Read this excerpt from Carl Sagan's writing...
One prominent American religion confidently predicted that the world would end in 1914. Well, 1914 has come and gone, and – whole the events of that year were certainly of some importance – the world did not, at least so far as I can see, seem to have ended. There are at least three responses that an organized religion can make in the face of such a failed and fundamental prophecy. They could have said, Oh, did we say '1914'? So sorry, we meant '2014'. A slight error in calculation. Hope you weren't inconvinenced in any way. But they did not. They could have said, Well, the world would have ended, except we prayed very hard and interceded with God so He spared the Earth. But they did not. Instead, the did something much more ingenious. They announced that the world had in fact ended in 1914, and if the rest of us hadn't noticed, that was our lookout.
2007-05-22 03:45:34 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
How is that a lie? It was the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, an offshoot of JWs.
2007-05-22 03:59:51 · answer #1 · answered by ZombieTrix 2012 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not an atheist, but I think some people are so hard pressed to believe in something that they will believe in anything.
Just an example but if someone lives a difficult life which would they rather believe, that there is a purpose & there is a heaven where all is good, or that you die and that is it. Of course they would cling to the hope that there is a heaven where they will be happy. Whatever that sect says will be true no matter what because to face the idea that one aspect of the religion was wrong would mean having to face the idea that there the whole religion is wrong including that idea of heaven.
2007-05-22 04:11:13 · answer #2 · answered by lalaith 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They don't think that, they know that. It was the Jehovahs Witnesses who predicted the world would end in 1914 - then 1918 - they were wrong - then there was the latter day prediction of 1975 - that was 32 years ago. I think they stopped doing that because they were always having to wipe the egg off their faces, or eat humble pie, so to speak. Time has a way of showing false prophets up eh?
2007-05-22 03:57:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Because most of their lies are attractive to the weak-minded. They lie and say there's a "personal god" who takes interest in you, cares about you, loves you...to someone who's alone, scared, or in trouble that can be a comforting fairy-tale. They lie and say there's a glorious afterlife of peace, milk and honey, light, and no sorrow or pain -- to the weak-minded who can't deal with the realities of life, that's a very attractive fairy-tale.
Religious succeed because the weak-minded *WANT* to believe what they say, despite the fact that there's no evidence of any kind to back up the lies and myths. Religions succeed because their fairy-tales seem better than reality to many people. Those who suffer a hard life in the real world are especially vulnerable, those who can't think critically readily accept the lies and fairy-tales.
Personally I think it would be *great* if their fairy-tales were true (well, at least some of them). I'm just not naiive enough to ignore the evidence and believe in something just because I want it to be true. The facts clearly show it's not.
Peace.
2007-05-22 03:55:19 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Im not an atheist, Iam a Catholic Christian. And this religion you speak of has done this numerous times it started back in like 1897 or something like that with their predictions of the end of the world and Jesus's second coming and each time they rewrite or change their mind of what was said. They are a false religion and preach a false bible(the have changed the Holy Word of God to fit their agenda) and have led and are leading many people to a place Iam sure they dont want to go. I pray for them daily that they finally see the light and come out from the darkness of their false religion.
2007-05-22 03:54:14 · answer #5 · answered by tebone0315 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
They get away with it because religion is big business when was the last time you saw a poor pastor/preacher/minister? Surely they will not let the sheeple know of these lies. You don't think the followers have actually read the bible do you. If any rational thinking person has read the bible, they will see that it is full of lies, and stop following. There is no way a preacher would let this happen.
2007-05-22 03:57:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Oh yes, the year 1914 a year many JW died as a result of having to face reality. It is a sad that they did so..
On to the question.
People are so desperate to cling on to any thread of hope, such excuses that are clearly false will work for them.
2007-05-22 03:50:15 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I am not an atheist. I think there is a good loving God.
Religions are based on lies. Each claims to be the ONLY way to salvation. That is pure crap.
Religion uses a fear of an imaginary place, hell, to keep the sheeple in line and collect their money.
In Christianity there are lots of men to blame. Paul for one certainly, but Pope Gregory in the late 6th century is primarily to blame for the judgement and bigotry that is today Christianity.
2007-05-22 03:53:15 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Pat Robertson just pulled the same stunt. He said that a major catastrophe/terrorist strike would hit in late 2007... but in the same breath, he added that it may be averted if enough people pray. So Pat can't be wrong whatever does or doesn't happen.
It's on YouTube.
2007-05-22 03:53:14 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's because religions teach that there is a God. I'm not an atheist, but if I were one, then of course I would believe that all religions lie, because they teach something that I believed to be false.
2007-05-22 03:50:52 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋