Why so many religions.....

[MW0082]

Religions are not made "right" or "wrong" due to their dogma, but rather due to their actual teachings and their results. All religions are a mix of valid and invalid, regardless of whether there is any god or what he might like.

I don't think people generally get shaped by their religious beliefs a whole lot, however. It can happen, and it can get ugly, but it fortunately isn't at all a common occurrence. More often than not people bend and shape their beliefs to fit their emotional tendencies instead, even if it doesn't necessarily end up in adoption of a whole different religion.

On the other hand, it sure is disheartening to see how little effort current religious leaders employ in actually making their faiths valid and healthy. I wish they were more serious about their religions.

I agree with you, but I just can't help but go doh' when I think about it. I mean look at the religious sect's fighting in Iraq and Iran and it's all over semantics. I mena really, different wording different believe caused by who knows what.

I am waiting for the day when one stands up and says we are wrong sorry. I mean obviously many religions are just plain wrong. No matter how they try to justify them. Lets get rid of them for crying out loud...

 

[Wombat]

I am sure there are more than 300 though....

Religions? Oh sure. There are thousands. If you believe there is anything of value to be gained by considering/studying them all you are of course free to do so.
Problem arises with the dead faiths that they are so old and so dead that little more than a name survives.
A parallel quest might be to look at/survey the number of scientific explorations or product releases that failed...no doubt there is something to be learned therein.
For my money an examination of religion would begin with those faiths/beliefs that humanity has found (over ten thousand+ years) to be true, valid, life/community enhancing and worthy of preservation.
That brings the consideration to around 19-22 major religions

Major Religions of the World
Ranked by Number of Adherents

Major Religions Ranked by Size

According to David Barrett et al, editors of the "World Christian Encyclopedia: A comparative survey of churches and religions - AD 30 to 2200," there are 19 major world religions which are subdivided into a total of 270 large religious groups, and many smaller ones. 34,000 separate Christian groups have been identified in the world.
Religions of the world: numbers of adherents; growth rates

One time I won 111 fireballs in 6th grade. Now idea how I guessed 111......

Read the number of fireballs in 'Contents' on the dead/discarded wrappers in teachers bin? :slap:

 

[MW0082]

Religions? Oh sure. There are thousands. If you believe there is anything of value to be gained by considering/studying them all you are of course free to do so.
Problem arises with the dead faiths that they are so old and so dead that little more than a name survives.
A parallel quest might be to look at/survey the number of scientific explorations or product releases that failed...no doubt there is something to be learned therein.
For my money an examination of religion would begin with those faiths/beliefs that humanity has found (over ten thousand+ years) to be true, valid, life/community enhancing and worthy of preservation.
That brings the consideration to around 19-22 major religions

Major Religions of the World
Ranked by Number of Adherents

Major Religions Ranked by Size

According to David Barrett et al, editors of the "World Christian Encyclopedia: A comparative survey of churches and religions - AD 30 to 2200," there are 19 major world religions which are subdivided into a total of 270 large religious groups, and many smaller ones. 34,000 separate Christian groups have been identified in the world.
Religions of the world: numbers of adherents; growth rates




Read the number of fireballs in 'Contents' on the dead/discarded wrappers in teachers bin? :slap:

Thanks, and no I just put 111 on a piece of paper and I won....

 

[Midnight Pete]

Why so many religions?

It's a result of many finite minds struggling to perceive the Infinite Mind in all sorts of ways.

We all see as though through a glass darkly.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Religions are just collections of interpretations, descriptions, beliefs, and what have you, addressing the multifaceted issues and experiences encountered in life as a human being.

All remain simultaneously correct and incorrect of which this is dependant on perspective and approach. This leaves little wondering as to why then there is so much variety and variation to what amounts as a moment of "existence".

 

[Blackdog22]

This is why I wait for proof. I just look like a fool selecting one belief system and exclaiming it is right when in all honestly, I am probably wrong. All of the people claiming to have the ONE religion that is going to paradise don't seem to get that they are in a hand with 72 against AA and it is definitely not in their favor. However, they keep pretending anyways to be right and sometimes even murder each other. It really is quite rediculous to me, but I am sure betting with less than a 1% chance to win is logical to them.

I do agree and wonder why more people don't take my stance. I mean, after watching so many religions come and die off throughout history, you would think most people would eventually just say enough already and wait for something tangible.

Just look at Muslims and Christians. They both feel their respective God and 100% believe he is real and even think he speaks to them, yet one of these sects of religion can only be insane in accordance with one true God like they both exclaim to have. So what both of these religions have to understand is that millions if not billions of people have subscribed to each religion a piece and that means millions or billions of people are insane. If that is possible with one religion it can be possible with all of them.

 

[Storm]

All of the people claiming to be the ONE religion that is going to paradise don't seem to get that they are in a hand with 72 against AA and it is definitely not in their favor.

Huh?

 

[Nerthus]

Just look at Muslims and Christians. They both feel their God and 100% believe he is real, yet one of these sects of religion can only be insane in accordance with one true God like they both exclaim to have.

Yep. Which is why I tend to live my life the way I can understand it, and not go in for a religion which claims to be true above all others, when still there is no proof.

 

[Blackdog22]

Huh?

Lol, its a poker term. 7 and 2 is the worst hand possible and AA is the best with around a 86% favorite to win. I am saying that sticking with one religion and believing it is the right one is like going into a hand with 72 against AA because the odds are stacked against you and in all likelihood, you've already lost.

 

[Storm]

Lol, its a poker term. 7 and 2 is the worst hand possible and AA is the best with around a 86% favorite to win. I am saying that sticking with one religion and believing it is the right one is like going into a hand with 72 against AA because the odds are stacked against you and in all likelihood, you've already lost.

Oh, ok. Yeah, I don't know poker at all. Agree, though.

 

[Wombat]

Religions are just collections of interpretations, descriptions, beliefs, and what have you, addressing the multifaceted issues and experiences encountered in life as a human being.

All remain simultaneously correct and incorrect of which this is dependant on perspective and approach. This leaves little wondering as to why then there is so much variety and variation to what amounts as a moment of "existence".

Setting asside the possibility/ probability that some religions may have a Divine origin and some may be pure human invention...the notion
"simultaneously correct and incorrect" leaves us with the difficulties of moral relativism.

The religion of the Viking was one in which ‘Valhalla’ was a warrior paradise that could not be entered unless one died with sword in hand...the Abrahamaic faiths hold- “Thou shalt not kill”, “Love thine enemy” and “Turn swords into plough shears”.
While the latter cosmology has not been a failsafe against base human nature I suspect it may have somewhat curbed the tendencies encouraged by the former.
Perhaps, historically, humanity has been less concerned with “correct and incorrect” but rather more interested in ‘useful and no longer useful’...?.... Embracing and retaining what was found to be better than what they had before and, progressively, consigning useless warrior religions to the dustbin of history.
Why would not/could not religion 'evolve' like all else?

 

[Gauss]

There are many Gods and many races on earth. Most religions are sham too. How hard is it to start a religion? Very easy.

There are about 6 orthodox religions as I see it:

Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, Catholicism, Protestantism and Confucianism.

We are waiting for the seventh church that will take over the world after judgment. In my opinion there is just one alternative(Falun Dafa) making the grade in terms of superior teachings and body, mind and soul cultivation, as well as a record fast spreading and the usual persecution(CCP in China) coming every time an upright religion is introduced.

 

[tothen]

I guess its for the same reason that there are so many different types of music.

 

[Breathe]

There are about 6 orthodox religions as I see it:

Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, Catholicism, Protestantism and Confucianism.

Why only these six?

Why not Jainism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Cao Dai, Mandaeanism, Manichaeanism, the Alevi, Bön, Shinto, Chinese folk religion (which Taoism is deemed a child religion to by some), Tengriism, or Zoroastrianism?

 

[McBell]

Why only these six?

Why not Jainism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Cao Dai, Mandaeanism, Manichaeanism, the Alevi, Bön, Shinto, Chinese folk religion (which Taoism is deemed a child religion to by some), Tengriism, or Zoroastrianism?

Because I do not know how to spell them..

 

[horiturk]

because everyone thinks they're right and they want their own club

 

[The Hammer]

Over the weekend I got to thinking, like I always do.

I wonder, how come there are so many different religions. I mean I understand why, different cultures, different areas of the world and so on. However we are all aware of these other religions. Each proclaims their own messiah and message and god. Many are very similair.

My wonder is don't we look a little silly having 300 (made up number) religions, and if there is a god, then 299 of them are wrong. Does this not seem a bit ridiculous?? People are dying over these silly views, wars are started over this difference in views.

Why do we continue to allow ourselves to get pulled apart as humans, to be diveresed religious people? We are all humans and all want to survive for generations to come. At this rate, we won't survive another mellenium.... I mean semantics is what this is all over......

It's kind of like traveling up a mountain to it's summit. There are an innumerable amount of paths one can take, some easier then others. But they all ultimately end at the same place.

That and nothing is a one size fits all. Everyone has different things they value and hold close to their hearts, and therefore have different conceptions, or lack thereof, of deity.

 

[paarsurrey]

Why so many religions.....?

Do you want that all humans should be forced one one religion?
I don't think that you want that.
If there will be freedom of opinion then there will be diversity of religions.
G-d wants that everybody should have freedom of religion and freedom of opinion:

The Holy Quran : Chapter 2: Al-Baqarah

[2:214]Mankind were one community,then they differed among themselves, so Allah raised Prophets as bearers of good tidings and as warners, and sent down with them the Book containing the truth that He might judge between the people wherein they differed.But now they began to differ about the Book, and none differed about it except those to whom it was given, after clear Signs had come to them, out of envy towards one another. Now has Allah, by His command, guided the believers to the truth in regard to which they (the unbelievers) differed; and Allah guides whomsoever He pleases to the right path.

http://www.alislam.org/quran/search2/showChapter.php?ch=2&verse=213

Regards