what is the point of religion?

Question

I used to be religious but now I am wondering what is the point of religion? I really don't feel like it does anything

Answer 1

If you don't see a point, then don't be religious. Follow your own heart, regardless of what anyone else says.

Answer 2

Because your religion says, if you believe in a "man" who took away your sins you are going to heaven. If you sin or not it doesnt matter as long as you believe. So whats the meaning of religion then? No reward no punishment upon your acts.. it doesnt matter if you are religious or not.. you are going to heaven anyway. Whats the meaning of living anyway you should just die and go directly to heaven. Those are bitter words my friends I know.
But would it make you feel better to know that there is only one God who created everything in life, and he was never man, never born, never had a son or a wife. And this God is going to judge you on what you do? if you do good deeds you will be rewarded, and if you do bad deeds you will be punished, and the more good you do the more your sins are erased? Would you feel that being religious makes some sense or has a point? would it make your life meaningful?
Think about it.
If you want to know more you can email me.

Answer 3

Rulers took control of religion to have control over the masses. Look into who created the New Testament. His name was Emperor Constantine.

All religions have positive points for people in need. Judeo-Christianity gives people a social life and educates people in many positive ways. It asks people to be better people. And make earth a little more heavenly. You can read history to find out when christianity decided to make earth a little more heavenly. The negative is if you don't believe what they tell you to believe, there goes the social life and they escort you out.

I too used to be a churchgoer and even zealot. Today, I am still christian. I was born and raised in the US so the christian culture is ingrained. I believe in god.

I found very interesting that: Yahweh according to Hebrew is that which cannot be named, because once named, the word can be used to control people.

Today I enjoy reading the history of religion, especially the history of how Jesus became God.

My friend's uncle went to seminary and asked questions. They told him not to ask questions. He continued and started the Jesus Seminars. One of his books is called Honest to Jesus. Wherever Robert Funk went Christian's wanted to kill him.

I recently visited the Dead Sea Scolls in San Diego. It is very interesting. Anyone not in one of the tiny Jewish camps was evil. The scolls show the development of religion.

Answer 4

A religion is a way of life to be practiced by framed rules, regulations and rituals! It is followed to purify the soul, mainly our thinking to keep us good, upright and honest plus humanistic in our approach to all of our issues and to keep our life balanced! Hence don't get stressed more on the hell and heaven concept!

But all that 'sins' as pronounced by religion, does signify things that are inhuman in nature and bad to individual both by body and mind and are harmful to set disorder in society at large, are naturally to be prohibited and to be banned from practice are equally been acknowledged by modern Science!

Devotion to god does change our mind to be pure which in turn changes our action to be more humane and good in nature!

Answer 5

Purpose of religion is only to provide a platform for people to rise up spiritually.

Values of the religion like universal love, helping others, living in harmony, doing righteous deeds etc. cultivate that platform.

Practises of meditation, praying, Group Chanting, selfless service etc. make mind calm and dissolve ego also help.

Answer 6

to keep you sedate

'religion is the opiate of the masses'

'Belief allows the mind to stop functioning, A non-functioning mind is clinically dead...'
'..believe in nothing..'

as far as what lindsay says below. i think religion does the exact opposite. It provides convenient, gift-wrapped answers to questions that are difficult. Why would anyone, who takes religion to be the ultimate answer, attempt to reanswer these questions. Religion doesnt encourage development, it stifles it.

i know this life exists. im here. i know im here. why would i use up all my time here preparing myself for some 'other' life that 'supposedly' exists over there. well 'what if' there is a heaven, ya well... to spend every sunday, to throw away 1/7th of my life because 'what if' ok thats, well, your choice to make i suppose.

Answer 7

1.To help people who fear death they think with religion when they die they will go to heaven or something

2. I would have to say money I mean how much do people put in that little bowel or whatever they pass around the church. and how much do they pay to send their kids to Christian "schools" which cost alot more than public schools how much do you think they pay to put their kids in Christian summer/day "camps". and the bibles do churches give them out for free (they have them to read I know but not to take home to keep) out of the churches I have gone to none of them have if they wanted to spread the word of God or W/E then why make us pay to be able to read bibles at home for the money I mean seriously how many different companies make bibles. and heck I have seen religious bumper stickers,mugs,T-shirts etc.

Answer 8

Are we free to determine what is good and bad of our own conscience? I think not ... we look at democracy were the majority of ppl want this or that only to be hurt by what they want. Religion is the authoritative structure to withstand the public cry to lead the devout followers away from pain into heaven.

Answer 9

According to Rabbi Kushner, author of "When Bad Things Happen to Good People. " the point of religion is to bring people together.

How well that succeeds is arguable.

Answer 10

to consume the will and enslave the human race.... other than that big business.. making money... there are only two types of religious... the wolfs in sheep's clothing and the sheep being led to the slaughter...