The function of religion ?

[bribed]

I think that religion was invented to control people. Many people are mentally unstable or need some sort of hold in life that they can believe in, therefore religion is the perfect tool. Its easy to manipulate people with religious views. I hope that people someday realize the benefits that religion has brought so far - should be clear how minor those are compared to the disaster that it has brought over history of humankind.

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[bribed]

Dont get me wrong, I do think that religious values in general, like helping the poor, sharing is caring, love the ones your with etc. are good things, its just the people in charge that have misused the power that has been given to them. My point is that believing in god is something that everyone should decide for himself, from the inside. Its not about showing off to others how religious you are by going to church. Its a very personal thing, of which there is no need to talk about because our world is full of different views that need to coexist.

[Astargath]

Religion has two tasks. 1 To give an opportunity to learn about God 2. To clarify what is good and what is evil.

Religion endorses slavery and rape.

Slavery will always exist. Religion only seems to endorse it, because religion is trying to reduce the unfairness of slavery, slavery that will exist anyway.

All powerful god can't get rid of slavery? LUL

Who thinks God isn't getting rid of slavery? Consider. Keeping people alive and free isn't something that can easily be done while forcing them to not be free at the same time, by forcing them to not make slaves. God has a solution worked out.

Be free to follow His commands. Be free to believe in His Jesus-salvation or not. Then die to get rid of your slave-making and doing. Then arise to go into Heaven or Hell, depending on the free choices you made back here on Earth.

See, you have some sort of cognitive dissonance.

-Who thinks God isn't getting rid of slavery?

-Slavery will always exist.

Conflicting statements right there.

[Denveru]

The function of religion? It seems to me that it is no longer a function but a person's state, how he sees the world, and who he is. Religion has no function.

[aesma]

As Karl Marx said : "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people".

I live in a country where religion has taken a step back (maybe not forever, though), it's something really interesting to observe. Another kind of religion has basically replaced it, football, but it's much less of a problem, no war has been started over sports (yet). Some violence but very limited. And more importantly, even the most ardent fanatics don't care one bit that others aren't following their religion, and don't try to impose it on us through politics.

[skillink]

Religion has two tasks. 1 To give an opportunity to learn about God 2. To clarify what is good and what is evil.

Religion endorses slavery and rape.

Slavery will always exist. Religion only seems to endorse it, because religion is trying to reduce the unfairness of slavery, slavery that will exist anyway.

All powerful god can't get rid of slavery? LUL

You can not understand if you do not live in an age of ignorance.

[dumbfounded22]

Religion unites all believers in one group, within which, as a rule, quite close social and communicative ties are established.
 Believers communicate with each other in divine services, close and trustful relationships are often established between them.

[mrhollis1]

Herodes,

Your points are spot on.
And a remark: I was talking with someone about a church, and I was mentioning how pointlessly huge the thing is and the yard around it.
And still, the sermon is done in the basement.
I was saying that that whole huge building cold be filled with bunk beds for homeless people, but still, it stays completely empty always, just a huge temple for the ego of the priest.

[bitchubitchu]

Religon and faith are two different things! There exist corrupt churches and governments and in some places they serve a common goal.

Don't confuse the institution with the congregation. Believing in God can be a useful tool to one self. Most Atheists believe in lots of things, they just use other words.

(I can't believe I'm the defender of religion on this forum)

[bitchubitchu]

I think that religion was invented to control people. Many people are mentally unstable or need some sort of hold in life that they can believe in, therefore religion is the perfect tool. Its easy to manipulate people with religious views. I hope that people someday realize the benefits that religion has brought so far - should be clear how minor those are compared to the disaster that it has brought over history of humankind.

[BADecker]

Your activities show the function of your religion.   

[BADecker]

Religion has two tasks. 1 To give an opportunity to learn about God 2. To clarify what is good and what is evil.

Religion endorses slavery and rape.

Slavery will always exist. Religion only seems to endorse it, because religion is trying to reduce the unfairness of slavery, slavery that will exist anyway.

All powerful god can't get rid of slavery? LUL

Who thinks God isn't getting rid of slavery? Consider. Keeping people alive and free isn't something that can easily be done while forcing them to not be free at the same time, by forcing them to not make slaves. God has a solution worked out.

Be free to follow His commands. Be free to believe in His Jesus-salvation or not. Then die to get rid of your slave-making and doing. Then arise to go into Heaven or Hell, depending on the free choices you made back here on Earth.

See, you have some sort of cognitive dissonance.

-Who thinks God isn't getting rid of slavery?

-Slavery will always exist.

Conflicting statements right there.

Your deception is standard for you. Since I showed you that slave-making ends for anybody who is a slaver, when he dies, God has set it up so that the slaver does away with himself.

Not only does the slaver die, but so does the deceiver. Be happy. You are actually going to stop being a deceiver someday.

[MGmahesh]

I think the function of religion as a guideline of life, makes people aware that everything in this world there are provisions of laws and rules that mangatur and binds between human relationships with other human beings with his god, whatever his religion.
especially to get happiness in the next life.
religion gives so much knowledge of human existence that it fosters belief and hope for forgiveness and salvation for sins and wrongs ever committed.

[Intellecual Romanticist]

The function of religion is to serve God and to unite human beings.
But maybe it is also a form of mass control or of wealth-transfer?
No one knows for sure but the founders themselves.

[BADecker]

The function of religion is to serve God and to unite human beings.
But maybe it is also a form of mass control or of wealth-transfer?
No one knows for sure but the founders themselves.

But how does a religion that doesn't have God as part of it, serve God? I mean, neither the atheism religion or the evolution religion proclaim God... at least not knowingly or directly. The atheism religion even pushes the idea that God doesn't exist. How do those religions serve God? And there are others, like Buddhism.

[Mr.Jovetic]

The function of religion is to explain why you can't overthrow the king and what is the lighting. Also it's psychologically easily for some people to think all this stories are true. Just like to have a parents who is watching you even after you become a man, not a boy.

[BADecker]

The function of religion is to explain why you can't overthrow the king and what is the lighting. Also it's psychologically easily for some people to think all this stories are true. Just like to have a parents who is watching you even after you become a man, not a boy.

Now you are describing scientific theory religion.   

[Clefnick]

I think the function of religion is to set doctrines of proper behaviour

[Dawnpercy19]

Religion is the groups of the people that believe in god exist

[rockyboy]

Religion is a group of believers of God that helps spread the news about the word of God. A group of religion do have a different  beliefs but it is simply about their beliefs in a living God.