Ye Religion Thread

[Whirlingdervish]

mystery or conspiracy?
who knows?

I can guarantee that any answers to those questions would, as you say, not be satisfying.
They would undoubtably raise more unfathomable questions and religions don't seem to do so well with questions.

I guess this is why many people rally behind science.

Science is composed of a never-ending stream of questioning that never says "this is how it must have been and no other way is right". It is a very effective process by which we can hope to attain some answers thru observation of real things.


Religions, on the other hand, seem to be gatherings of far-fetched answers that are played off as "facts" in an attempt to make questioning certain aspects of life unneccesary.
It stinks of a plot to keep a population docile by giving them "answers" so they don't have to use their senses and their minds to decipher what is really going on around them.

so does the portrayal of science as the enemy of religion..

what better way to discourage a population from questioning it's beliefs than to make their only weapon against ignorance into an evil?

[quadz]

if a person believes in this, it is very likely they were simply told what's true and what's not by their parents as a child.

Unfortunately, I believe this to be the key point of the whole topic.

Considering the variety of mythology people have believed throughout history, and looking at the multitude of religions that exist today--many of which claim to be the One, True Religion--it seems painfully obvious that many people's neural pathways become wired almost inescapably to the stories imparted as true to them during their upbringing.

Complicating the problem, no doubt, is the apparent spiritual component of our lives not covered by current scientific theories.

Where it really gets sick, is watching televangelists who know a few more psycho-sexual sub-unconsious verbal tricks than the sheep in their audiences, leading the mob to rapture with a series of really banal faux-spiritual associations between scripture and directed sexual energy outcomes.

Oh, yay!

[Waffle Whiffer]

Warning! The following statements are from someone who thinks he is a cow.

Science proves that there may be a God! 

Science supports the theory that the universe was created (from the Big Bang). We still don

[DaHanG]

as science has progressed, it has only proved that there is less and less need of a god to explain the nature of the universe, even its origin.

Science proves that there may be a God!

We still don

[cyberneticimplant]

On the human side of things, there seems to be an instinct, built into most people, to believe in God. Just like there is an instinct to have sex. With sex, you get the pleasure of an orgasm. With belief in God, not sure what you call it, but some chemical is released in your brain that gives pleasure. Have you ever seen the eyes of a religious fanatic? They look like their on something. And, just like the sexual instinct, the instinct to believe in God can be twisted by various influences. Animal instincts are usually correct. If animals don

[QuakeDuke]

In general the more educated people are, the less religious they are.

   Really??

[Waffle Whiffer]

QuakeDuke! I may be wrong, but I think we were just insulted. 

[QuakeDuke]

QuakeDuke! I may be wrong, but I think we were just insulted. 

Nah! c1rcu1try said "in general". You know we're not "general" we're l33t!!  Moooooo! Mek! Mek!

QD

[{TNP}Dukie]

It it not an instinct to believe in god, it is a desire for knowledge. Thousands of years ago people didn't know any better and came to conclusions that "supernatural beings" cause things to happen. We now know that is not true. In general the more educated people are, the less religious they are.

Out of all the more educated people out there, I would say the less religous ones are most likely to be the ones less religous.

[quadz]

The only difference between religion in modern culture, and the practices described here:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/frazer/gb00503.htm
is that modern believers don't realize there is no difference.


 

[[BTF]Gator]

mystery or conspiracy?
who knows?

I can guarantee that any answers to those questions would, as you say, not be satisfying.
They would undoubtably raise more unfathomable questions and religions don't seem to do so well with questions.

I guess this is why many people rally behind science.

Science is composed of a never-ending stream of questioning that never says "this is how it must have been and no other way is right". It is a very effective process by which we can hope to attain some answers thru observation of real things.


Religions, on the other hand, seem to be gatherings of far-fetched answers that are played off as "facts" in an attempt to make questioning certain aspects of life unneccesary.
It stinks of a plot to keep a population docile by giving them "answers" so they don't have to use their senses and their minds to decipher what is really going on around them.

so does the portrayal of science as the enemy of religion..

what better way to discourage a population from questioning it's beliefs than to make their only weapon against ignorance into an evil?

i actually agree with a ton of what you say there.  i believe religions are as much a product of man as spirit.  However, the importance of them to me, is that there was an inspiration.  There were people with messages about how the universe is around us.  And i think 1,000 years from now, we will find science and religion in unity with each other.  i think they will each find a common ground of support for each other.

The importance of religions, TO ME, is simply in the seeking of the spirit, in an intensely personal manner.  Finding your place in the universe and knowing it is concious.

[quadz]

i think 1,000 years from now, we will find science and religion in unity with each other.

[Whirlingdervish]

I'll work on that tomorrow... 

[DaHanG]

The only difference between religion in modern culture, and the practices described here:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/frazer/gb00503.htm
is that modern believers don't realize there is no difference.


 

indeed, no matter what you call your supernatural inspirational stories, they still fall into one category to me: fiction.

[haunted]

Haunted says: