Why the Need for Religion?

[Starfish]

Why is that sad to you?

"but everything I've learned leads me to the conclusion that there is no higher intelligent force controlling anything. It's just like everything you've learned so far has brought you to the conclusion that God does exist, I'm just the opposite."

Because to me, a life without God is sad.

 

[Magic Man]

I think this attitude is funny, and it's what turns a lot of people off about Christianity in particular. You think my life is sad because I don't believe in God, that that's the only way I could be happy. You think it would be good for me to "see the light". I could say the same about you. The difference is that I don't think that your life is sad. I'm glad you have found something that makes you happy. Believe it with all of your heart, and, for your sake, I hope it's true.

I'm perfectly happy. I like being free of religion. It would be nice to think I was going somewhere after I die, but I'd rather experience life without the confines of religion. As I go along I'll find things that I like, and keep them with me. Probably by the end of my life, I'll have my own little "religion". I don't think it's sad that I don't believe in God, merely liberating.

 

[lilithu]

The difference is that I don't think that your life is sad. I'm glad you have found something that makes you happy.

If this is true, then what was the purpose of the OP?

 

[sandandfoam]

People are driven to find meaning. It's the responsibility of each individual to create their own meaning in life, there are as many ways of creating meaning as there are people. For some it's religion. Fine. For others it's things other than religion. Fine.
Frustration of the will to meaning results in an existential vacum, that's often not fine.

 

[Magic Man]

If this is true, then what was the purpose of the OP?

The point of the OP was to get people's opinions on why we have religion in the first place. It seems obvious that it's all just made up by humans to make us feel better and maybe give us a purpose. I don't like the idea of living my life under the illusion that something exists when it doesn't. Some people like that idea, and it makes their lives happier. If that's the way they want it, then great. I'm glad their lives are happy.

 

[sandandfoam]

The point of the OP was to get people's opinions on why we have religion in the first place. It seems obvious that it's all just made up by humans to make us feel better and maybe give us a purpose. I don't like the idea of living my life under the illusion that something exists when it doesn't. Some people like that idea, and it makes their lives happier. If that's the way they want it, then great. I'm glad their lives are happy.

If you think that people make themselves believe in something they know does not exist then you are missing a lot.
What seems obvious to you may not be so to me. If you want to understand anothers point of view you need to listen to it.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I consider myself an atheist. I also don't subscribe to any religion, at least not right now. Why have people always felt the need for religion? Why does it make people feel better just to believe that there is something else to this life? Personally I believe that all religion is just arbitrarily made up by humans.

I like some ideas in different religions, but I don't feel like I want to be a part of any particular religious group. I feel like being part of an organized religion means believing in things that some other person just made up. So why does it seem to be such an important part of human life?

Also, what would it be like if our ancestors had not dreamed up gods and other forces? What would the world be like now without organized religion?

I guess that depends on what you think that human beings are. We made up everything else - governments, laws, business, science, technologies, history, philosophy, art, and music ... I'm sure you take advantage of other human-made ideologies and technologies, perhaps cherishing their usefulness. I wouldn't think that you would reject religion just on it's nature of being created by humans - we can create some good stuff.

 

[Sunstone]

I consider myself an atheist. I also don't subscribe to any religion, at least not right now. Why have people always felt the need for religion? Why does it make people feel better just to believe that there is something else to this life? Personally I believe that all religion is just arbitrarily made up by humans.

I like some ideas in different religions, but I don't feel like I want to be a part of any particular religious group. I feel like being part of an organized religion means believing in things that some other person just made up. So why does it seem to be such an important part of human life?

Also, what would it be like if our ancestors had not dreamed up gods and other forces? What would the world be like now without organized religion?

Read Scott Atran.

 

[Magic Man]

If you think that people make themselves believe in something they know does not exist then you are missing a lot.
What seems obvious to you may not be so to me. If you want to unserstand anothers point of view you need to listen to it.

I have listened. I grew up Catholic, and went to Catholic school for 8 years. I've had many discussions with my mother in recent years, among others. I understand the mindset. I know that you can't make yourself believe something. That's an argument I've used before for the case against Christianity in particular. If I can't make myself believe something, then how could God expect me to believe or have faith when I have no good reason to?

To me the big difference is that I've seen the other point of view, and understand it. I can look at it objectively, though. I can also see the other side, and have found that this side has much fewer contradictions and problems.

I've also looked at the progression of religion. The point of this thread was to discuss why organized religion came up in the first place. First people ascribed anything they couldn't understand to a group higher beings, or gods that controlled different aspects of the world. At some point, somebody came up with the idea that instead of a group of gods, there was only one god with omnipotence. It seems that the original reason for this notion is to explain worldly things that couldn't be understood otherwise. Over the years, people added their own ideas and organized religions came out of it. As religions grew, some of the ideas that were added in along the way started to contradict each other. As these contradictions came up, people needed to rationalize them, and so made up even more stories and rules to keep their beliefs making sense, until it got to the modern point where people believe only because people have taught it for thousands of years.

I just don't understand how anyone can look at most organized religions and not realize that most of what they're teaching has been made up along the way by humans, and only began because someone at some point needed a way to explain a storm.

I was talking to someone who obviously doesn't understand my view, just like many Christians, because she still thinks it's sad that I don't believe in God. I don't think her life is sad just because she believes in God precisely because I understand her point of view.

 

[Storm]

I've also looked at the progression of religion. The point of this thread was to discuss why organized religion came up in the first place. First people ascribed anything they couldn't understand to a group higher beings, or gods that controlled different aspects of the world. At some point, somebody came up with the idea that instead of a group of gods, there was only one god with omnipotence. It seems that the original reason for this notion is to explain worldly things that couldn't be understood otherwise. Over the years, people added their own ideas and organized religions came out of it. As religions grew, some of the ideas that were added in along the way started to contradict each other. As these contradictions came up, people needed to rationalize them, and so made up even more stories and rules to keep their beliefs making sense, until it got to the modern point where people believe only because people have taught it for thousands of years.

I just don't understand how anyone can look at most organized religions and not realize that most of what they're teaching has been made up along the way by humans, and only began because someone at some point needed a way to explain a storm.

The problem with this theory is that it completely ignores the reality of mystical experience. It also ignores the reality that every human culture in the world has come up with some form of religion.

 

[sandandfoam]

I just don't understand how anyone can look at most organized religions and not realize that most of what they're teaching has been made up along the way by humans......... I don't think her life is sad just because she believes in God precisely because I understand her point of view.

So you understand and yet you don't ?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

The problem with this theory is that it completely ignores the reality of mystical experience. It also ignores the reality that every human culture in the world has come up with some form of religion.

... not to mention that some intellectuals find great spiritual fulfillment in religion in spite of affirming its "human" origins.

 

[Magic Man]

I guess that depends on what you think that human beings are. We made up everything else - governments, laws, business, science, technologies, history, philosophy, art, and music ... I'm sure you take advantage of other human-made ideologies and technologies, perhaps cherishing their usefulness. I wouldn't think that you would reject religion just on it's nature of being created by humans - we can create some good stuff.

The difference here is that those other things have real-world practicality. Philosophy leads us to think outside of the box. Governments give help our everyday lives to be more structured, most of the time. Science expains the stuff in a logical where religion expains it illogically many times. We didn't make up history. History is just what has happened over the centuries. To use government, or any of those others, I don't have to believe something just because someone tells me to. Most of the rules of government make sense. Any normal human can agree that killing someone is bad. It's bad because it damages the lives of others and could have the repercussion of the killer being killed because of it. It makes more sense to not kill someone in almost all situations.

I only reject religion because it's made up by humans because most of those religious types would tell you that it's not made up by humans, but by some god.

 

[Magic Man]

So you understand and yet you don't ?

Yes, because I used to believe until I questioned. I understand that mindset. I don't understand how you can not look at it objectively at some point and find it wanting.

 

[Magic Man]

... not to mention that some intellectuals find great spiritual fulfillment in religion in spite of affirming its "human" origins.

That still perplexes me sometimes. I chalk it up to the desire to believe. I want to believe that there's a heaven, and don't know whether I'll ever fully give up hope on some kind of afterlife, even though I don't consciously believe in it.

 

[sandandfoam]

We have very different views of reality.

The difference here is that those other things have real-world practicality..

Practicality and religion are both subjective constructs.

Philosophy leads us to think outside of the box..

In some peoples view philosophy is just another category of box.

Governments give help our everyday lives to be more structured, most of the time..

Subjective again. Who governments help is debatable

Science expains the stuff in a logical where religion expains it illogically many times.

I'd think of science as addressing different questions than religion. I also think that there are questions relating to the positivist approach that undelies much science.

We didn't make up history. History is just what has happened over the centuries. .

My view is that history is largely myth making. History depends on who is relating it. Written by the winners and all that....

To use government, or any of those others, I don't have to believe something just because someone tells me to.

More than that, you have to do something because they tell you to.

Most of the rules of government make sense. .

To who ?

Any normal human can agree that killing someone is bad. It's bad because it damages the lives of others and could have the repercussion of the killer being killed because of it. It makes more sense to not kill someone in almost all situations..

Which is why the rational governments referred to above go to war ?

I only reject religion because it's made up by humans because most of those religious types would tell you that it's not made up by humans, but by some god.

Of all things the measure is man.

 

[Yeshua_Lives]

I consider myself an atheist. I also don't subscribe to any religion, at least not right now. Why have people always felt the need for religion? Why does it make people feel better just to believe that there is something else to this life? Personally I believe that all religion is just arbitrarily made up by humans.

I like some ideas in different religions, but I don't feel like I want to be a part of any particular religious group. I feel like being part of an organized religion means believing in things that some other person just made up. So why does it seem to be such an important part of human life?

Also, what would it be like if our ancestors had not dreamed up gods and other forces? What would the world be like now without organized religion?

If GOD did NOT exist, man would find a reason to create him/her.

 

[sandandfoam]

If GOD did NOT exist, man would find a reason to create him/her.

Maybe we have

 

[sandandfoam]

Also, I see no difference between God existing and my thinking god exists.

 

[Magic Man]

We have very different views of reality.

Practicality and religion are both subjective constructs.

Practicality in the sense that it has ramifications on my real daily life. My fear of being killed is a lot less than it would be if we didn't have a rule about not killing. That makes my everyday life better.

In some peoples view philosophy is just another category of box.

Yes, but philosophy also teaches you to look at the box, not just what's in it.


Subjective again. Who governments help is debatable

Government tends to help the majority. It doesn't always. It has it's faults, it is only man-made after all.


I'd think of science as addressing different questions than religion. I also think that there are questions relating to the positivist approach that undelies much science.

I think science does the same thing religion does. Why does rain fall from the sky? One says because God, or gods, make it so, while the other investigates to get a more detailed answer.


My view is that history is largely myth making. History depends on who is relating it. Written by the winners and all that....

I don't think it's largely myth making. Some of it, sure. It does depend on your perspective, but you can get what you need from history and leave the rest. You're "not supposed" to do that with religion.

More than that, you have to do something because they tell you to.

Sometimes, but it's generally for the greater good. Life's not fair. Sometimes some people get screwed, but that's the way it has to be.



To who ?

To the majority.

Which is why the rational governments referred to above go to war ?

As I said, it makes more sense to not kill someone in almost all situations, which implies that in some situations it makes more sense to kill someone.


Of all things the measure is man.

I don't know how to do this the other way, and don't have time right now to figure it out, sorry.