When did the first religions originate?
What is the purpose?
2007-09-24 03:41:06 · 15 answers · asked by Fish Stick Jesus 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
people do not want to admit life is over when they die
that is the main reason
2007-09-24 03:52:08 · answer #1 · answered by Arthurlikesbeer 6 · 0⤊ 4⤋
"Purpose"?
You speak of things which don't apply, human.
Religion deals not in purpose, but comes about because of the very nature of applying just a little tiny bit of pattern-recognition ability to a very large amount of self-concerned instinct. We call that the human.
A little bit of pattern recognition ability will notice under some circumstances that A goes to B.... therefore B comes from A.
A lot of instinct will not only decide that everything falls under the category of B and hence requires an A ... but will quite happily club anyone and everyone over the head who disagrees... thereby using this bizarre decision as a way of lording authority over people.
Et voila. We have religion.
It doesn't have a purpose, per-say... but people use it nevertheless because it is there.
2007-09-24 03:54:34 · answer #2 · answered by Dire Badger 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When something is hard to explain, when something happens that hurts us or is miraculous, that is religion.
I'm not religious any more, but to me religion was always a way to put the blame on someone else. As long as there was the "God did it" clause then I felt happy. Now I take responsibility for my own actions.
As for the origins, I think maybe we have to look to magic to explain it. When we watch a really good magician, we spend hours puzzling about hpw it was done, and in the end we know it was some cleverness on the part of the performer, but if we can't figure it out ourselves, it gets labelled as "unkown science" (thank you, Irivine Welsh). In the past, there was less mea understanding, and so things that happened that we couldn't explain were labelled "magic" or "acts of God(s)". Now we have the power to answer more questions, and to explain more, we are turning away from religion and to science, but there will always be an element of the unkown, and that will always be magic.
People find religion or they are brought up into it. It's either conditioing, or a pre-disposition to it followed by a catalyst. People find comfort in religion, and that's always going to be easier and nicer than cold hard scientific fact.
2007-09-24 03:54:01 · answer #3 · answered by electriclove18 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The existence of humanity. For the most part people didn't "invent" religions as they practised them based on their community's, family's, and personal experience and remembrance from time immemorial. The purpose of religion is bonding, assurance, revelation, and divine assistance, as well as search for meaning and purpose itself. Religion is nearly an human universal, even among atheists,. We ask questions that need answers and seek them among others who are like-minded. We follow rules which guide our behaviour and disciplines, that is what religion is and means.
2007-09-24 09:07:52 · answer #4 · answered by Fr. Al 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Religion exist to control human beings. To serve as a barrier for human arrogance. To guide men that their is a sole creator of the universe and that is God. To let men create fear because of God. Above all these reasons, human faith is the major reason.
Religion has originate from men...... its purpose is same as above.
Thanks to the question. Have a wonderful day!
2007-09-24 03:58:36 · answer #5 · answered by Third P 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The purpose of religion is to control the people. If people knew that what they did in this life had no consequence, they would go bananas. At least that's what the powers that be (the government) think. I guess they didn't count on all the people that would kill and maim in the name of their false "Gods".
2007-09-24 03:51:41 · answer #6 · answered by Eraserhead 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋
"When did the first religions originate?"
In my opinion, and I'm not taking a poke at religions here, as I have one aswell.. but religions were based on greed. I'm not going to preach, I hate (in the full sense of the word) preachers, but basically, if you look in the 'good' ol' days, there used to be things like heirachy, 'indulgences' (pay your way to god in a sense), and manadtory praying," If you do this, you will get to god."
That more or less sounds like a "On your knees and do as I say", rather than a choice, because nobody wants eternal suffering, and thats the other 'option' given.
People who also interperate their bible differently, and from that create activists and ya da ya da which lead to deaths, which is wrong.
Religion also brings wars and fights, and religion has no equity amongst the people in the religion, so explain that to me aswell please.
In a very brief sense, greed brought about religion.
"What is the purpose?"
To differentiate humans for nonsensicle reasons. Why is one man better than another because he owns more money than the other?
2007-09-24 03:50:52 · answer #7 · answered by Suki 4 · 0⤊ 6⤋
Religion is a system of based on an idea of faith.
2007-09-27 15:21:35 · answer #8 · answered by dtheory9 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Religion is born because humans are weak willed.
2007-09-25 03:07:11 · answer #9 · answered by J.SWAMY I ఇ జ స్వామి 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
>>What is the major reason for the existence of religion?
Metaphysical anxiety (fear of death, questionning the reason of existence, inability to understand the world)
>>When did the first religions originate?
With the first signs of sepulture, going back to Neanderthal (about 50 000 BC). Worship came later, with the rise of hom0 sapien.
>>What is the purpose?
To calm our metaphysical anxiety, so we may continue to prosper and evolve.
2007-09-24 03:53:45 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
To try to bring some sort of reason and explanation to this crazy game called life.
2007-09-24 03:47:52 · answer #11 · answered by willow oak 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋