If humans can't unite on religion, is there a purpose to religion?

[SalixIncendium]

You are quite right that I misspoke using the word "definition". Perhaps it would be clearer to refer to my original comment as my opinion regarding the purpose or role of religion, or perhaps core purpose. Religions can be an umbrella under which many social functions are aggregated and conducted or expressed. But at their core, it is their treatment of these questions: about the origins of the universe, why human beings exist, what is our purpose/function in life, and is there anything after this life, that we use to identify and differentiate different religious philosophies. I would argue that answering these question is their core purpose. If they are silent on these, then how is one to differentiate it from a secular social organization? What makes a religion a religion other than providing answers to unanswerable questions?

There are those already have the answer. For them, the purpose of their religion is to better understand that answer or even to validate it.

I would argue that what is real and existent is wholly independent of any person experiencing it. If every human being were to disappear tomorrow, all that is real and existent would continue to hum along without us. Reality does not require consciousness. We, however, need to be conscious to experience reality.

Perhaps, but there is really no way to verify your reality would hum along without you if you are not there to observe it. We already have evidence through the double-slit experiment that reality behaves differently when it's not being observed.

Quantum Theory Demonstrated: Observation Affects Reality

 

[The_Fisher_King]

great majority of humans want to decide what to follow per their desires rather then submit to God.

You seem to be suggesting that the great majority of humans in their heart of hearts know God/that what is required of them is submitting to God but would rather follow their desires - is this what you are suggesting? If so, is this really the case?

 

[MikeF]

Perhaps, but there is really no way to verify your reality would hum along without you if you are not there to observe it. We already have evidence through the double-slit experiment that reality behaves differently when it's not being observed.

Quantum Theory Demonstrated: Observation Affects Reality

Loaded phrasing there. It is not my reality, simply reality. There is plenty of evidence that this world existed before I was born, and evidence that the world existed without any humans, and evidence that the world existed before life even began on this planet. I'm pretty confident that reality will continue to hum along without me or humanity as a whole.

That we are real, and that our interactions in reality affect reality, be it by observation or otherwise, does not strike me as particularly revelatory.

 

[firedragon]

Do you listen to yourself when you talk? How can one insult another's religion without mentioning the religion?

By making general comments.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Loaded phrasing there. It is not my reality, simply reality. There is plenty of evidence that this world existed before I was born, and evidence that the world existed without any humans, and evidence that the world existed before life even began on this planet. I'm pretty confident that reality will continue to hum along without me or humanity as a whole.

At least until the sun becomes a red giant.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

Great job tiresomely and pretentiously missing the point!

Oh... you had a point? Huh... I did completely miss it. I might have to go back and try to discern it. Might.

 

[MikeF]

At least until the sun becomes a red giant.

Indeed. Until then.

 

[SalixIncendium]

By making general comments.

I guess this answers my "listening to yourself" question.

So tell me, in my "general comments," which religion(s) did I insult?

 

[firedragon]

I guess this answers my "listening to yourself" question.

So tell me, in my "general comments," which religion(s) did I insult?

You just refused to give any specific information about anything, and told me about my "Whims" when asked for just two specifics.

So, obviously I am not gonna engage with you.

Ciao.

 

[McBell]

You just refused to give any specific information about anything, and told me about my "Whims" when asked for just two specifics.

So, obviously I am not gonna engage with you.

Ciao.

ROTFLMAO

So much for your alleged high ground....

 

[SalixIncendium]

You just refused to give any specific information about anything, and told me about my "Whims" when asked for just two specifics.

So, obviously I am not gonna engage with you.

Ciao.

Any specific information about anything, huh? Is that how it went down? Drama much?

 

[stvdv]

To me, that answer is definitely no.

If humans can't unite on religion, is there a purpose to religion?

Definitely YES

It's good to be born in a religion, it's not good to die in a religion. The purpose to religion is to attain Self Realization. All Religions give us many keys how to reach the Goal. But Religion is not the Goal. Religion is the Path that can lead to the Goal. Many famous sayings clarify this "The final step is to kill the Buddha (don't take it literally, it means give up attachment to your Guru, so also to your Religion). Hence Religion definitely has a purpose, and the final step is to give up Religion (if you want to "Realize the Self")

 

[firedragon]

Any specific information about anything, huh? Is that how it went down? Drama much?

Nah. Again a generalisation and a small attempt at an insult. See, it doesnt work.

I didnt ask for specific information about "anything". Thats another general commentary of yours. I asked for specific things about a specific thing you said. Not "Anything".

So, anything else?

 

[SalixIncendium]

Nah. Again a generalisation and a small attempt at an insult. See, it doesnt work.

I didnt ask for specific information about "anything". Thats another general commentary of yours. I asked for specific things about a specific thing you said. Not "Anything".

So, anything else?

Nope. At least not until you pay attention to what you write and stop contradicting yourself in successive posts.

Enjoy your day.

 

[firedragon]

Nope. At least not until you pay attention to what you write and stop contradicting yourself in successive posts.

Enjoy your day.

So more general comments. Yet at least you didnt try some subtle insult in this comment.

Anything else?

 

[SalixIncendium]

So more general comments. Yet at least you didnt try some subtle insult in this comment.

Anything else?

Well now that you mention it, one more thing…

If you continue to comment on my general comments, isn’t that kinda like engaging me in conversation?

 

[MikeF]

If humans can't unite on religion, is there a purpose to religion?

Definitely YES

It's good to be born in a religion, it's not good to die in a religion. The purpose to religion is to attain Self Realization. All Religions give us many keys how to reach the Goal. But Religion is not the Goal. Religion is the Path that can lead to the Goal. Many famous sayings clarify this "The final step is to kill the Buddha (don't take it literally, it means give up attachment to your Guru, so also to your Religion). Hence Religion definitely has a purpose, and the final step is to give up Religion (if you want to "Realize the Self")

Can we attain self-realization without religion? Are there non-religious paths to self-realization, if that is indeed the goal?

 

[firedragon]

Well now that you mention it, one more thing…

If you continue to comment on my general comments, isn’t that kinda like engaging me in conversation?

So which religion practices racism? Then shunning homosexuality?

Please do give some specific information.

 

[osgart]

The purpose of religion is to defeat bad religion and find truthes that are self evident, and in those truthes find the worthiness of life. And in that worthiness of life share with the world the best possible message for mankind to live by.

Religion in order to serve mankind, must not deny facts of reality, but prove and incorporate them wherever it can. Adaptability with consistent eternal truthes.

Religion is that which mankind reasons to be justified in believing to be true. Religion is the inner struggle to know one's self and to comprehend others.

Religion is the subjectivity that can be objectively pondered upon. Therein is self discovery.

Religion is about discovering love and how love works in the world. And how to defend love.

Religion is about grounding one's faith in timeless truthes that can be self discovered.

Strip away all the doctrines and dogmas, all the falsehoods and errors, all the chaff from the grain, and see what stands true to life and love.

Religion is metaphor for life. It's the history of what does and doesn't work in regards to faith; faith being confidence in an idea, quality, or thing.

 

[stvdv]

Hence Religion definitely has a purpose, and the final step is to give up Religion (if you want to "Realize the Self")

Can we attain self-realization without religion?

My Master told us that of all the people on earth:
1 out of 1000 start on the Spiritual Path
from those
1 out of 1000 continue on the Spiritual Path
from those
1 out of 1000 reach the Goal

That's only 7 or 8 who reach the Goal of all humans on earth

So, I am not sure if "we" can reach Self-Realization (with or without Relgion)