Evolution of religion

[AimusSage]

Religion is a controlling mechanism that has taken up a life of it’s own. People always associated the unexplainable with a higher power, such as Gods or spirits. Religion used this unexplainable factor to become a controlling factor in the lives of these people.

The controller explains the unexplainable as an act of a higher power that is associated with their religion. As more and more is explained by science, even crude limited science, it becomes more difficult for religions to sustain this view, and dogmas are created to ensure obedience and servitude.

These dogmas evolve and become part of the culture, thereby integrating the religion further into the beliefs of people. The people start believing the religion to be the only right religion and the ruling body of the religion encourages this. As other religions are discovered, they are either perceived as a threat that has to be dealt or are incorporated into the religion, furthering the control over the people.

As science continues to evolve, it becomes a serious threat to the power and control of the religion. Science is quickly condemned, but the damage to religion is done, and it begins to fracture. It is breaking apart into continuously smaller pieces, and beliefs becomes more personalised. The control is slowly fading, and with it the power of the religion.

Feel free to discuss. I based this little text on no religion in particular, although being raised christian, I cannot deny the influence that religion has had on me.

[MiSaNtHrOpE]

Thank you for pointing this out! Religion, especially organized religion, was almost always employed as a method of social control: Pharaohs, tribal leaders, clergy, Moses' Israel, Taliban, Warren Jeff's Christian community, etc.

God is like a Big Brother figure to me, in fact, there was an incident in a Midwestern town where the local government put "God is watching" in the voting booths!

[Psycheinaboat]

Thanks for starting this thread. I have been avoiding this section because of the Islam vs. Christianity stuff, and I am simply not that worried about who loves Jesus and who does not. ;)

I know in my town preachers hold far too much sway over the citizens. Totally reasonable, mostly independent-thinking people will stop allowing their children to read Harry Potter or listen to certain music just because their pastor preached a sermon pronouncing the evils of such practices.

It really boils down to fear. Fear of damnation, fear of one's children being lead astray.

There also seems to be an element of fear, or maybe even hatred, toward humanity. All human inventions, creations, and ideas are labled "wordly" and it is prideful or evil to offer glory or joy for these works. There are a lot of contradictions in the practice of this belief, but some churches go as far as to call it a sin if you enjoy a song or book that does not directly glorify God.

Here, we may not have a powerful giant like the Roman Catholics in control (no offense to Catholics), but these individual preachers like their power and control, even if it is only over a small community, and they use fear to promote themselves.

[Union Jack]

I too am dubious about the reasons behind religion. Carl Marx stated that religion was “the opiate of the masses.” In short, religion appears in society in order to maintain the status quo and pacify the less fortunate “masses.”

Basic beliefs throughout all religions seem to deal with what, and what not to do, which happen to fall in line with society’s expectations from people. Preaching pacifism, or that good things will come to those who wait, endure your current hardships, you will be rewarded in the “afterlife.” Others say that it is a result of actions made in your previous lives that you have attained your current social standing, and the only way to ascend higher is to live a “moral” life and ascend in the next.

In summary, I believe that religion is in place to pacify the restless masses that are trapped in a poorer quality of life and seek escape. People need some reason to be content with their otherwise torturous, and in many instances inconsequential, lives. Established by a ruling elite, religion serves to control the multitudes of less fortunate people, who might otherwise seek to better their status, and thus displace the aristocracy.

Of course, if religion turns out to be based on true divinity, then I am a damned fool. :D

[Psycheinaboat]

I like your avatar Union Jack. BTW, isn't Limbo rather creepy with all those unbaptised babies floating around?

[adilyoussef]

In general, what AimusSage has come up with is true. Religions, in general, is a kind of controle. Rules, regulations, laws, and whatever else a religion comes up with is just to regulate our relationships. Science has proven some religions to be false and some to be true. Which one is right, it really deppends on the kind of persons we are. I'v been advised to read a book by Eric Hoffer entitled "The True Believer" to cover this issue. Religious or not, we need a system of regulation that the majority agree upon to live. The choice is made according to a number of factors and needs.

When studying the behaviour of some religious people, I'v noticed a kind of (positive) fear of God that makes them give a great deal of importance to the kind of relationship they mentain with each other and with those they classify as not like them "nonbelievers". They are more kind and tolerant with the latter. It's a kind of warship I think.

We need to live under a specific law that serves our intrests. Whether religion is included in this law system or not, we always tend to exerce sertain controle over the majoroty. Otherwise there will be chaos.

[Satirical]

I have a few links to those of you who are interested, and by the replies to this post I think you all will be.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/evil/hod/index.htm

http://www.uen.org/utahlink/activities/view_activity.cgi?activity_id=10029

These conclusions are well documented and in need of a public hearing.

[Satirical]

Oh yes, and here is a more popular one that I forgot.

http://www.giveshare.org/babylon/

[MiSaNtHrOpE]

Some religious people go so far as to threaten nonbelievers or moderate believers with God for personal gain. Example: This past election, notifications were placed in the voting booths that said "God is watching you." The evangelicals so prominent in politics today will convert people at all costs, including scaring people. http://www.rickross.com/reference/door/door12.html
http://www.idsnews.com/subsite/story.php?id=32215&adid=city