tool to help you grow, mature, and become more compassionate. Unless you are perfect, then there could always be a need for it unless some more effective solution for you personally is found. It all depends on the individual and their personal needs and propensities. One could say that similarly only children need movies to be entertained so all adults who watch movies are fools, but that would say more about the one doing the critique than those critiqued.

Answer 4

It is a way of life..not a crutch...to many people it offers hope, a future..otherwise what is there besides just struggling through life on this earth..what has been the purpose then without God...

If there is no God as most believe..then why are we here..what has all this been for..why has there been so much pain and misery..why bother who we hurt or who we love..why worry about who lives or dies or how many people are killed in wars..and while we are about it who cares who dies from starvation..and on and on and on....total chaos..total hopelessness....

If all those who believe in God are wrong..at least they have learned to care, have meaning and purpose in their lives etc etc etc etc......

I know which I prefer....hope vs. no hope....i choose hope.

I do not care if you think we are fools...we have a purpose..we have a way of life...oh and who invented the morals and values that you teach kids? And why do you bother if thos in that way of life look fools..aren't you teaching the kids to look fools like us???

Answer 5

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

Psalm 14:1

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

Proverbs 26:4

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

1Corinthians 13:11

Answer 6

The Bible says 'the fool says in his heart there is no God'
Also, The fear of God is the beginning of knowledge.

You're confusing religion with faith in Christ which is the ONLY way to become saved. John 3:3 Jesus said ' I assure you,unless you are born again,you will not see the Kingdom of God'

Answer 7

1 John 1:8 NIV
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Romans 3:23
…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

John 8:34
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

Isaiah 53:6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.


Religion is a crutch? OK. First off, Christianity isn't necessarily a religion, it's a relationship with the living God. Religion is man reaching to God; Christianity is God reaching down to man. Now: tell me this--what does a crutch do? It supports you. It holds up a person that can't walk otherwise, for example. If you want to call Christianity a crutch, then fine. You're actually pretty accurate. For starters, there are a heaven and a hell(Psalm 115:15; Matthew 5:22). Second off, to get into heaven, you MUST be holy. God is holy, and if He is holy then He must be separate from sin(1 Peter 1:16). It CANNOT be in His presence. As such, to get to heaven you must be holy. Are you truly holy? If you say, apart from Christ Jesus, "yes", then reread the verses at the beginning. You have never lied, never stolen something, never decieved anyone, never cheated, never lusted. If you have done ONE of those things, then you are not in of yourself holy. You are not. These things are sins, and these things make you unholy; defiled, if you will. You can FORGET about your sins, but you cannot FORGIVE your own, and you WILL be reminded of them on judgement day. You, an unholy being, must be HOLY in order to atone for sin. Are you holy? No. Can you get rid of your own sin? No! That's what Jesus does FOR us! He holds us up, supports us, and covers our sins!

Romans 10:13
…for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Ephesians 2:8-10
8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

1 Peter 3:18
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,

Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Romans 10:9
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Oh yeah. Does atheism even exist? Is it REALLY so logical? (see the last link).
Hope this helps!

Answer 8

The world can be a scary place. It's comforting to think you have a big invisible friend with magical powers looking down upon you and watching out for your interests.

Of course, there's a whole lot more to belonging to an organized religion than that. There's the sense of community, the pleasure of fellowship with like-thinkers, helping the poor and hungry. I like those things, but I can enjoy them as a Humanist, too. Each to his own.

Answer 9

you are making presumptions
when i was young i was told you dont need religion
when in my twenties i knew [presumed to know ] there wasnt a god
then in my fourties i found god in all life.
went to jail read the book ,seen it was full of human error but knowing god was real read all the books.
all have a bit of truth in /about god
none has the full story
religion is to open us up to a highest absolute eternal power,
any who deney god deney thier own breath.
so who is the fool
are you the highest powetr ,that you denie there is /can be a power higher than man.[higher than you]

Answer 10

If "religion" was only about morals, I might even consider agreeing with you.

But faith in Christ has nothing to do with morals (although those who come to Him develop high moral character, generally).

Faith in Christ is all about sharing what God has done for us in Jesus Christ, and worshiping Him forever. Morals is way down on the list.

Besides, if you're crippled (with sin) a crutch is exactly what you need.

Answer 11

i don't cling to religion as a crutch...i embrace God as the Father...and i don't worry overmuch about what other people think...i used to worry about things like that when i was a child...but now i'm an adult, and like the Bible says, i have put all those childish things behind me