How is it that in 2019 people are still looking at religion, bibles, preachers and church to guide their lives? Santa Claus isn't real but god is? I had imaginary friends when i was a kid but stopped taking advice from them after eating dirt. When people start talking about jesus, god and scripture... I just smile and nod. There are no gods. There are no saviors. Its up to us, there is no such thing as "gods will". Give me a fucking break. Don't even get me started on the heaven/hell thing. What a loada shit that is. See it for what it is, a method to control the masses. Fear based faith, good one! Got people so brainwashed they don't even question it. Running your life based on a myth written and passed along in various forms, is a recipe for disaster. Oh and that whole created the earth in 7 days bullshit.... Bitch please... The universe in billions of years old. So is our planet and it was not created by some dude in the clouds. You want something to believe in, try believing in science, that shit is real. Just my 2am thoughts. Sent from my iPad using Grasscity Forum
Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening Terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are going in This ocean of chaos, it has been the authorities, the political, the Religious, the educational authorities who attempted to comfort us by Giving us order, rules, regulations, Terrence McKenna (I think) It's just easier to make God responsible for your misery than doing something about it.
I dont disagree with everything you said, but it sounds more like a emotional rant than anything substantial.
how so? i'm just trying to understand how still in this day and age with all we know and how far we have come in the past 100 years.... why it is that people still believe in imaginary beings to guide their lives, make their choices on how they view others, and solve their problems religion is the problem, not the solution
Besides, I don't think that cutting through the BS and calling it what it is, believeing in imaginary beings and places, is an emotional outburst. I think its time that we really started to talk about this kind of stuff and stop worrying that we're going to hurt someones feelings. We treat the mentally ill that hear voices, is praying to imaginary beings and being guided by what you hear and are told much different?
Honesty its mostly due to fear and brainwashing for thousands of years. Traditions can have a hard time dying and when the thing that's traditional brings some together they can't let it go. They have a community they don't want to tear apart. I understand it all to well I grew up in Texas and, moved during my teenage years to the west coast. Now I wanna move back to Texas due to the cost of living but, I digress. Its just easier to not question things, and live in fear rather than face the music and, find out the truth is that you are just a spec with no real purposes other than the purposes you assigned to yourself within this life. People wanna feel important and like things have a reason. Religion can provide you a false sense of that hope because you no longer have to question or think for yourself. Some are just overwhelmed by running their own lives. Its easy for us as atheists to brush it off as "stupid" however you have to realize that humans crave structure and comfort. Which is something that people can easily misinterpret and take too far. Its simply a past solution that won't work anymore. In the ancient past it was okay because it tought people to come to together(and tore them apart) however this is modern times and we simply don't need religion anymore.
In 2019, it will be easier to insulate oneself from other viewpoints, and to double down on one's beliefs. Religious extremism will continue to grow, while, overall, spirituality will continue to decline. Stoner-damas has spoken!
I hate to say it but, your wrong. Religion is dying worldwide and spiritualism is on the rise. Check out these stats.. even in the U.S. More Americans now say they’re spiritual but not religious
Seems to me that everyone needs something to believe in to get up n the morning n carry on. It’s dif for everyone drugs, sex, $, religion,work, food, exercise, family, friends etc. I didn’t grow up religious but all my friends were. on the rare occasion that I did go to church I felt out of place. I put my kids in Christian based private school so that they could choose when they were older to follow religion n neither of them believe as adults. I don’t claim to be religious but try to treat everyone with dignity and respect which I feel is a form of religion. To each their own I guess.
You have to take the long view on this. The time since the rise and evolution of religion to what we see today is a fairly short period in the overall scheme of things. The current political climate gave rise to a burst of racist and religious right activity, but it's an anomaly - a blip on the far edge of the evolutionary radar screen. Some (like me) believe this perceived backslide is really a GOOD thing, considering the timing with Catholicism itself in crises as well. It's out there now with mass communication for all to see. Their best tools of the trade (secrecy and de-bunked dogma) are well illuminated and useless going forward. Enough people are finally beginning to realize the truth. Stubborn rats not jumping religion's ship will go down with it soon enough.
i can totally get on board with people needing something to believe in. but it should start with oneself and if need be, something actually tangible and real. not make believe
If you truly wanted understand you would be open minded and ask questions, instead you are starting with the conclusion and making declarations based off of them. I would be more than happy to have a discussion but I don't get the impression that you are genuinely curious. This is a complex issue and requires patience and persistence. For instance Belief in God Belief in religion Cultural impact of each (positive and negative) Interpersonal Existential Etc. I am not religious but I do expose myself to alot of religion/religious based topics and I don't see it as black and white.
curious to understand how someone can believe in something that does not exist. that's the only thing I am trying to understand. i understand that a child may believe in santa claus, the easter bunny but they aren't real either and there comes a point in everyones life when they understand the truth. why is religion any different?
First you have to separate belief in God from belief in a particular religion. There are many reasons people believe in 'God'. Some have particularly powerful spiritual experiences, some through rigorous logic, some through brainwashing, some because it gives comfort, some out of fear etc.
ya i totally see what you mean. perhaps we are at a point where as a civilization/species, that we are evolving. with that same long view, theres hope! hmm i always say, change your perspective, change your life.