Serious question, why do people feel the need for 'religion' or why does it even exists?

[daytona 5000]

I don't need religion. I am God.

 

[airmaxpenny1]

I'm taking a religon & econ class currently, we discuss this a lot. If your interested in doing some heavy reading on the subject pm me.

 

[airmaxpenny1]

I'm taking a religon & econ class currently, we discuss this a lot. If your interested in doing some heavy reading on the subject pm me.

 

[SUSHI AND GRITS]

Weaknesses and conveniences.

 

[SUSHI AND GRITS]

Weaknesses and conveniences.

 

[drtobaggan]

Here is why religion exists.

 

[drtobaggan]

Here is why religion exists.

 

[DeadsetAce]

humans are emotional and weak by nature...need to feel their lives mean something and that there is something after death to look forward to

 

[DeadsetAce]

humans are emotional and weak by nature...need to feel their lives mean something and that there is something after death to look forward to

 

[aph]

Some people need the sense of belonging. Personally, from what I've observed of a lot of people I've been around, they seem to embrace the social aspect and environment of church/religion gatherings more than their particular religion's ideals. People all meet and get together for a common purpose and it manifests itself into something much bigger. There's no turning back for some people once they've made acquaintances with people within the church, especially children and teenagers who attended private religious schools. Society expect humans to be social butterflies and religion is just another way for people to connect and interact with each other.

 

[aph]

Some people need the sense of belonging. Personally, from what I've observed of a lot of people I've been around, they seem to embrace the social aspect and environment of church/religion gatherings more than their particular religion's ideals. People all meet and get together for a common purpose and it manifests itself into something much bigger. There's no turning back for some people once they've made acquaintances with people within the church, especially children and teenagers who attended private religious schools. Society expect humans to be social butterflies and religion is just another way for people to connect and interact with each other.

 

[i just got lucky]

Originally Posted by LTDtruth

Religion exists for the purpose of uniting societies.  Religion exists because of the people in society that allow it to exist by having a collective consciousness.  It has to do with the difference between sacred and profane, for example, something cannot be considered sacred unless it has a collective following that believes its sacred.  Take holy water used in baptism for example, I am pretty sure it is just water that I could get out of my faucet, but because a large group of people believe it to be holy, it becomes sacred, and is more than just water. 
As for why people feel the need for 'religion' I could not tell you.

FALSE.  Religion is the mother of all hate and probably the no.1 reason people go to war.   And no, I'm not bringing this up and using religion as an escape goat for everything bad that happens, but most wars are caused by (based on) religion but on a perversion (or a weird delusion) of religion to the desires of men.  Mainly one believes their religion is superior or the right one and all others are wrong. 

Take the Mayans for an example.  Didn't the Spanish Conquistadors and priests destroyed the Mayan books (religion) and killed off anyone who tried to practice it.  I might be wrong though.  Is that considered 'uniting societies'?
 

I don't need religion. I need God. *exits thread and never looks back

Religion = the service and worship of God.

 

[i just got lucky]

Originally Posted by LTDtruth

Religion exists for the purpose of uniting societies.  Religion exists because of the people in society that allow it to exist by having a collective consciousness.  It has to do with the difference between sacred and profane, for example, something cannot be considered sacred unless it has a collective following that believes its sacred.  Take holy water used in baptism for example, I am pretty sure it is just water that I could get out of my faucet, but because a large group of people believe it to be holy, it becomes sacred, and is more than just water. 
As for why people feel the need for 'religion' I could not tell you.

FALSE.  Religion is the mother of all hate and probably the no.1 reason people go to war.   And no, I'm not bringing this up and using religion as an escape goat for everything bad that happens, but most wars are caused by (based on) religion but on a perversion (or a weird delusion) of religion to the desires of men.  Mainly one believes their religion is superior or the right one and all others are wrong. 

Take the Mayans for an example.  Didn't the Spanish Conquistadors and priests destroyed the Mayan books (religion) and killed off anyone who tried to practice it.  I might be wrong though.  Is that considered 'uniting societies'?
 

I don't need religion. I need God. *exits thread and never looks back

Religion = the service and worship of God.

 

[james earl zones]

Go watch The Invention of Lying.

 

[james earl zones]

Go watch The Invention of Lying.

 

[offbad]

goddamnit.

 

[offbad]

goddamnit.

 

[p23c]

Originally Posted by Chrisphreezy

I don't need religion. I need God. *exits thread and never looks back

"To answer this, we need a clear understanding of religion. By "religion," we mean "a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices."  God, however, is not a system, and He cannot be confined to any creed or code. He is outside the "box" of religion. Nevertheless, nearly everyone—religious or not—has come to equate beliefs and tradition with God Himself."


"Within all of us, there is an innate, unrelenting desire to know and experience God. Although we have developed innumerable religious traditions, not one of them can answer our heart's cry for Him. For religion, though perhaps full of teachings concerning Him, is devoid of His living presence."




*also exits thread and never looks back

 

[p23c]

Originally Posted by Chrisphreezy

I don't need religion. I need God. *exits thread and never looks back

"To answer this, we need a clear understanding of religion. By "religion," we mean "a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices."  God, however, is not a system, and He cannot be confined to any creed or code. He is outside the "box" of religion. Nevertheless, nearly everyone—religious or not—has come to equate beliefs and tradition with God Himself."


"Within all of us, there is an innate, unrelenting desire to know and experience God. Although we have developed innumerable religious traditions, not one of them can answer our heart's cry for Him. For religion, though perhaps full of teachings concerning Him, is devoid of His living presence."




*also exits thread and never looks back

 

[ltdtruth]

Originally Posted by i just got lucky

Originally Posted by LTDtruth

Religion exists for the purpose of uniting societies.  Religion exists because of the people in society that allow it to exist by having a collective consciousness.  It has to do with the difference between sacred and profane, for example, something cannot be considered sacred unless it has a collective following that believes its sacred.  Take holy water used in baptism for example, I am pretty sure it is just water that I could get out of my faucet, but because a large group of people believe it to be holy, it becomes sacred, and is more than just water. 
As for why people feel the need for 'religion' I could not tell you.

FALSE.  Religion is the mother of all hate and probably the no.1 reason people go to war.   And no, I'm not bringing this up and using religion as an escape goat for everything bad that happens, but most wars are caused by (based on) religion but on a perversion (or a weird delusion) of religion to the desires of men.  Mainly one believes their religion is superior or the right one and all others are wrong. 

Take the Mayans for an example.  Didn't the Spanish Conquistadors and priests destroyed the Mayan books (religion) and killed off anyone who tried to practice it.  I might be wrong though.  Is that considered 'uniting societies'?
 

I don't need religion. I need God. *exits thread and never looks back

Religion = the service and worship of God.

What I am saying is that the earliest forms of religion were a way to unite a group of people.  As society has modernized, the number of religions has increased, which in turn has caused believers to feel as if their religion is superior, leading to hate and war, like you said.  But even as the number of religions has increased, they still unite groups of people that have the same beliefs, because a religion cannot really be effective if it only has one believer.  The fact is that each religion is a collective movement of a group of people.  So again I would still argue that religion's purpose is to unite a society, fulfilling their need for affiliation.
Personally, I am not religious at all,  and I question religious people just as you do OP.

 

[ltdtruth]

Originally Posted by i just got lucky

Originally Posted by LTDtruth

Religion exists for the purpose of uniting societies.  Religion exists because of the people in society that allow it to exist by having a collective consciousness.  It has to do with the difference between sacred and profane, for example, something cannot be considered sacred unless it has a collective following that believes its sacred.  Take holy water used in baptism for example, I am pretty sure it is just water that I could get out of my faucet, but because a large group of people believe it to be holy, it becomes sacred, and is more than just water. 
As for why people feel the need for 'religion' I could not tell you.

FALSE.  Religion is the mother of all hate and probably the no.1 reason people go to war.   And no, I'm not bringing this up and using religion as an escape goat for everything bad that happens, but most wars are caused by (based on) religion but on a perversion (or a weird delusion) of religion to the desires of men.  Mainly one believes their religion is superior or the right one and all others are wrong. 

Take the Mayans for an example.  Didn't the Spanish Conquistadors and priests destroyed the Mayan books (religion) and killed off anyone who tried to practice it.  I might be wrong though.  Is that considered 'uniting societies'?
 

I don't need religion. I need God. *exits thread and never looks back

Religion = the service and worship of God.

What I am saying is that the earliest forms of religion were a way to unite a group of people.  As society has modernized, the number of religions has increased, which in turn has caused believers to feel as if their religion is superior, leading to hate and war, like you said.  But even as the number of religions has increased, they still unite groups of people that have the same beliefs, because a religion cannot really be effective if it only has one believer.  The fact is that each religion is a collective movement of a group of people.  So again I would still argue that religion's purpose is to unite a society, fulfilling their need for affiliation.
Personally, I am not religious at all,  and I question religious people just as you do OP.

 

[jumpman j 23]

Religion exist so people have something to blame when things happen.

 

[jumpman j 23]

Religion exist so people have something to blame when things happen.

 

[patrick bateman]

Originally Posted by DAYTONA 5000

I don't need religion. I am God.

[color= rgb(255, 0, 0)]I'm with you OP. I don't see a need for it. I abandoned my religion a number of years ago (Catholicism) and I just believe in a higher power. [/color]

Originally Posted by P23C

Originally Posted by Chrisphreezy

I don't need religion. I need God. *exits thread and never looks back

"To answer this, we need a clear understanding of religion. By "religion," we mean "a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices."  God, however, is not a system, and He cannot be confined to any creed or code. He is outside the "box" of religion. Nevertheless, nearly everyone—religious or not—has come to equate beliefs and tradition with God Himself."


"Within all of us, there is an innate, unrelenting desire to know and experience God. Although we have developed innumerable religious traditions, not one of them can answer our heart's cry for Him. For religion, though perhaps full of teachings concerning Him, is devoid of His living presence."




*also exits thread and never looks back

 

[patrick bateman]

Originally Posted by DAYTONA 5000

I don't need religion. I am God.

[color= rgb(255, 0, 0)]I'm with you OP. I don't see a need for it. I abandoned my religion a number of years ago (Catholicism) and I just believe in a higher power. [/color]

Originally Posted by P23C

Originally Posted by Chrisphreezy

I don't need religion. I need God. *exits thread and never looks back

"To answer this, we need a clear understanding of religion. By "religion," we mean "a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices."  God, however, is not a system, and He cannot be confined to any creed or code. He is outside the "box" of religion. Nevertheless, nearly everyone—religious or not—has come to equate beliefs and tradition with God Himself."


"Within all of us, there is an innate, unrelenting desire to know and experience God. Although we have developed innumerable religious traditions, not one of them can answer our heart's cry for Him. For religion, though perhaps full of teachings concerning Him, is devoid of His living presence."




*also exits thread and never looks back