What is the ultimate purpose of any religion? Is it faith in God or morality or something else?

Question

I am looking for a general answer and not from the point of view of any one particular religion.

Answer 1

Mindfulness and enlightenment for the period of time we live in right now :)))Purpose always compassion, love and understanding even for aliens out of this planet..............

Peace....
Hope...
Healing.....
This is any religions message .........Godbless Small always :)))

Answer 2

Something else - I personally believe (I'm agnostic in the sense that I don’t believe in a particular religion) that religion is a way to protect us from ourselves and to lead us in a path that makes us humble and appreciative of the universe and life. We are all imperfect and have a propensity towards different "sins" that harm us. Religion is a way to keep people focused on a path most beneficial to them and to bind people in a community that helps give each other support.

I've looked at most of the major religions except Islam. The only reason I haven't looked at it is because you have to start out believing Judaism and Christianity. Some day I'll probably look into it. From what I know about Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism they all have the same "morals” For example abortion is usually thought of as a Christian belief of immorality but it is actually considered wrong in all the major religions. I believe it is that way because abortion is harmful to those who commit it not the one it is committed against. People who die either go nowhere if there is no God or they go to a new afterlife if there is. So the aborted baby is fine either way. It's the people who stop it from growing that suffer. It’s the same way when an adult or older child dies. People think “How can God let this happen to such a good person” If it’s a good person, then the person who dies is either in a better life or just dead and doesn’t feel anything. It’s the people left behind who suffer.

I believe that if there is a God, he created these different religions to have a better chance of reaching more people. Christianity and Judaism and Islam are more extroverted and Hinduism and Buddhism are more introverted so they reach different types of people. Within all religions there is a wide variety in how they are practiced. In Christianity for example, Catholicism is the most visual where as Evangelical sects tend to be much more auditory.

It would take for ever to explain exactly what I mean, but it’s the same concept as a good parent who wants to teach their child the best way to survive in life, not because they want the child to blindly worship them, but so they can grow and hopefully exceed what the parent has been able to obtain in terms of satisfaction and happiness. Hopefully the child always loves and respects the parent for helping them find their way. To bring it back succinctly answering your question, Religion is not for morality or for blind belief, it’s to help people grow and prosper and appreciate their life and their relationship to the universe.

Answer 3

Maybe there was a lot more reality to the so-called mythological stories present in all religions. However, after the dark-ages, the stories have been warped, and now people need to have some sort of "faith" to "believe" in them. After that, people needed to control you into "believing" in a religion.

They could have been just like what we call "science" in the modern-day life. Perhaps asking this question is akin to asking "what is the ultimate purpose of any scientific theory?"

In response to that question, I would say that the purpose is for us to try and feel more in control of a vast universe that is filled with limitless potential. Or, this infinite, limitlessness, could simply be called "God."

Answer 4

I don't believe in any correlation between God and religion. I believe religion is just a way to control people. I don't believe any one religion is right. Religion is just one persons interpretation of some written text, which was written by humans to start with!

Through out history, there have been "holy wars". There is no such thing. Leaders who want control launch wars in "the name of God" but no where in ANY religion does the God of that religion want us fighting and killing each other. All texts in all religion promote loving your fellow humans and condemns killing them.

As far as I'm concerned, anyone of any religion who believes in a God is worshipping the same God, they just call him a different name.

Whether someone believes in God is between them and God. It's not anyone else's business and I very much disagree with those religions that make their members try to recruit new members.

The ultimate purpose of religion is to power and control. Since we all love the same God, he doesn't care what religion we belong to, or if we even belong to one. From what I've been taught about God, He loves me no matter what I do and what I do is between the two of us.

Answer 5

If you are looking for a general answer without the faith, hope, and charity,then you would only need to research the amount of religious churches, temples, etc, from each country,to see how much time has been spent on the buildings, worship, and the ceremony.
Possibly these tangible reminders are to remind the masses, that we have been created with a sense of what's right and wrong.Some listen to their inner self, whilst others tend to ignore what their reason for being is.

Answer 6

The ultimate purpose is the supernatural communion/fellowship of the created (us) with the Creator (God). On this earth, the love of others through our love for God is the mechanism by which God reveals Himself to us.

The ultimate purpose is not a guide as to how to live our life, Our guidance flows naturally from love for God and love for others.

The ultimate purpose is not heaven nor the afterlife; God Himself is the goal and heaven is just a place where we will be with God.

And we will not ever find our rest until we find it in God. (para phase of Augustine)

Answer 7

Religion is a set of rules adopted by the society for living in harmony with the God as a Center and main subject.

Answer 8

I think to keep people moving in life, they need something to look for. Like religious people look to god, or other types of gods or goddess. And others look to finding out scientifically what's going on out there. Another life form from another planet perhaps, or how the universe formed all together. it's a strange subject, but one of the most intriging ones out there. It could date all the way back to before "life" even existed. Or it could all be something that "someone" wants us think or believe! I don't think we will ever have a true answer.

Answer 9

The ultimate purpose in religion is faith in your god so when you pass on you will be with God in the after life.

Answer 10

Well, I think its suppression.. (shhhh don't say this too loud) but for eons mankind has used religion as a method to suppress the have nots ~ promising a glorious afterlife if only one behaves for now. (oh dear.. hold your ears). Of course, this doesn't mean that God doesn't exist, but simply that there is power involved.. if you control the doctrines of religion then you have the power of faith on your side. Simple stuff when you think about it.

God on the other hand.. may very well exist, if you are prepared to admit that there is a human conscience .. something that keeps us from eating each other... something other than fear of one of societie's sanctions. If that conscience is God, it is indeed within us and then clearly it exists. OF course, I am pretty apathetic about some supreme being coming around to my place to protect me from anything evil... as apathetic as god seems to have been towards me.

Answer 11

All of them offer a path/way to return to authentic being by a process of eliminating the learned ego identity.

Why? Because god/reality the multi-dimensional field we are embedded in is responsive to/mirrors the contents of consciousness. Unity between being/reality is the goal - heaven/abundant life/nirvana/eternal aliveness etc. etc.