tonkabui said:no one has seen any transcendent being who told him the story of the world from beginning to end.
kc5zom said:If by change the world you mean, be an excuse for authoritarian regimes to maintain power ("the mandate of Heaven") then yes religions have "changed" the world. But what you might neglect to know is that most spread of religion in the past has been accomplished through warfare or trade. The spread of religions in Asia shows the whole story. Influential people switched because:
A. They didn't want their asses kicked.
B. They wanted favoritism in trade with other nations.
Once the influential people switch it becomes a push to the masses, whether the person pushing believes in it or not. And I think David Koresh and Heaven's Gate have pretty much proven that there are enough stupid people in the world to believe in just about anything.
pingdum said:Except most (maybe all) of the major religions were started by people who claim just this.
I couldn't get through reading all the new replies without answering to this....Now back to the thread, this is pretty entertaining.![]()
nmaino said:I think that religion is a needed backbone that helps to produce a productive, self aware, intelligent full individual. It gives one feeling of self and meaning of self.
Those who lack religion ultimatly will lack the basic building blocks that are vital to a full life and the meanings that are found within that life.
nmaino said:I think that religion is a needed backbone that helps to produce a productive, self aware, intelligent full individual. It gives one feeling of self and meaning of self.
Those who lack religion ultimatly will lack the basic building blocks that are vital to a full life and the meanings that are found within that life.
pingdum said:OK...I'm finished reading now.
I chose the title of this thread because I think religion is bullsh!t. All religions. Well, maybe not all. Some Druids dancing naked under a full moon somewhere probably aren't causing anybody too much harm. But most of the biggies are really ******* things up in my opinion. Yea they helped things along the way sure enough but they also held back a lot. Galileo died in prison for being a heretic. I'm seriously not trying to offend anyone or start a flame war, but if you can't hang then go back to the "My intake is better then your intake" thread. This thread has been one of the most intelligent things I've read (except for the great technical advice always available on Proteg5. com 24 hours a day, donate today (I bought a clock)) on this forum for a long time, from both sides of the issue.
pingdum said:Yea, If you make up a story that answers all of life's unanswerables (I just made up a word) then of course it's easy to get on. But believing something so serious just because it's convenient seems very bizarre to me.
tonkabui said:now we're getting somewhere!
that is EXACTLY the point of religion. it gives us a sense of something (closure, hope, devotion). if humans didn't have inquiring minds that sought answers to tough questions, we mind as well be little cows out in the meadow... or trees under which naked druids sing and dance. it is the nature of the human being to inquire, and in this inquiry, we need answers... and whatever science doesn't, religion does. why do you think darwin went on his little adventure (besides the money and the adventure part)?
SpicyMSP said:I think this thread was a bad idea. Nice going.
tonkabui said:then that means you realize the utility of religion.
nmaino said:I think that religion is a needed backbone that helps to produce a productive, self aware, intelligent full individual. It gives one feeling of self and meaning of self.
Those who lack religion ultimatly will lack the basic building blocks that are vital to a full life and the meanings that are found within that life.