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What is the Purpose of Religion?

Based on historical facts, what would you say the purpose of religion is?

In contemplating this, feel very free to share what your religious belief system may be so you can answer from that perspective.
 

uncung

Member
Based on historical facts, what would you say the purpose of religion is?

In contemplating this, feel very free to share what your religious belief system may be so you can answer from that perspective.
the purpose of religion is to guide us with the true path to the paradise and to protect us from hell torment.
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Based on historical facts, what would you say the purpose of religion is?

In contemplating this, feel very free to share what your religious belief system may be so you can answer from that perspective.

I have two purposes: To be one with my family past, present, and future. To be a Bodhisattva of the Earth and help people from suffering by my profession, passion, and prayer. Live the meaning of life rather than try to find it. Basically, live within my environment, family, friends, and myself in the Dharma.

Based on historical facts?

I don't think there is historical facts that defines the nature of life. All nature of life or purpose, I guess, is embedded in what we do and how we and our environment affect each other. We read religious text and see how each culture interprets and assign meaning to the same life that every other person lives.

Other than that, what do you mean by historical facts?

A lot of it is just living experiences, learning, and observation of many traits.
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
Depends on the religion. But, on the whole, all religions serve as a framework for articulating or expressing values and meaningfulness, which in turn influence perceptions, behaviors, and relationships (aka, way of life). What the "purpose" (if that's the right word to use) looks like for a religion depends on the values it expresses.

As an example, religions that lack concern for an "afterlife" (and perhaps reject the notion of such a thing entirely) are not going to be death-preparing traditions like we see in many traditions of Christianity or Islam. Their "purpose" is unrelated to the idea of a supposed afterlife. Similarly, religions that are non-theistic are not going to anchor their purpose around communing with or honoring gods, much less appeasing them or currying their favor.
 

beenherebeforeagain

Rogue Animist
Premium Member
I see religion originally (that is, in its original animistic form) was that part of indigenous hunter/gather and early farming, herding and fishing cultures that dealt with the relationships between the members of the community and the other-than-human persons in their environment. As such, this kind of "religion" is not a separate activity of the culture, but integrally bound up to everything the members of the society do. This is how I try to live my life.

Modern religions, however, have for the most part evolved into operations involved in the economic, social and political control of society as a whole.

Edit: by modern religions, I pretty much mean the Abrahamic religions, which are very heirarchical in structure and often dogmatic in their approach to matters.
 
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George-ananda

Advaita Vedanta, Theosophy, Spiritualism
Premium Member
Based on historical facts, what would you say the purpose of religion is?
The purpose should be (and is to a greater or lesser extent), to teach the truth to people, provide ceremonial outlets and provide a higher morality to its members.
 

Valjean

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Religion supports conventionalism, it maintains the status quo. It constantly changes to reflect current values and attitudes.

Where correct attitudes and behavior can't be physically enforced, a mythology of mystical oversight and enforcement can cow the people into proper behavior.

Religion is a tool of social control.
 

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
Premium Member
Yi-Fu Tuan offered ...

... the religious person is one who seeks coherence and meaning in his world, and a religious culture is one that has a clearly structured world view. The religious impulse is to tie things together .... All human beings are religious if religion is broadly defined as the impulse for coherence and meaning. The strength of the impulse varies enormously from culture to culture, and from person to person.
 

Sees

Dragonslayer
Not all that much or any different than what other members are saying - but I like to say religion is about "cultivating the perception, experience, and celebration of Belonging." Primarily naturalistic, life/world-affirming religious traditions which evolve organically with people.

I don't think they are about giving proper, text-book answers to life's big questions or supporting how you feel about those questions...even though so many are approaching them in that way/for that purpose.

 

DawudTalut

Peace be upon you.
Based on historical facts, what would you say the purpose of religion is?

In contemplating this, feel very free to share what your religious belief system may be so you can answer from that perspective.
Peace be on you.
According to Ahmadiyya Muslims, purpose of true religion is to make human understand about God, His rights and rights of His creation and how to pay them, and use this life in good way (for self and others) to make life in Hereafter successful. To meet God, and to have His love, and to spread to world.
 

YmirGF

Bodhisattva in Recovery
Have you met God?

As for me, most of my life has been spent under the christian religious belief system, and in accordance with mainstream teaching, the purpose of that religion is to deceive people who are too gullible to see plain truths in the bible - the Word of God, and they are taught to dispute the truth when it is handed to them on a silver platter.
Some of us have had to good fortune to "see god", in the very guise we envisioned. That 6 hour "appointment" was pivotal in my becoming an avowed atheist. While I gazed into those massive other-worldly eyes... I saw something that had a huge impact on me.... Guess what I saw and you might understand much. The answer is simpler than most might expect.



In regards to the OP...
Based on historical facts, what would you say the purpose of religion is?

In contemplating this, feel very free to share what your religious belief system may be so you can answer from that perspective.
The purpose of religion is to give a sense of community so that the lost do not feel quite so alone. Religion offers crumbs of understanding, but their loaves have since turned to dust.
 
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I don't think the purpose of religion (nature of life) is based on historical facts.

There is historical fact behind religions and their formations, and those facts have been distorted, hidden and twisted. Certain people following certain religions today are doing so without knowing or understanding the true history of the religion they are taught to follow.

Some of us have had to good fortune to "see god

That doesn't answer the question, "Have you met God?"

What is the Purpose of Religion?.............control, control and control.

Too bad this forum isn't like Facebook, where you can click to "Like" a post....
 

psychoslice

Veteran Member
There is historical fact behind religions and their formations, and those facts have been distorted, hidden and twisted. Certain people following certain religions today are doing so without knowing or understanding the true history of the religion they are taught to follow.



That doesn't answer the question, "Have you met God?"



Too bad this forum isn't like Facebook, where you can click to "Like" a post....
Yes you can click the like button here.
 
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