I don't hate religion I just think that many people who have religion push their beliefs on others. I think that many problems are caused by religion and that religion serves as a comfort, hiding place for many people. I speak only for myself. I don't hate religion and I don't believe in it. "There are thousands of paths, they all lead nowhere. U must ask yourself one question:"Does this path have a heart?" If it does, the path is good, if it doesn`t it is of no use."
I'm assuming (and hopefully correctly) that you are referring to Religion and God in connection with what could be considered the more mainstream beliefs like Islam, Christianity, and the likes. I would like to say that I don't disagree with you entirely but would also like to shed light on many other beliefs that seem to be buried by views that religion is pushed.
First I would like to note that there are two types of Gods. The Natural (immanent) God and the Supernatural (transcendent) God. Immanant of course is all those that exist in space and time in our current physical realm that is to say earth is of course natural as is the moon and the sun. Transcendent is all those that exist on another plane and contain places like heaven and hell that are separate from our reality as we see it and would be associated with monotheistic religions.
Immanant beliefs would be those like
1. Scientific Pantheism -Imminent world is god but is based on reason and is observed in writings by Thomas Aquinas and Spinoza. Einstein would claim to be this early in his life.
2. Religious Pantheism -Imminent world is god but is based on faith and is associated with Taoism
3. Pandeism -One aspect of the Imminent world that is considered god. A plurality of nature and the Universe itself can be considered this plurality I suppose.
4. Poly-Pandeism (Animism) -Many aspects, though particular, of the imminent world that is considered god.
**Pan of course would mean Nature or natural and is observed in many words like Pandemic, demic being disaster and thus meaning Natural Disaster.
Transcendent Beliefs would follow
5. Polytheism -Ancient greek gods. Gods that are transcendent with distributed power. Has control over natural events while in the transcendent realm. Zues as an example is in the transcendent realm but has control over lightning in the natural. This control of course is without having passed through to the imminent realm.
-Monotheism also falls within transcendent realm but is broken down into different aspects.
6. God is all-powerful + God is
not all good
7. God is
not all-powerful + God is all good
8. God is
not all-powerful + God is
not all good (Epicurus would argue that this is no god at all)
9. God is all powerful + God is all good
*one should be careful as they believe and need to figure out whether they are appeasing god or worshiping god.
There is also those that fall within both and Vans Genepp would explain its connection as the Axis Mundi which is the axle to allow contact between the immanent and transcendent worlds
10. Panentheism -Nature inside of god and god inside of nature. Man as nature and made of god where this making also lives within. Associated with the story of Prajapati where he was dismembered and these pieces would ultimately become earth and with this dismemberment, man will then choose to put the pieces back together in order to remember. Einstein would claim to be this before his death.
And the list wouldn't be complete without the following
11. Agnosticism -Gnosis is greek for knowledge and A+gnosis would be "No Knowledge" or simply put, "I do not know." This person is awaiting further evidence to allow them to properly decide to believe in god or even disbelieve. x or not x.
12. Atheism -Believes there is no god -- Regardless of proof or no proof.
13. Non-theism -Doesnt understand why people even care about the belief and even disbelief in god and also doesn't care about proof or no proof. Confucianism is non-theistic.
You are right when you say that there are many paths and its up to people to ultimately choose. We must also understand that out of all those on the list very few of them actually force an agenda onto others. The K-12 doctorination has created a void where this knowledge should exist. Based on your assumption that it give people a place to hide, well this is true, but even the belief in nothing is a hiding place.
Also you cannot not hate something and then also not beleive it. By not hating it you acknowledge that it exists and then create contradiction to whatever point you are trying to make. Now regardless of what you feel, religion exists whether we like or not. Its what religion believes in that you ultimately don't believe but also understand that if you are for the big bang or whatever creation story you wish to follow, you are believing in some form a god and fall within the natural realm. To escape this altogether you fall within number 12 or 13.
Lastly, you say that all paths lead no where but then exclaim that if a path has a heart then therefore it is good and if it is good then it is of use. Now what's the point of path that has use but leads no where?
And for whats its worth I would fall under number 13.
