what is the point of religion?

[cacian]

there seem lots of people for and against God/bible/beliefs but it is not quite clear to me what the point of religion/god/bible in one 's life is.

Is religion important?
if so why?
How does it actually affect anyone personally and others around them? is a valid question.
To claim to be an atheist is well and good and to claim to be religious is also de facto.
So what is it that anyone trying to achieve with either of those claims?

[togre]

I've said this somewhere else, but I'm too lazy to find it, so here it goes again:

Any religion that isn't a monstrosity attempts to describe and present reality--what the world, the soul, God is really and truly like. Truth.


To the extent any given religion fails to accurately present the truth it is a failure, a false lead and a tragedy.

I believe what I believe not because I'm convinced it gives me benefits or because it adds to my life. I believe what I believe because I am convinced it is true and factual.

[cacian]

I see what you mean but is there any reason why I should spend time and effort trying to find a truth that might or might not be even though it is not actuallygoing to help me live or improve my life.
Truth is what you make of it.
A fact is really a question of reasoning.
what is truth to you is not to me.
so what does TRUTH mean?

[BienvenuJDC]

I see what you mean but is there any reason why I should spend time and effort trying to find a truth that might or might not be even though it is not actuallygoing to help me live or improve my life.
Truth is what you make of it.
A fact is really a question of reasoning.
what is truth to you is not to me.
so what does TRUTH mean?

It seems by starting this thread, that you are searching for some kind of truth in God and/or religion. There are lots of great religious writings that have improved people's lives throughout history.

[togre]

Truth is what you make of it.
A fact is really a question of reasoning.
what is truth to you is not to me.

But you don't live your life this way--no one can. Is arsenic poisonous or not? My not believing in the poisonous qualities of arsenic do not help me survive if I consume it.

We live our lives as though the physical reality is objective--as if it exists whether or not we like it that way. Indeed we make all sorts of accommodations to the facts of physical reality--I eat (because I'll die otherwise), I own a car (because my home and my work are separated by physical distance), I don't eat arsenic.

Is there any reason to believe that spiritual realities are any different?


Yes, there may be many answers to the question "Is there a soul?" or "Is there a God?" or "Who is God?" or "What is right and wrong?". But that doesn't mean they are all correct or acceptable or beneficial. There are correct answers and incorrect answers.

That fact that we (on this board or on this planet) argue about which answers are correct does not mean all are correct (or indeed any are correct).

[hillwalker]

Religion is a support mechanism that helps many people cope with life - in particular the hardships and traumas that we all meet up with at one time or another. Loss, grief, disappointment and low self-worth. And of course the fear of death.

Religion is like a sugar pill - it doesn't cure the ailment but it tricks the mind that things will get better and so they do. It also provides many people who would otherwise feel isolated, even alienated, with a specific community who share the same beliefs (whatever beliefs their particular religion promotes). It's almost a self-help group.

Of course it also has a more sinister side when one religious faction is convinced their religion is the right one and everyone else's is wrong - or when one faction imposes its rules and moral standards on everybody else. As if we can't behave ourselves unless there's a supreme being to punish us when we step out of line.

What's the point of it? Take away all the nonsense about how the world was created and the myths of the flood and the garden of Eden and in general it's a search for a moral blueprint - a recipe for how to live life as a good person. Of course, the world has moved on and many religions remain rooted in the past. Similarly, many self-proclaimed religious leaders set themselves as moral custodians yet their behaviour is anything but moral.

As an exercise in exploring philosophical thought the study of religion will give you some insight into the various belief systems around the globe - especially the contrast between Eastern and Western credos. But if you're thinking of joining your local church I'd advise you to tread carefully.

H

[cacian]

It seems by starting this thread, that you are searching for some kind of truth in God and/or religion. There are lots of great religious writings that have improved people's lives throughout history.

I am only seeking to understand the reasons behind one's beliefs.
Religions as far as I am concerned have only created divisisions and wars between people.
I am trying to understant how religion impact on my everyday life which is more important to me then achievements of faiths.

[Varenne Rodin]

Religion is a support mechanism that helps many people cope with life - in particular the hardships and traumas that we all meet up with at one time or another. Loss, grief, disappointment and low self-worth. And of course the fear of death.

Religion is like a sugar pill - it doesn't cure the ailment but it tricks the mind that things will get better and so they do. It also provides many people who would otherwise feel isolated, even alienated, with a specific community who share the same beliefs (whatever beliefs their particular religion promotes). It's almost a self-help group.

Of course it also has a more sinister side when one religious faction is convinced their religion is the right one and everyone else's is wrong - or when one faction imposes its rules and moral standards on everybody else. As if we can't behave ourselves unless there's a supreme being to punish us when we step out of line.

What's the point of it? Take away all the nonsense about how the world was created and the myths of the flood and the garden of Eden and in general it's a search for a moral blueprint - a recipe for how to live life as a good person. Of course, the world has moved on and many religions remain rooted in the past. Similarly, many self-proclaimed religious leaders set themselves as moral custodians yet their behaviour is anything but moral.

As an exercise in exploring philosophical thought the study of religion will give you some insight into the various belief systems around the globe - especially the contrast between Eastern and Western credos. But if you're thinking of joining your local church I'd advise you to tread carefully.

H

I agree with this. How could anyone not? I also want to say that your writing skills are excellent.

[cafolini]

I am only seeking to understand the reasons behind one's beliefs.
Religions as far as I am concerned have only created divisisions and wars between people.
I am trying to understant how religion impact on my everyday life which is more important to me then achievements of faiths.

It's one of the myths in history that it has been religion that caused wars. As Hillwalker expressed succintly and correctly, religions are recipies for coping. But wars, regardless of the religious impositions of the aristocracies, have always been fought for economic motives. In the background, one religion is as good as any other one for it's purpose. Most have been used for war but none has been the cause of war. Today, in a global sense, they are even useless for war. In fact, any religion used as an excuse for war is ridiculous and uterly ludicrous.
Religious unification is impossible in the postmodern world. It will never come back as such.

[Jack of Hearts]

Don't let hill fool you- he makes it every Sunday.








J

[Paulclem]

The point of religion depends upon who you ask.

Clearly it is used by the powerful to control the disempowered in some circumstances. It is also cited in what are essentially power plays - God on our side and all that - in some kind of justification for war, power manoevres or political necessity.

This is a highly visible aspect of religion and is justifiably criticised. State + religion are often bad combinations with the state benefitting and the religion suffering a poorer reputation by its association. I still contend that religions don't cause wars, but the powerful manipulate belief for their own ends.

If you ask individuals, you will get different answers. There's lots of talk about rationality, science, proof, myth, fairy stories etc as if these have anything to do with what is experienced in people's hearts. Irrational things do happen to some people. Strong emotions are bound with our rites of passage. So how do people make sense of their world? They construct their own story based upon their very particular circumstances, experience and background. That some of these mean they become more strongly religious in whatever religion is around them is hardly surprising. Its as surprising to find out that advertising works, except that the religion of your family, group, tribe etc is a much more powerful influence.

Is it a surprise that this forum is populated with quite a lot of atheists, born as many of us are into an increasingly secularised western world? Our environment of ideas is science based. Are we really sure that atheistic views are any different in the sense of influence and environment, from religious views? Our ideas are different and sometimes at odds, but are those who are atheist merely subject to different cultural influence, but in a very similar way?

[WyattGwyon]

It's one of the myths in history that it has been religion that caused wars. As Hillwalker expressed succintly and correctly, religions are recipies for coping. But wars, regardless of the religious impositions of the aristocracies, have always been fought for economic motives. In the background, one religion is as good as any other one for it's purpose. Most have been used for war but none has been the cause of war. Today, in a global sense, they are even useless for war. In fact, any religion used as an excuse for war is ridiculous and uterly ludicrous.
Religious unification is impossible in the postmodern world. It will never come back as such.

I can think of a cases where your assertion is dubious. What about a situation where the economic motives are those of the religion itself, as when the RCC is motivated to wage/fund warfare against a protestant rival to preserve market share? (e.g., Thirty Years War) Seems in this case the religion would rightly be considered the cause.

Then consider sectarian violence in the Moslem world. Are the suicide bombers currently killing pilgrims of another sect motivated by economics? Seems unlikely.

[Ecurb]

“Point” is not a specific word. Many anthropologists think religion has a number of “functions” in society, however. Religion has a variety of socializing functions, helping communities gain solidarity through public, shared rituals. In addition, religious statements affirm the willingness of the speaker to share the sentiments of the group.

Religion is varied, and all of its functions cannot be listed here. However (as just one example) taboos show the willingness of the self-denier to suffer in order to affirm his solidarity with the group. Muslims refrain from eating pork (delicious as it is) in an affirmation of their willingness to suffer (in a minor way) for their faith. Native Americans who practiced the Sun Dance as a male initiation rite suffered more dramatically, fasting and inflicting torture on themselves. The stated purpose of this ritual was to induce visions – from an objective point of view, however, the ritual (whether it induces visions or not) affirms the toughness of the participants and their willingness to suffer for the group. This makes sense as a rite of passage into manhood in warlike societies.

I could go on, but the subject is too complicated (and fascinating) for me to do justice to so here. For basic texts, one could read E.E. Evans-Pritchard (“On Religion” or “Witchcraft among the Azande), or Clifford Geertz. Evans-Pritchard – although somewhat dated – was a key member of the “Structure and Function” school of anthropology, which posited that the structural institutions of society (like the Church) have specific functions in terms of helping society work.

[BienvenuJDC]

I can think of a cases where your assertion is dubious. What about a situation where the economic motives are those of the religion itself, as when the RCC is motivated to wage/fund warfare against a protestant rival to preserve market share? (e.g., Thirty Years War) Seems in this case the religion would rightly be considered the cause.

Then consider sectarian violence in the Moslem world. Are the suicide bombers currently killing pilgrims of another sect motivated by economics? Seems unlikely.

But the Religion itself is not the cause, but the greed of man. Religion has only been used to justify war to gain what would be gained in the end.

[Paulclem]

I can think of a cases where your assertion is dubious. What about a situation where the economic motives are those of the religion itself, as when the RCC is motivated to wage/fund warfare against a protestant rival to preserve market share? (e.g., Thirty Years War) Seems in this case the religion would rightly be considered the cause.

Then consider sectarian violence in the Moslem world. Are the suicide bombers currently killing pilgrims of another sect motivated by economics? Seems unlikely.

It is very difficult to see what influences motives at the times, and so it is very easy to suggest that it is actually the religion that is the cause. Religion is just the environment. Power is the cause.