Why

Why is religion so important to people? Does it give them something to go by in there lives? What makes them belive in their religion?

I think it gives alot of people hope and comfort

Damn...good answer Osobad!!!!!

It also gives the believers some peace of mind...that even if they are alone in the world, the big guy in the sky is looking down over them!

Gryff

People believe in their religion because they were born into it.

Originally posted by Illmatic67
People believe in their religion because they were born into it.

it should be "Some/Many people believe in their religion because they were born into it".

Originally posted by Dagger
Why is religion so important to people? Does it give them something to go by in there lives? What makes them belive in their religion?

Obviously there must be some 'truth' in religion(or what i would like to call it ""way of life"" )for you to ask this type of Question!

It is important because man has always had some type of Beleif.....whether it be worshipping 'idols' or whether it be some gods or the God of the Bible!
Our beliefs are important factors because if we look around in the world........heaven,the sun,moon,stars,clouds,the earth on which we live,including everything on earth(grass ,trees,mountains,animals,and people) is wisely created by a Higher power then just a Big Bang!

We as people want that knowledge!
People in their external appearance are different, but they all have the same reasonable and immortal soul.
This immortal soul lifts us above the animal world ,because we are made in the image of God........to be like god.......to live past the bodily death.......and become like God .........immortal.....

Without the belief that theres more to our existence than this world, we may as well commit suicide. There HAS to be a reason for us to be here, and it transcends multiplication. Belief in a Deity is all that keeps some sane.

well said, if there was no God, I would probably go out now with knife and kill many people, after that commit suicide

(maybe not that intensive but..)

Well, to the people, don't know. To the ones in power? Well, power, money, control of the masses, only reason modern religon here.(by modern mean monotheistic, the poly ones for some reason allow free love, kindness, and don't want to lead the flock of sheep, but allow freedom)

Also, with christianity, they have a great excuse. God's divine plan. Reason this happened is because god's divine plan said it would, so not our faults.

Jews, in old times, when they had power, used it to keep christianity down. Then christians became powerful and killed them.

Islam, today a ton of terrorists use this as an excuse to blow innocent people up, yet bet they don't believe in anything else from Islam.

Mormons, use their religon to allow a guy to screw his 14 year old niece, his four wives, and the neighbors dog.(last one a joke on the whole many wife thing)

But question, why is it the mono religons the cause for most war, death, and slaughter of innocents? Extreme hindu followers sometimes go to far(burn wife for burning dinner), but never heard of the Buddist attacking a village, raping the women, killing the children, taking anything they want like is ordered in the bible.

"But all the women children that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves" Numbers 31:16-18
or
"And we took all his cities at that time and utterly destroyed the men, the women, and their little ones of every city, we left none to remain"Deuteronomy 2:34
or
"And we utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon king of Hesbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and the children of every city. But all the cattle and the spoil of the cities we took for prey to ourselves."Dueteronomy 3:6-7

Never hear that from a Buddist, a Witch, a Druid, a Hindu, why? They poly. I don't think that is the real reason, but just something I noticed, how poly mainly peacful, and mono out there killing and stuff.

Well, went off topic, sorry, anyways, bye all, have a good day.

1. Fear of the unknown, so any "explaination" will do.
2. Justification. Some justify their actions as work for their diety.
3. Born into it, and were indoctrinated so heavily, that alternate views are immediately dismissed.
4. Hope for a better life somewhere/sometime else.
5. Someone to plead/talk to, even if they never answer...

What would people do if religon did not exist?

We probably wouldn't strap a bomb to our backs and blow up school children for starters....

Seems to me people follow religion because they cannot come to terms with the (scientific) fact that life has no meaning or purpose. People like to think they are here for a good reason.

[Edited on 12-6-2003 by CiderGood_HeadacheBad]