How do Religions continue to Exist

I am confused as to how religion continues to survive with so much against it? Is it that it gives people hope or maybe some people need to believe? Any thoughts.

[edit on 5-5-2005 by Tony238]

It is because everything that we as humans have encountered is a direct result of something. Everything, one way or another, has a reason, cause, and\or ultimate destination. What are ours? Religion is one of the many ways that we try to answer these questions. That's why religion is still around. It will be until we can find a better way to answer these unanswered questions.

[edit on 5-5-2005 by J_3]

Because we are a stupied race who still needs couple thousand year old books to answer our questions and tell some (can't be proved) god for their guidence.

IMO, J_3 hit it halfway close; not so much that everything does have a reason or cause, but that we can't believe that things don't have a reason. We can't accept a chaotic universe. For the longest time, religion was a science in a way--it was used to explain how everything came into being, and why things happen the way they do. Over time, religion in general seems to have evolved to take on more of a political/sociological purpose in guiding people down a certain path. And, from a psychological standpoint, it's nice to be able to think you're putting the work onto someone/something else--the whole "There will be water if God wills it" mentality, or praying for a particular event to occur. It takes a big load off your chest sometimes, and for a lot of people (myself included I hate to admit) it's the only way of being able to deal with something. I don't consider myself a religious person by any stretch of the imagination, but I like to pawn my extra baggage off every once in a while myself

EDIT: Although a little imagination can stretch this into a conspiracy, I think this is better suited to the BTS forum for religions at present.

[edit on 5/5/2005 by MCory1]

Because God is here and he loves us all.

for us ALL - at times. I guess it helps people feel there is some reason for our daily struggles etc. Some people need a reason for things, some don't. Some believe - some just accept. We are all different, thank goodness

"Religion" in many cases (depending on the teachings etc) are based on fear i.e. if you don't believe you'll burn in hell etc. I suspect many millions in this world don't open their minds to other possibilities because they're so fearful. Then there is the generations factor, what is "passed down" from one generation to the next. Its a cycle, and until hardcore evidence is found to the contrary - religion will stay right where it is.

Cheers

It's the same as the Mathematical X, when your doing math you keep an X till you find the correct number

2+X=5

in life we've kept God as our X till we prove him out. Everything from Waves (moon's gravity pull) to the sun rising (earth rotation and orbiting it) to certain people surviving or entire peoples dying of Plagues (Natural Immunity or lack of) and so on....

So what are the mysteries of God, something for man to name and conquer. it's like religions is a clutch or we have some kind of low self esteem as a species and need an outside force to give reason to everything. I can see why a caveman might need this, I see why medieval europe needed this, but As I look around I still think we as a species are not strong enough to walk on our own, I'm just glad I'm stuck where we are getting good start to and starting to limp (BADLY) on our own.

It has continued to exist because of the times in which we lived, where we are always a product of today. We may not be certain that man evolved, but we are certain that man's knowledge has and does still evolve, or better yet, grows, while religion went through various stages of metamorphosis.

We must remember that according to the records available to us, religion has been around for well over 6,000 years, where for more than 5,900 of those, the control of same was left to temple officials and church priests. The majority of humans were illiterate, while the inscribed and then written religious word was available only to a select few. As religion metamorphosized, and because the word was closely guarded, the old beliefs fell into obscurity. The evolution of man's knowledge started to not only crack that barrier with the age of the printing press, but opened it up with our thirst for information on ancient cultures via archaeology.

With that, the information was making its way around the globe in book form, mostly in academic circles, but then along came the internet and blew the doors off of selective dissemination. People are far more versed in all topics today, especially that of historical religion, than they were even 50 years ago. Religion is no longer served up in Latin from books available only to those behind the pulpit, or strictly to males standing before a Torah, and many are paying attention to worldly influences both past and present.

I believe therefore that the governmental and religious powers recognize that the masses cannot be maintained for much longer, but neither can they handle absolute disclosure that it was all a sham, in that people do not take well to learning they have been lied to. What would be unleashed when the constraints of religious morailty is no longer viable, would be a backwards step to barbrism for many and a control issue by government. So, the powers that be must stay as far ahead as possible of the masses and plot another change, i.e, one God which all religions embrace not based on record of old, but spiritual inclination that would by the time the majority comes to recognize that we have been duped, will not only be amenable, but by then, will become a so what?! That time I estimate will be within 50-150 years.





[edit on 5/5/05 by SomewhereinBetween]

Originally posted by J_3
It is because everything that we as humans have encountered is a direct result of something. Everything, one way or another, has a reason, cause, and\or ultimate destination. What are ours? Religion is one of the many ways that we try to answer these questions. That's why religion is still around. It will be until we can find a better way to answer their unanswered questions.

[edit on 5-5-2005 by J_3]

Absolutely correct. And another thing. is that if there was nothing to be gained by religion; i.e., hope, brotherhood, strength, a sense of healing, whatever, religion would not exist. Some people, at least, do continue to find something of benefit for them.

Because everything started with the truth and all paths end there as well. Because those who are conscious enough to see that those who have journeyed to the very core of their existance have obtained truth. And we admire them, glorify their works/deads/ideals/ideas/words/quotes and we wonder how they got there.

The last opinion you'll ever have will lead you to the truth. And you'll realize you have no opinion, and its been the truth all along.

Originally posted by Tony238
I am confused as to how religion continues to survive with so much against it? Is it that it gives people hope or maybe some people need to believe? Any thoughts.

Hey does anybody who calls them selves agnostic or atheist to some extent fell like I do:

I make it a point to emphasize that I’m agonistic not an atheist (although I don really believe there is a god, atheist) because I feel like a Hypocrite for having as much faith that there is no god as other do in that there is no god....


does anybody get what I'm trying to say, I don’t know I was an almost militant atheist/anti religion person since childhood practically but I started feeling this way after I started hanging out and really discussion religion or lack of with other atheist who would go around just like missionaries trying to convert (sometimes forcefully in my eyes) people to their own faith (or lack of) as of lately I've fine it distressing that Atheism has grown so "dogmatic" and radical. I feel a bit snobbish when it comes to religion, do whatever works for you. If it makes your life complete to believe in some all seeing invisible man somewhere in between the atmosphere and lower earth orbit, everywhere but nowhere at the same time, all knowing and controlling but completely hands off and NOT knowing at the same time (huh???) or your faith being that of ripping and completely decimating somebody's belief in said being then go for. And I was guilty of such acts in the past, heck come at with really hard with religion and go out of my way to break you (philosophically of course). I used to write my friend’s essays and give him virtual talking points for his Philosophy class (it was a catholic college) with every single nitpick and argument against God and religion mostly Christianity (gee what else would they serious discuss in a catholic/Christian college). Then I created a monster to some extent out of my best friend who basically gets off dismantleling other’s faith and I guess converting them and/or making them take an almost self contorting view of their religion and reason/needs for such faith. If you Just look around and you'll see a lot of atheist nowadays acting like inquisitors of old (well a tad less fanatically but I'll chalk that up to the generally evolution of our species since then). I don’t know now, unless I find somebody who is mature enough to disagree with and/or really talk about faith with I rarely bring up my beliefs unless you try to ram it down my throat or get uppity with it. I realize this last time I say my friend berating and most recently when someone I’ve know for over 3 years and known extremely well didn’t even know how I felt about religion. After I told her she realize that I would never mention god or anything remotely associated with faith, I would change the subject when religion came up and I wow stay quiet, walk away or bow my head in silence if force to when some kind of religious action was taking place. I guess being out of school and college lessens having other people trying to beat you over the head daily with their beliefs. well I hope this being in BTS still brings in some opinions, mature opinions hopefully.

[edit on 5/7/2005 by Oblivions void]

“My lost sheep who still know fear say:

“Frankly, I do not understand the constant on going search for the truth, as it were. In the best of cases, it is simply going to be subjective.”

“I reply: subjective to those who know fear and deny truth, or those who know not fear and know truth? The subjective my subject is to subject the truth to the truth, for I AM indivisible.”



Your servant,

Staff Sergeant John Paul Peter Goede, United States of America Air Force. Born December 8th, 1971.



“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it,
or who said it, no matter if I have said it,
unless it agrees with your own reason
and your own common sense.”