The function of religion ?

[dank]

Nothing is confusing about that.

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[myrkul]

Reality is fantasy.

Yes, that is exactly the kind of confusion i was talking about.

Nothing is confusing about that.

Not confusing. Confused.

[dank]

So quantum physics is confused?

[myrkul]

So quantum physics is confused?

No, you are confused.

Reality is fantasy.

[dank]

I disagree.

[myrkul]

I disagree.

I expected no different.

[Jimmy Chang(y)]

I disagree.

I expected no different.

He's got the higher knowledge myrkul, he is the enlightened one. He just 'knows'. 

[danniwide1234]

We are all entitle to our own opinion or thinking. But the truth is truth and nothing can change it. A day will come when we will all come to the full realisation of the truth. My prayer for you all is that it will not be too late then. It is only the truth that set free. Jesus made that bold statement that He is the way, the truth and the life..but you are free to make your research and I pray the only Spirit will expose the mystery of this truth to you.

[J Gambler]

I'm an atheist and have the following standpoint:

 - All religions are hoaxes, making people belive in non-existing gods.

Religions serve the following purposes:

1. Making people have some comfort in their lives, having something else than themselves to pray to and look up to. This is mostly culturrally dependent,
most people adhere to the religion were they grew up, and what was ingrained in them from early childhood.

2. To keep uneducated people in control.

3. To keep power and control in a central position.

If religion was all about love to your God, and it was all a mental thing, there would be no need for churches, and all accessories that goes with a religion.

It's sad that a God-fearing man goes regularily to church to get closer to his maker. He could've been just as close to his God in his couch at home.

Many religious entities collect money, and are rather greedy, there are internal battles about power and control, just think of the Vatican.

I think it's rather sad that in 2012, so many people put their belief in something that doesn't exist. You may pray, and you may feel that your prayers were heard,
and things turn for the better in your life, but most of the time, the prayers are futile, and the only one that can change anything in your life is yourself.

States need to separate themselves from religion, and any religious society needs to take care of itself. Many religious societies does serve a good purpose in their
municipality, and there's nothing wrong with that,  and I do respect anyone that has their faith, but I don't think there's any God of any sorts, and people need to take
responsibility for their own lives.

Will the earth ever come to a point where people are so educated that they understand that science is the only true answer, and that everything else is fairytales ?

As much as I respect any Christian or any devoted religious person from any other religion (I may think his belief is a joke, but I would never say it to his face to force a confrontation in disrespect), I don't think any religions should have any special protection under the law.

Part of the problem is that Religion is so ingrained into the culture of most countries, that many people don't even question it.

Education will put the power in the hands of the people to learn about the world around them, and will remove the power of the leaders of their religion over them.

As an atheist, I don't think your religion defines whether you're a good person or not, that's more down to the person itself, and the values you've been taught in your upbringing, and what you've learned through your education.

Now, with the recent uproar about the 'Innocence of Muslims'-movie, people shouldn't get upset about it. If they don't like it, they should simply ignore it, and don't speak of it. Killing people, making riots etc. and claim that it's because of this movie, this is not right. People are always responsible for what they do.

If I were a Christian, and someone mocked my religion and called me a religious fool, and I got angry and burned down their house, that would be completely unacceptable by me, and I would need to take the full penalty for it.

Some people say we should not provoke 'islam' through cartoons, movies etc. And this may seem like the easy way out. But what if we continously bombarded Islam with this material, would they keep rioting every day of the week, every week, every month and every year, or would they finally sit down and say to themselves: "I'm tired of fighting, I can be a good muslim, no matter what any people say about my religion".

Islam doesn't receive more goodwill by having it's followers react like this, I would think most sivilized people just seeing this for what it is; outright crimes. Also I think a lot of the people that we see rioting in the streets, are only using this movie as an excuse for acting like they do.

Is there a single other Religion in the world were the members would've reacted like this over a movie ?

What do you all think ?

I think the main goal of religion is to give us a moral standard to give us something to pooi t our moral compass to. ALso as a conduit of our worship to a higher being the feeling of togetherness and one ness and that is somethig spirtual that we all crave

[billykannithi]

religion represents a god in our mind, that make us believe everything we see now is because the creation of god hands, many things that we can not expain by science so we said that is made by god.

[SugoiSenpai]

I'm an atheist and have the following standpoint:

 - All religions are hoaxes, making people belive in non-existing gods.

Religions serve the following purposes:

1. Making people have some comfort in their lives, having something else than themselves to pray to and look up to. This is mostly culturrally dependent,
most people adhere to the religion were they grew up, and what was ingrained in them from early childhood.

2. To keep uneducated people in control.

3. To keep power and control in a central position.

If religion was all about love to your God, and it was all a mental thing, there would be no need for churches, and all accessories that goes with a religion.

It's sad that a God-fearing man goes regularily to church to get closer to his maker. He could've been just as close to his God in his couch at home.

Many religious entities collect money, and are rather greedy, there are internal battles about power and control, just think of the Vatican.

I think it's rather sad that in 2012, so many people put their belief in something that doesn't exist. You may pray, and you may feel that your prayers were heard,
and things turn for the better in your life, but most of the time, the prayers are futile, and the only one that can change anything in your life is yourself.

States need to separate themselves from religion, and any religious society needs to take care of itself. Many religious societies does serve a good purpose in their
municipality, and there's nothing wrong with that,  and I do respect anyone that has their faith, but I don't think there's any God of any sorts, and people need to take
responsibility for their own lives.

Will the earth ever come to a point where people are so educated that they understand that science is the only true answer, and that everything else is fairytales ?

As much as I respect any Christian or any devoted religious person from any other religion (I may think his belief is a joke, but I would never say it to his face to force a confrontation in disrespect), I don't think any religions should have any special protection under the law.

Part of the problem is that Religion is so ingrained into the culture of most countries, that many people don't even question it.

Education will put the power in the hands of the people to learn about the world around them, and will remove the power of the leaders of their religion over them.

As an atheist, I don't think your religion defines whether you're a good person or not, that's more down to the person itself, and the values you've been taught in your upbringing, and what you've learned through your education.

Now, with the recent uproar about the 'Innocence of Muslims'-movie, people shouldn't get upset about it. If they don't like it, they should simply ignore it, and don't speak of it. Killing people, making riots etc. and claim that it's because of this movie, this is not right. People are always responsible for what they do.

If I were a Christian, and someone mocked my religion and called me a religious fool, and I got angry and burned down their house, that would be completely unacceptable by me, and I would need to take the full penalty for it.

Some people say we should not provoke 'islam' through cartoons, movies etc. And this may seem like the easy way out. But what if we continously bombarded Islam with this material, would they keep rioting every day of the week, every week, every month and every year, or would they finally sit down and say to themselves: "I'm tired of fighting, I can be a good muslim, no matter what any people say about my religion".

Islam doesn't receive more goodwill by having it's followers react like this, I would think most sivilized people just seeing this for what it is; outright crimes. Also I think a lot of the people that we see rioting in the streets, are only using this movie as an excuse for acting like they do.

Is there a single other Religion in the world were the members would've reacted like this over a movie ?

What do you all think ?

Well said, You have proven you point clearly, and I completely understand your open-mindedness. You have specifically elaborated the important functions of religions. Personally, If I am basing on my own perspective, Religion is the best guide to teaching people what they should and should not do, distinguish right from wrong. Without something to believe in We would never would've had Unity and Peace.

[Gendruwo]

Agama dapat berfungsi sebagai sarana terbaik untuk mengajarkan hal-hal yang baik yang dapat menguntungkan banyak pihak sesuai dengan perintah.atau larangan yang harus di jalankan dan di patuhi.

[xena2]

Why do you help others then?

Main function of religion is to understand that our existence and life was from someone more powerful than us human and we mist understand that we will be a great help to others as we ourselves has been good and follow His teaching as preached relatively on our chosen religion.

[shiki3226]

Religion is an organized thing and it helps build and develop culture, tradition and practices of a certain group of people. It is mainly based on what they believe. It defines who their God is, their morality and purpose for existing in this world.

[gabmen]

Why do you help others then?

Main function of religion is to understand that our existence and life was from someone more powerful than us human and we mist understand that we will be a great help to others as we ourselves has been good and follow His teaching as preached relatively on our chosen religion.

You don't need to have any religion to know that though. It should be simple. Live, love, respect. There are so many religions popping out like mushrooms and all these only succeed in dividing people apart

[WhaleHunter]

Religion happen in every part of the world, which means that it must be a hardware function embedded in our brains. We will need an evolutionary step forwards to overcome it.

[kobayashifilms]

Why do you help others then?

Main function of religion is to understand that our existence and life was from someone more powerful than us human and we mist understand that we will be a great help to others as we ourselves has been good and follow His teaching as preached relatively on our chosen religion.

You don't need to have any religion to know that though. It should be simple. Live, love, respect. There are so many religions popping out like mushrooms and all these only succeed in dividing people apart

I agree on you here. We are here to do good things and everyone is happy. Selfish people destroys humanity.

Well for me religion divides us and makes us feel weak.

[Cryptostalker59]

There a lot to say about this topic; you can find tens of reasons for religion, but the main one is simple: we need it

[E-shipper]

Functions of religion are diverse, including not very good ones. There must be a definite border, which can not be crossed. This also applies to religion, which now, in some countries, reaches fanaticism.

[SamboNZ]

for me the one of the function of religion is to gather people, and to teach the things that their religion is teaching.