Vigile Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 As non-believers we like to think we have made the right and reasonal choice when it comes to religion. However, we have to face the fact that, even when presented with the evidence, people are not becoming ex-christians in droves. Even people who aren't devout believers remain christian / religious their entire lives, never to be enticed by people like us to abandon their religion. Like the jilted nice guy who was dumped for the bad boy I wonder "what is it that religion offers that we non-believers don't?" Here are some things I think religion does "better" than we do... 1. Offers a strong sense of community and belonging. 2. Offers nice answers to life's uncertainties including the big one - what happens to me when I die. 3. Provides incentive to believe - fear in the case of must fundamentalist religions. Any other ideas about why religion seems to be preferred over non-religion by the vast majority of the world's citizens? I haven't read the thread yet so this may be covered: Most people are just not that deep. They accept religion because they were brought up in it. Evidence to the contrary would be merely skimmed or ignored completely and they believe by default. I think this is backed up by the fact that what you believe has just about everything to do with your geography. Spurious? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 I have to live with possibility that I could be wrong about some of me beliefs. How did you become so thoughtful and wise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 In fact, the more I look at it, the more I figure we don't know shit. The person who says "we are wormfood" knows no more than the person who says "we are heaven/hellbound" and everything in the middle. I hope there is some form of afterlife. I don't like the idea that someday I will just not exist. It's tough not to embrace nihilism when contemplating the subject. That said, it's pretty darn hard for me to get around the fact that I once did not exist and that a sense of who I am did not develop until age two or three. It makes me think that death pretty much has to be the reverse or the end of the cycle for me. Likewise, while it's difficult I admit to conceive of the end of a human personality, we easily conceive that a bug, a rodent, an amoeba, or even a cat comes to nothing at their last breath. We are after all likewise just carbon based lifeforms. I'm not saying I know what will happen, but these are two things that make believing in an afterlife awful hard. Just wormfood for thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizard Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 I think it's a matter of creating a fake "need" and then offering to meet that need. Many religions create fear - of eternal punishment, for example - and then offer the way out. Religions are popular because they've been able to sufficiently convince people that they will be punished on earth and/or in the afterlife if they don't follow that religion's rules. It's marketing to the extreme. Create the need and the means to fulfill it. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The "fear factor" is very much alive and well. I was reading on a fundie site the other day. A question was brought up about the faithful leaving. Now..this was an OSAS site, so they believe you cannot really walk away if you are really saved to begin with. The question was "sin unto death"..and the answer is: "If you sin enough, god will kill you, but save your soul." Of course, before you get to the killed part, he's gonna chastise you with all kinds of stuff like sickness, financial woes, etc. I haven't read the thread yet so this may be covered: Most people are just not that deep. They accept religion because they were brought up in it. Evidence to the contrary would be merely skimmed or ignored completely and they believe by default. I think this is backed up by the fact that what you believe has just about everything to do with your geography. Spurious? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> In alot of cases, you are right. They don't question at all, its what they were taught. In my own case, however.. I thought too much. My parents were far from religious. Very far, in fact. But,in my mind, I thought there must be something more. "god" seemed to answer my curious mind when science couldn't. Then science began answering. And answering, making most of the "god" science outdated. Yes, we want acceptance. At least, most do. But, there comes a point when you can be true to yourself, not be accepted and look a fool..or blindly believe. The first option has often left me alone. The second brings temporary comfort. I'd rather be alone, I think. Life after life? Lovely thought, great to daydream about. We'll know (or not) when we get there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 All religions are accepted IMO, as long as they don't proselytize and demand political changes based on their religion. Ah...well, yeah. And as long as they don't cause any harm to their members, or anyone else. If I were forced to choose a religion at gunpoint, I'd pick Paganism. At least, they aren't preachy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtdude Posted June 16, 2005 Share Posted June 16, 2005 ....How about #5: religion expresses people's sense of awe before the transcendent? Good addition, ficino...I wonder if meditating on the transcendent is the same as pondering simple existence, but seeing the universe as so huge, it's mind-boggling. So big, vast and complicated that we try to explain it in religious terms (creation myths). Not just looking out the door and saying, "Yeah, I guess that's it (yawn)." TexFT - I'd add a #6: religion provides an explanation to suffering - why do we suffer? Why are good people subjected to injustice? Why do the wicked go scott-free? Hinduism explains it in karmic/dharmic terms, as does Buddhism. The dualistic religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam) say God will mete out justice (his type of course) before the judgment seat. It's a need for justice, and a need for revenge. It'll all pan out in the end. Part of being an apostate is realizing that we do not desperately need this cosmic revenge to go on with life. Maybe it'll ignite a fire to actually change society around us, instead of waiting for Big Daddy to take care of it for us. Cool thread. Curtdude San Francisco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted June 16, 2005 Share Posted June 16, 2005 Would that make the IPU religion okay then? ;-) Only if it has bloody sacrifices! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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