Religion

[Nick Johnson]

Why did humans invent religion?

[crafty]

FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN

[FP]

As an insurance policy

[Wraith]

Without religion what is there when you die?

 

Religion primarily gives people something to strive for. A chance for eternal life after death. To walk in paradise where there is no pain or suffering, where all people are equal. Knowing that you have all of this to look forward to makes life that little bit easier. It also helps to console those left behind when a loved one dies.

 

It also allows a society to impose rules that are necessary for their survival. The local magistrate might say don't go around killing each other it's bad. If your god says 'Thou shalt not kill' your more likely to listen to it.

[Alej]

To use something as a scapegoat for everything, people that need religion cant face the fact that they are responsible for what happens in their lives so they say it is the doing of 'god'.  It gives the mentally weaker people in our society strength to have the idea that they are not alone.  Also as crafty says humans need an explination for everything and if we dont know it then its so easy to say 'god did it'.

[lizzierose]

i think saying religion is for the "mentally weaker" is a bit harsh. i am a complete atheist myself but have close friends and family who have faith adn they are certainly not mentally weak. there is good in religion as well as the much publicised bad. and if it is a way of life which asks kindness forgiveness etc. and gives hope to those terminally ill or who have little else to live for and drives them to help others whats the problem. describing religion as a society for the "mentally weak" is too one sided

[tartanwiz]

Because we are not just animals.

[Wraith]

Although there are many animals, all without religion, that work together as a whole and are generally nice to each other, and they don't kill in the name of religion.

[Greedyfly]

SCAREMONGERING

[Alej]

lizzierose i didnt once refer to religion as being a bad thing, in fact no-one on this question said it was a bad thing.

 

As for it being a bit harsh saying 'mentally weak', what i mean by it is perhaps the more vunerable people in society.  You say the people who you know are religious are not mentally weak(vunerable), you have completely missed my point with this as their faith combats what they lack, which is why they have chosen to have it.  Lots of religeons target vunerable people.  If it helps them then its a good thing.  I even underlined it for you!

[Alej]

sorry *religion

[lizzierose]

okay. but you didn't say that, i'm not stupid

[pjunk7]

because they didn't understand science. Example. In the Stone Age if a flood spoilt some crops or killed people, they would sacrifice a person or animal to the 'flood god' (or whatever the water deity was) in order to appease it.

[el duerino]

but they are mentally weak lizzie because they have religion.

[Ray the DJ]

It creates a reason to be good.
Fear of spending an eternity in hell was used to make primative folk think twice before sinning.
Nowadays some folk still fall for the con, some are so gullible that they go to extremes.

[Merlin]

Wraith

What do you make of a God who says thou shalt not kill and then goes on to do some mass smiting and slaying himself, and orders his prophets and chosen people to kill and even kills his some of his own chosen people - then, I suppose, you will do what he says from abject fear of being smitten yourself.

[Merlin]

And let's not confuse God and religion, You can have a religion without a God. Religion can be, for example, "A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion".

[Merlin]

I do. If that was a genuine question: I care. If it was rhetorical and indicative of your lack of interest, then why bother posting it?

[buzy bee]

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