Are there any religions that do not rely on revealed knowledge from aliens, magic trees or burning bushes?

Question

I mean, it seems to me that the credibility of all of the worlds religions rely on the gullibility of common people.

Is there a religion that doesn't have talking animals, hallucination based revelations, channeled spirits, incarnated supernatural beings, magic tricks, powerful beings in the volcano/mountain/sky/mother ship who spoke only to a select few?

It's all such obvious nonsense that only a simpleton could fall for it.

Am I forgetting some religion which isn't based on this cartoonish nonsense?

Buddhism. Good point.

Hinduism relies on supernatural incarnations.

Magic Trees was a 'not to be taken too literally' reference to Druidism and some of the Celtic/Nordic beliefs.

Answer 1

Well, who hurt you?
THere must be some one, who was a "influence"....this person probably preached to you and at you and made your heart hard.
They were a hypocrite..claiming they knew the "way"...but lived a life that was corrupt, yet insistant that your choices and ideals were flawed...

Who hurt you? That is the real question...you want to believe in something...you lay awake at night sometimes and think that there surely must be a center to this life...a path..a reason for living...
otherwise that question you asked....would not be in your mind and heart...what will you do with these answers?

When it comes down to it...everyone can pray....
if you will openly ask....your answers will come..not from man nor flesh and blood....

Answer 2

Most religions started out with those ideas. There's really no way to get around that, because almost all the people during that time believed in it. Now, just because some follow that religion today doesn't mean they believe in those things in any literal sense. But you won't find a religion that wasn't based on that stuff... unless you get one that's made by an Agnostic or an Atheist (why that would happen, I don't know) who made a religion lacking all of those things.

To assume that everyone in those religions believes in the stories as literal accounts is rather silly though. Some of us do hold beliefs and don't hold to the stories in a literal way.

Now I want to know who has the magic trees. =)

Answer 3

Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines religion as "a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith", so atheism is a religion. I am an atheist, and I assure you, my religion does not rely on anything siad by any of those things. In fact the only time atheists see these things, it is because they did a lot of LSD, mushrooms, or peyote.

Answer 4

No, you aren't forgetting anything.

They root their behavioural doctrines and moral principals in places such as those because they think it makes them more difficult to denounce as fantasy-worshiping cretins, which is false of course.

I say they can believe whatever they like, so long as we start vetting every single bit of legislation going through parliament for signs of religious taint. Until they can verify their giant invisible so-and-so for everyone without exception, using conventional means such as literal perception, they've got no right to inflict their disgusting tripe on a plural society.

~ Carnage

Answer 5

certain pagan paths don't include any of that stuff you listed. yes, certain paths like wicca involve magik, but magik is really just a way to focus and direct your energy. it's similar to prayer. not all pagans believe in or practice magik, some just revere the earth. nothing fanciful about that!

Answer 6

Buddhism is not based on items such as you speak.

Answer 7

Mysticism is the essence of religion. It cannot exist without it.

Answer 8

Buddhism and Hinduism do not do this.

Answer 9

You are the one spewing nonsense. Obviously you don't do your research.