Ok, I've been reading your responses to my previous question and I've got another thought for you to feast your minds on. Lots of you agree that religion is the cause of many problems, and then some others are saying that the people of that religion are actualy the cause as opposed to the religion itself.
In some ways, once again this is only a question please don't be offended, God and for example Santa Clause are very similar. Santa Clause is baisicly the name given to the act of giving during the festive season. God is a name given as an explanation for the exsistance of everything. The only difference between the two is Santa clause doesnt exsist and God's phyisical exsistance is debatable. There is no hard evidence to support the exsitance of God and yet billions of people around the globe worship him. Could it be possible, only a suggestion, could it be possible that the Idea of God is just that, an Idea, something for people to fall back on when times get rough?
2007-02-07 07:05:56 · 12 answers · asked by Chris M 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Absolutely. Since the beginning of time man has worshipped a higher being. At one time that being was the air and the water and the trees. Man just feels the need to believe that there is a greater power out there that is watching over it. Humans don't like to think of themselves as "accidents".
And I'm speaking in majoritys, I understand that 100% of the population does not follow God.
2007-02-07 07:10:20 · answer #1 · answered by Amanda Drowry 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What else has been the motivation for the ethics which are essential for maintaining society? The Christian religion and Islam are in fact about self development towards the ideals laid down in order to build a model society on earth, followed by a wonderful reward. Almost from conception the existence of these religions was exploited by self seeking individuals and pseudo political hierachys were formed, guaranteeing disaster. The amazing thing is that they were acting in way obviously unacceptable to the basics and do so today. However the majority of followers have always failed to see this and outsiders blame the founding principles which are being ignored. But what have these outsiders to offer instead? Politics is almost exclusively powered a self seeking lust for power. Yet it too has it's adherents. And what has it ever done for personal values? The USSR was a total failure in terms of quality of life for the individual. Mainly because the economic principles were unsound. There has never been an an economy based on communism which has brought prosperity. But it proved a wonderful vehicle for those who desire power and followers were provided by those filled with envy. Yet people in more successful societies still look to it as guaranteeing equality. Luckily democracy has been successful in setting political participants against each other in such a way that their baser motivations are to some extent neutralised. However, this is hardly a recipe for efficiency or universal happiness. Human society has never functioned without some sort of guiding principles, which are required for the most rudimentary forms of organisation. Religions have been founded specifying all the human qualities needed to give us a happy and peaceful world. Is it really the Fault of Jesus Christ and The Prophet Mohammed if we have cynically exploited their teachings or been too weak to conform to God's values which they passed on to us?
2007-02-07 09:56:09 · answer #2 · answered by fred35 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Organized religion isn't worth it because people believe that it's thier duty to either treat other people of the same religion better than others, or convert others. (Here in the US... Christianity and War have gone somewhat hand in hand over the past few years... politically)
Wars have been faught, there's plenty of evidence for this.
Buddhism, I see no problem with. They just go about thier business and for the most part try to help people... but Buddhism doesn't have a God.
2007-02-07 07:12:58 · answer #3 · answered by Kren777 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Religion has many practical uses..for example
When someone is cold-calling me on the 'phone selling stuff, I say 'are you a friend of jesus?'-they hang up quickly
Or in a long queue at the supermarket, start speaking in tongues, sure gets you to the front real quick! Miracles both!
Finally, and this is what clinched it for me..I had a wobbly table and only by placing my KJV under one leg did the table become stable! The q'uran was unable to do this. So there you go, proof of the supremacy of christianity and intelligent design in a oner!
2007-02-07 12:47:07 · answer #4 · answered by troothskr 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Since the development of the cortex our ancestors became troubled with these strange notions of right and wrong, (and conscience).
Why were they having these feelings? What could they do? Why not invent religion? It would give a basis for all those feelings.
Invent a deity which would explain it all!
If we still had only the limbic system and brain stem there wouldn't be any religions (or any higher brain functions either!)
2007-02-07 08:22:30 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is definately a possibility, although personally I believe in the existence of a God. I don't think there's any problem with beliefs and spirituality, they are good things to have. It's people who use religion as an excuse to carry out terrible acts that I have a problem with.
2007-02-07 07:11:55 · answer #6 · answered by susan h 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why is it troublesome?
Take this for an example:
I follow God through my whole life and die, to find out that he doesn't exist. Nothing happened. I lose nothing.
I don't follow God through my life and die, only to find out that he does exist, and I end up in Hell for the rest of eternity in the pain and suffering of not believing in God.
Now, I'm in now way saying that God doesn't exist. But there is a fail safe there for Christians. The whole idea for a Christian that God does not exist is obviously bogus, and we definetly believe in him, but all non believers who "think" that he does not exist are the ones who are vulnerable.
2007-02-07 07:12:46 · answer #7 · answered by May 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i suppose what your asking is; does it do more harm than good. i don't think we'll ever answer that. it has indirectly been a major factor in every war in the history of mankind. however is that religion's fault or ours for misinterpreting its teachings, either on purpose or not. the human race however is destructive and if religion had not helped caused such problems, i think we would have found other reasons to fight and wage wars.
2007-02-07 07:22:35 · answer #8 · answered by jonny 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Knowing God is worth all the trouble it takes to get to know Him and His love and blessing in the world and the next.
2007-02-07 07:49:52 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, God is an idea - a bad one!
2007-02-08 03:24:23 · answer #10 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋