Religion primarily seeks security.... not Truth.......

[Soma-Sight]

The main goal of all organized religion is to answer the call of mans fear and insecurities.

This is why when ones religion is challenged by opposing sets of belief systems we create

Terrorists
Exclusivism
"Chosen people" and "heathens"
Zealous behaviour for unproven Faith claims
etc.........

The Truth that is found in each individual...... IE their OWN demons and angels lurking in the midst of the soul are not addressed in these fast food religious idealogies.

Everything is ALREADY done for them! You have a set of "objective" creeds that if followed, attain liberation of your soul and "quench" that ever knawing insecurity and need for parental guidance.

It is a form of mind control that breeds

Islamist terror
Kamakazi pilots in WW2
Christian Crusaders murdering infidels
Catholic Inquisitions
Witch burnings

This mind control and the resulting fanatical adherancy that follows all stems from the root of a need for assurances and security, never TRUTH!

Never the Truth that mankind is all one people created by a Loving God!

Never the Truth that God loves all man equally!

Never the Truth that God is present in all cultures and guides all things!


Yes religion seeks security

But spirituality and disciplined efforts seek the Truth!

Which path are YOU on? Do you seek so that you may find? Or do you accept the fast food religious bourgeois of today?

 

[peace4all]

thats what i have been thinking for the longest time.

it is used to control people, and answer what our science/technology hasnt yet...

Some good, and some evil has coem out of it though.

 

[SputnikBoy]

Hmmm ...interesting post, Soma-Sight. I'll be just as interested to see how many responses it encourages and as to what those responses will be.

 

[Shellfish]

I would ask for clarification on what you are calling "Organized Religion."

Never the Truth that mankind is all one people created by a Loving God!

Never the Truth that God loves all man equally!

Never the Truth that God is present in all cultures and guides all things!

Certain things can only be revealed by the Holy Spirit! Not everyone is taught these "truths." The bible is our source for "Truth." Not the truth of men, but of God. God reveals his truths to whomever He will.

Rom 10:17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Jhn 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Jhn 18:38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault [at all].

Jhn 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed;
Jhn 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Jhn 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The search for the Truth has been an ancient endeavor. That is why Pilate said with such a sigh " What is truth?"

I would only add that Jesus is the Truth!

Interesting topic!

 

[peace4all]

i forgot to mention.

I am agaist organized religion,because it goes from, Finding god yourself, to, forcing others to believe in your god...

YOu dont know how many pmaphletsi get,ow many postcardsi get in the mail, saying come get saved, ect ect...

christianity should be ones personal seeking of christ. Not ones seeking of pointing out "perverts" and "degenerates" that will all feel ods wrath at the end time.

 

[antitox]

i forgot to mention.

I am agaist organized religion,because it goes from, Finding god yourself, to, forcing others to believe in your god...

YOu dont know how many pmaphletsi get,ow many postcardsi get in the mail, saying come get saved, ect ect...

christianity should be ones personal seeking of christ. Not ones seeking of pointing out "perverts" and "degenerates" that will all feel ods wrath at the end time.

Cmon, against organized religion? Let's put this in proper perspective; peace4all, you are against all religion....... EXCEPT the atheist religion. :-D

 

[Quath]

Cmon, against organized religion? Let's put this in proper perspective; peace4all, you are against all religion....... EXCEPT the atheist religion. :-D

It takes organized religion to teach people that heaven awaits suicide bombers. Or to teach that it is ok to burn crosses in front of black people's houses. Or to teach it is ok to slaughter the American Indians.

Unorganized religion may produce a nutball on occasion that goes wild and does strange stuff. However, in organized religion if the leader goes nutball, his congregation follows and you get massive problems.

Oh. If atheism is a religon then not collecting stamps is a hobby and bald is a hair color.

Quath

 

[peace4all]

antitox. I dont dislike christianity. I dislike the christians..

one person that hates black people is fine. THey sit at home, and hate black people,but do nothing... However, when you organize 10 ppl that hate blacks, u get a cross burnin somewhere.

same with christians.

you get one saying "hey homos are bad" AND ITS FINE. they dont bother anyone. But then you group them under a nut like falwell, and you get peopet ryignto take teletubies, barney, spongebob, off the air, you get people threatinging gays ect..

 

[antitox]

It takes organized religion to teach people that heaven awaits suicide bombers.

Christianity doesn't advocate that. So you shouldn't generalize.

Or to teach that it is ok to burn crosses in front of black people's houses. Or to teach it is ok to slaughter the American Indians.

Christianity doesn't advocate that. Shouldn't generalize.

Unorganized religion may produce a nutball on occasion that goes wild and does strange stuff. However, in organized religion if the leader goes nutball, his congregation follows and you get massive problems.

That can happen with any situation, any people, any country, any leader. You can't escape the influence of humanity.

Oh. If atheism is a religon then not collecting stamps is a hobby and bald is a hair color.

Quath

Oh no, you forget that you endorse, protect, and sustain your beliefs and ideologies. And you have said before that you are here to support your position. So, looks like you have something to defend and propagate.
You defend it with as much passion as a Christian defends his belief. Your belief is a belief. So you really can't say it isn't a religion. Otherwise you wouldn't be hanging around on this board.

 

[Soma-Sight]

It takes organized religion to teach people that heaven awaits suicide bombers. Or to teach that it is ok to burn crosses in front of black people's houses. Or to teach it is ok to slaughter the American Indians.

I forgot about those....

Thanks for adding that........

 

[Nocturnal_Principal_X]

I think it is important to note that, “The main goal…to answer the call of mans fear and insecurities†is not exclusive only to organized religion.

To primary examples are:

Joseph Stalin
Adolf Hitler

 

[peace4all]

christianity isnt the only organized religion./

and organizers used christiainty, to burn crosses in peoples yard.

the bible never said to hate black people and tell them they are bad.

it also never said dont stop gays frommarrying,

 

[Soma-Sight]

I think it is important to note that, “The main goal…to answer the call of mans fear and insecurities†is not exclusive only to organized religion.

To primary examples are:

Joseph Stalin
Adolf Hitler

Well some would argue that these two men DID represent a religious ideaology in there actions and creeds!

Mein Kamph and the Communist manifesto are religious texts if you disect them.....

 

[antitox]

christianity isnt the only organized religion.

True.

and organizers used christiainty, to burn crosses in peoples yard.

You'll have to give some real evidence of that.

the bible never said to hate black people and tell them they are bad.

True, but neither do Christians.

it also never said dont stop gays frommarrying,

Didn't have to. It said gay is wrong, and we should stand for what is right, and that's what we're doing. You're gay aren't you?

 

[Quath]

Christianity doesn't advocate that. So you shouldn't generalize.

I didn't say "Christianity" just organized religion. In this case, Islam.

Or to teach that it is ok to burn crosses in front of black people's houses. Or to teach it is ok to slaughter the American Indians.

Christianity doesn't advocate that. Shouldn't generalize. [/quote]
In this case it was Christianity. When the Spanish met the Indians, the Catholic priest would say that God authorized killing them and they would kill the Indians and take their gold.

That can happen with any situation, any people, any country, any leader. You can't escape the influence of humanity.

It doesn't happen when people can and do question the ideology. Organized religion seeks to discourage that.

Oh no, you forget that you endorse, protect, and sustain your beliefs and ideologies. And you have said before that you are here to support your position. So, looks like you have something to defend and propagate.
You defend it with as much passion as a Christian defends his belief. Your belief is a belief. So you really can't say it isn't a religion. Otherwise you wouldn't be hanging around on this board.

You are coming from the point of view that it is natural to believe in a god. However, I come from a perspective that no person knows about a god until they are told by another human or they make one up. So the natural state is a disbelief in something until evidence is provided to conclude that it could be real.

It is more accurate to say I have not the belief in God, rather than I disbelieve He exists.

Quath

 

[Muad'Dib]

In this case it was Christianity. When the Spanish met the Indians, the Catholic priest would say that God authorized killing them and they would kill the Indians and take their gold.

Can you really blame that on religion? Let's be honest, the Spanish would have taken the Indian's gold regardless of whether the priests endorsed it. Religion is often used to justify such acts, but even without religion the acts would still occur.

As to the thread, to say that a religion is a mere security blanket is a gross generalization. It would be just as ridiculous for me to say athiests choose not to believe in God primarly because they fear His existence. Both show a lack of understanding about the nature of belief.

 

[antitox]

I didn't say "Christianity" just organized religion. In this case, Islam.

Well if the atheist isn't pointing the finger at the "religion" on this board as so often is the case,.....well I'm just downright... shocked........why...this is a first.......a new era.....

In this case it was Christianity. When the Spanish met the Indians, the Catholic priest would say that God authorized killing them and they would kill the Indians and take their gold.

So this is mainstream Christianity, huh? No. It's catholicism. Shame..shame...shame.....there you go again. Trying to lump all religions together. Shame. You are wrong as the day is long. That's not what a Christians does. The Catholics (religion) may have done it, but not the Christians. This is what I thought you would do.

It doesn't happen when people can and do question the ideology. Organized religion seeks to discourage that.

Well Quath, there are some things you have to question. If we all say that you can do whatever, then it's anything goes. But, that's the way liberals like it.

You are coming from the point of view that it is natural to believe in a god. However, I come from a perspective that no person knows about a god until they are told by another human or they make one up. So the natural state is a disbelief in something until evidence is provided to conclude that it could be real.

Still yours is a "belief" as I said. Because you believe that He isn't and you support it relentlessly just like anyone who believes He is real.

It is more accurate to say I have not the belief in God, rather than I disbelieve He exists.

Quath

No, because you believe it without fail. You will fight for that position as hard as any believer. Therefore you are no different than a religious person who does the same thing. You're the same as they are.

 

[peace4all]

christianity isnt the only organized religion.

True.

and organizers used christiainty, to burn crosses in peoples yard.

You'll have to give some real evidence of that.

[quote:1af84]the bible never said to hate black people and tell them they are bad.

True, but neither do Christians.

it also never said dont stop gays frommarrying,

Didn't have to. It said gay is wrong, and we should stand for what is right, and that's what we're doing. You're gay aren't you?[/quote:1af84]

No, I am not gay, However, I have many friends that are, an uncle who is,and my brother may be.

anywho, if you stand for what the bible says, there is so much that you miss, so many examples you have not followed, so many things you still need to do.

and jesus never denied a sinner anything (besides the pharisees). so walk in the steps of jesus, dont change his path,

 

[antitox]

it also never said dont stop gays frommarrying,

Didn't have to. It said gay is wrong, and we should stand for what is right, and that's what we're doing. You're gay aren't you?

No, I am not gay, However, I have many friends that are, an uncle who is,and my brother may be.

anywho, if you stand for what the bible says, there is so much that you miss, so many examples you have not followed, so many things you still need to do.

I've never said anything regarding treating people wrong in any of this or treating them less than I would treat anyone else. In all my dealings, I have never been mean to any that I have worked with. They get the same general respect from me as anyone else. But I do not have to condone what they do or sanction it legally. Yall are the ones who claim "foul" every time we oppose the legal progress of it.

and jesus never denied a sinner anything (besides the pharisees). so walk in the steps of jesus, dont change his path,

He never endorsed wrongdoing. He never santioned it, and he told people not to do wrong. I'm sure you can figure out a way to get around that as you and Quath normally twist scripture and common sense.

 

[Quath]

Can you really blame that on religion? Let's be honest, the Spanish would have taken the Indian's gold regardless of whether the priests endorsed it. Religion is often used to justify such acts, but even without religion the acts would still occur.

In a sense, I think it can be blamed on religion. These people were able to kill Indians and feel morally good about it since God supported it. Without religion to justify this, they would have to know they were pirates who massacred people that intended them no harm. So maybe it would have cut down some.

I do agree with you in a sense also. They could have just as easily made up a treaty and then decided the Indians broke it so they could kill them. So there are ways around it. However, organized religion makes it too easy.

"With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion." -- Steven Weinberg, Nobel Laureate

As to the thread, to say that a religion is a mere security blanket is a gross generalization. It would be just as ridiculous for me to say athiests choose not to believe in God primarly because they fear His existence. Both show a lack of understanding about the nature of belief.

I can see that perspective. However, the idea of eternal life seems better to most than the fear of a god. Atheism offers no comforth for death while religion comforts many people by saying they will meet them again (or God will wipe their memory if heaven and hell separate them). I remember hearing some people claim their animals will be in heaven. It is a big comfort idea for those dealing with death.

So this is mainstream Christianity, huh? No. It's catholicism. Shame..shame...shame.....there you go again. Trying to lump all religions together. Shame. You are wrong as the day is long. That's not what a Christians does. The Catholics (religion) may have done it, but not the Christians. This is what I thought you would do.

I just pointed out an organized religion that is Christian and did use their beliefs to kill Indians. You make your own conclusions.

No, because you believe it without fail. You will fight for that position as hard as any believer. Therefore you are no different than a religious person who does the same thing. You're the same as they are.

With evidence, I would easily become a believer. So my stance on the issue could easily change if I saw some good proof.

One reason I don't count atheism as a religion is that there are no rules or common beliefs. The only thing that defines the people is that they don't believe in one thing. So it is not organized. Atheists believe whatever else they want to. It would be like organizing a group of people that didn't believe in Allah. This group could include Christians, atheists, Hindus and pagans. Yet I would not call this group a religion.

Quath