The function of religion ?

[st.lollipop91]

the function of religion is to keep you going when you just want to lie down and die because your life is in ruins

[Futureblnr]

Honestly, I think religion is more of a guideline on how to live a fruitful and peaceful life in this world. It is the concept that teaches us whether if we're doing bad or good in this world. Just imagine if there was no religion, then people can never tell if what they are doing is right or wrong. The only problem now, is that there are too many religion which the beliefs are contradicting.

[androidpobeditel]

The sun in the sky shines regardless of whether it warms the Evenk on the ice floe or roasting Papuan in the tropics. It is like God exists = exists. And the benefit or harm is secondary. Due to the existence of the sun or God. Therefore, to talk about the function of religion as a justification for its existence is an excuse for the cause.

[buhna]

In my opinion, religion controls people, fulfills the role of external conscience.

[Snub]

Originally, I think religion was created to teach a person a relationship with God...but at the moment they exist to control the whole nations...and not for a good purpose

[marinomario]

The function of Religion in general is as a source of life guidance and belief for individuals and groups that regulate the man's relationship with God and man with man.

General Functions of Religion

Source of life guidance for individuals and groups
Set the ordinances of man's relationship with God and man with man
It is a claim of right or wrong principle
The guidelines reveal a sense of community
Guidelines for feelings of faith
Presence guidelines
Aesthetic disclosure (beauty)
Guidelines for recreation and entertainment
Giving identity to man as a people of a religion

[manananggal]

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 ?

Dont confuse the insituation with the congregation.Believing a God can be a useful tool to one self.Most atheists believe in lots of things,they just use other words.

[stephylarde]

The function of religion is to divide people.. They just created religion to gain funds from it. Gain from the donations gave by those people who believe in them.

[Aristus]

I believe in God but I don't believe religion as the tools to know the existence of the one Living God.
But religion can be a tool to as a comfort for people and also a dinstruction to them. It makes people confuse to know who God is.

[lp5773628]

Удoвлeтвopeниe миcтичecкoй пoтpeбнocти. Этa фyнкция, ocнoвaннaя нa вepe в cвepxъecтecтвeннoe, пpиcyтcтвyeт тoлькo y peлигии, в oтличиe oт ocтaльныx coциaльныx инcтитyтoв.
Peгyлятивнaя фyнкция. Coздaниe и oбъяcнeниe дyxoвныx нopм в oбщecтвeннoм пoвeдeнии и дeятeльнocти. Moжeт зaтpaгивaть дaжe тe cфepы дeятeльнocти чeлoвeкa, кoтopыx нe кacaeтcя ни пpaвo, ни дaжe мopaль (нaпpимep, пpaвилa питaния или пoвeдeниe в ceкcyaльнoй cфepe).
Кoмпeнcaтopcкaя фyнкция. Утeшитeльнaя, пo cвoeй cyти, фyнкция, цeль кoтopoй дaть oблeгчeниe в cтpaдaнияx и cилы в тpyдныx cитyaцияx.
Кoммyникaтивнaя фyнкция. Coздaeт «гpyппы пo интepecaм», тo ecть oбъeдиняeт вepyющиx oднoй кoнфeccии в paмкax oбщиx тoчeк миpoвoззpeния.
Bocпитaтeльнaя фyнкция. Ocнoвнaя цeль – фopмиpoвaниe цeннocтeй, кopoчe гoвopя, - этo фyнкция coциaлизaции чeлoвeкa.
Mиpoвoззpeнчecкaя фyнкция. Дaeт чeлoвeкy кapтинy миpa, миpoвoззpeния, пoнимaниe миpoycтpoйcтвa (ecтecтвeннo, c тoчки зpeния кoнкpeтнoй peлигии). Этy фyнкцию тaкжe нaзывaют фyнкциeй знaчeния или фyнкциeй cмыcлoпoлaгaния.
Фyнкция coциaльнo-peлигиoзнoй идeнтификaции. Дaeт вoзмoжнocть чeлoвeкy caмoидeнтифициpoвaтьcя в oбщecтвe, тo ecть нaйти cвoe мecтo и poль.
Фyнкция мopaльнoгo coвepшeнcтвoвaния. Oднa из caмыx ocнoвныx фyнкций peлигии, инoгдa ee oбъeдиняют c вocпитaтeльнoй фyнкциeй. B любoй peлигии чeлoвeк пocтoяннo дoлжeн cтpeмитьcя к кaкoмy-тo oбpaзцy (выcшeмy идeaлy, Бoгy), чтo cпocoбcтвyeт eгo дyxoвнoмy paзвитию.

[chacharot]

Religion is a belief. We have different insight when it comes to beliefs, and there's nothing wrong with that, maybe in others what we believe is wrong but with the other its good. One thing is for sure, religion teaches us to respect the beliefs of each individuals.

[Xising]

For me, the function of religion has always been to give order to all people. We people are not really good when it comes to falling in a straight line, meaning we tend to lose our way or worst do bad things. This is why we have religion, it is the one that sets standards as to what is acceptable and morally right to the eye of the public and our creator as well.

[RoxasXIII94]

I personally not a religious person. But I do admit that having a religion is a good thing.
1. You have a figure to lean to unconditionally, anytime, anywhere. Even if you're close to your family and had some / many close friend. I think there will be a time for someone that they had a trouble that they wanted to tell others but can't.
2. You know there are superior being, so no matter how great your achievement is, you still have a humble heart. So you won't be too bold of a person. Being too bold is not a good thing for the person him/herself. They feel to superior to learn & hear. It's not good being too all over yoursef.
3. Being religious is good if you know because it teach you to learn about compasion / love, responsible (sin / bad deeds, good deeds), moral and to stay spirited / optimist / hopefull
4. It's also teach you how to manage your time, like you need to spend sometime to come to house of worship as a routine
5. It teach you how to manage your financial, how we saved so we can donate it in the house of worship

[posoa]

The function of religion is to serve as a guide or direction to the right way of life that God have directed his followers to Obediently Study, Observe, Obey and Follow, for the purpose of inheriting everlasting life in Heaven. Religion function to direct one faith to a savior who have die for our sins and that we believe in Him, since he has paid for all our sins. Religion function also to ensure followers of a particular religion walks according to the will of God by all its followers, it guides about how to Love God, and how to Love your Neighbor,how to  Care for the widow,the Orphans,the Needy....etc. Also how to live Holy in the sight of God,....etc. As a Christian the Religion   actually through reading the Holy books, The Holy Bible will help you to know more about Jesus Christ the Only Son of God that was Crucified, and he Died on the cross and on the Third Day He rose from the death and after staying on earth for 40 days He ascended to heaven and since then up till today He is sited at the right hand of God.And He is preparing to come and take those who believe in Him home(heaven).

[Astargath]

I personally not a religious person. But I do admit that having a religion is a good thing.
1. You have a figure to lean to unconditionally, anytime, anywhere. Even if you're close to your family and had some / many close friend. I think there will be a time for someone that they had a trouble that they wanted to tell others but can't.
2. You know there are superior being, so no matter how great your achievement is, you still have a humble heart. So you won't be too bold of a person. Being too bold is not a good thing for the person him/herself. They feel to superior to learn & hear. It's not good being too all over yoursef.
3. Being religious is good if you know because it teach you to learn about compasion / love, responsible (sin / bad deeds, good deeds), moral and to stay spirited / optimist / hopefull
4. It's also teach you how to manage your time, like you need to spend sometime to come to house of worship as a routine
5. It teach you how to manage your financial, how we saved so we can donate it in the house of worship

History has proven that religion is not a good thing or at best it's irrelevant. You would agree that 500 or 1000 years ago, we had extreme racism, homophobia, sexism and bla bla. We are getting rid of all those things not thanks to religion but science and other social/political stuff but not religion. If religion was good, we wouldn't have had any of that in the first place, ever.

[Orino Suimuri]

Even I can agree with most of atheist points of view, it seems that the need for religion is deeply rooted in human psyche.
Any civilization in the history - from tribes to big empires - developed some kind of religion, and not only for mass manipulation.
Actually, we need to admit that "something" bigger than us exists.

[PETES]

The function of religion to me is to guide the us people to the right path. Path where God is waiting for us to enter to His kingdom with full of happiness and eternal life.

[dongyi17]

people from all over the world out of their curiosity, and wanting to know God the creator of heaven and earth lead into forming different religion and make different beliefs, views, and philosophies thus their so desire to know the truth fail. they're suppose religion ought to bring people back to God and to help and teach them to lead a decent, quite and moral lives became without sense because of politically and religiously motivated agendas.

[Murador0729]

Whatever you religion is, it has only one role. That is to give meaning in your life. If your religion does not make you satisfied, maybe that is not the religion you should belong.

[kinilawnabakulaw]

All religions are directed to a certain kind of faith and practices acceptable for that belief. It helps in creating a tradition which is essential for a civilization.