NOTE: this is a continuation of a post I started in another thread. Since it was going off topic I started a thread about the subject. It impedes progress. The backward as opposed to forward thinking ideology has held us back for so long. Who knows what wonders we may have discovered by now and how far we could have advanced as a race had we moved on from religion a long time ago. I say moved on and not "had it not been for religion" because religion served it's purpose and was the foundation of what would become our modern society in ancient times. It helped unite people, calmed fears about the unknown, and gave us certain moral ideals that are overall good for us and still serve their purpose today. But the fact is that we have learned that we need those morals. We've matured as sentient beings. We don't need religion to tell us that anymore. We have evolved as a race to the point that we meet the unknown with curiosity and a desire to find out more about it instead of fearing it. All religion does is tell us to assign all the unknown to God's will and leave it at that. Or in other words the anti-progressive way of thinking. Some of the people who are the most afraid of change are people who are in power because of religion. The more people know, the less they need religion and the more likely they are to "wake up". Open their eyes and really think about what makes things tic. The fact that religion has been slowly decaying into what is for a lot of people nothing more than an excuse to kill each other over is IMHO a symptom that religion has long outlived it's usefulness.
You are the man. If you were an Indian, I would have voted for you in the elections. Sadly Indian politics is a bit poorer without your wit.
because people naturally feel like they have to belong to something.. And some believe that it is a "Control" factor.. but the only control religion has over you is your acceptance of the message.
Because i like to know that order didnt arise from chaos, oops this thread is about religion not about atheism
as a species or as a society we don't need religion. I'm not sure we ever did need it. But apparently certain individuals do need it. Anyway, religion is most likely never going to go away
Because "we" should not think collectively. Why should "you" dictate what I may think? And leandar, where'd you grab that charming socialist picture, change.gov? Who is "you" referring to in the picture?
this can be achieved without religion - as StOx says, think for yourself before letting others think for you.
Because we humans are prideful individuals who often believe that a god put us here for a "purpose" and we are somehow his children - exclusively - instead of the trillions of other species of animals on this planet, not to mention that the earth is a single planet in a single solar system residing in a single galaxy that makes up of a small fraction of the size of the universe. We might as well be amoebas or paramecia for all 'god' would care. EDIT: Just saying, how do we know what God is, let alone what this omnipotent being wants us to do - if it even exists at all.
no you got me wrong future about you not my children....think yourself after your death....you ll deleted from World like wordfile...or you ll come back from trashcan or What will happen?
First of all, this made me choke on my Coke. Touche. I think the majority of the religious are fine. They keep to their own beliefs as sense of morality as portrayed by most major religions, and the live their lives in a near blameless way. While I won't pretend to agree with any of them, or to think some of the views are technically rational, I believe faith can be an important element to a person's life, and really we all have an element of it, even those of us who think the theories behind the running of the universe are, forgive me, BS. As for why it is needed, it brings a sense of order and responsibility to a universe of chaos. When something horrible happens, when someone acts in an evil way, it was not due to the actions of a person, nor does it speak to what humanity is capable of, but is instead acts as proof of an unseen hand pulling our strings to throw the world into further darkness. When someone dies, they are not gone into the ground, never to experience anything ever again, they have gone to a better place, a place other strive to reach, where all is good and pure and pleasure. And someday we will all be together again. When something is going wrong, it isn't something we must stand alone to pull ourselves out of, there is a benevolent master who stands and watches us all, who loves us and will help us if we only extend our hands and ask for it. And He asks nothing in return but our devotion, our love...and how can we not give that freely to one who has only the survival of our souls in mind? It's like the awe in which we view our own parents as small children. This is Daddy for grown ups. I don't believe in it, I don't feel I need it, but I can understand the comfort it provides. And really, I get the same comfort in science and logic, in unproven theories of how the universe works, so perhaps I am no different after all.
Interesting comment nate. Especially considering that religion is the epitome of "group think". Without it you actually COULD think for yourself. That is if you were a religious person to begin with. You're not so I imagine it wouldn't affect you one bit either way..... well except that without it we as a race could continue to evolve, free of ancient superstitions. Being anti-group-think is fine so long as you remember to think for yourself along the way and don't become a group thinker with the anti-group-thinkers If you are truly thinking for yourself you might discover that there is also strength in numbers sometimes
Ridiculous. You equate all religions with your narrow view. You say that religious people are less educated and aware. You say that anyone who is religious is a group thinker who follows the herd. Not everyone who believes in a deity is like that. Not everyone who is not an atheist is a babbling moron who has never had an original thought in their life. Your post is sensational opinions with not one shred of fact or a decent point to be made. There are many and varied religions around the world, if you have problems with particular ones that is fine, but to flat out say all religions are an impediment to progress is ridiculous and of course purely your opinion.
Group think will always exist - it seems to be the reason you support Obama so strongly.. Religion itself is not holding anyone back from "progressing", the only place this is possible is in dictatorships, theocratic regimes, probably 3rd world government. One problem some have is pointing the blame on the wrong thing, for instance, they associate our current financial crisis with capitalism, when it is not the principles of a free market that got us in this mess at all - but a government intervention. Likewise, religion itself holds nobody back, it is tyrannical regimes that do this. By the way, group think is evident in many athiests on these forums.. just because you oppose religion doesn't mean you HAVE to be athiest - they just see it as the next best alternative. Same with the average joe who sees no purpose in their life and wants some - they turn to religion because they see it as the next best alternative, they only know the big things that the public is aware of. Same with some of you who want to see "change", they see Obama as the next best alternative - because the public offers it as the only solution.. therefore you are no better than any religious "group thinker". The end.
perfect pic... religion in ma opinion is nothing but a bunch of superstitious beliefs...i live on facts and thats wht the truth n reality is...