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Humans need meaning. Without meaning, what is there?
"The truth was, that life was meaningless. Every day of life, every step in it, brought me, as it were, nearer the precipice, and I saw clearly that before me there was nothing but ruin. And to stop was impossible; to go back was impossible; and it was impossible to shut my eyes so as not to see that there was nothing before me but suffering and actual death, absolute annihilation...
I could not attribute a reasonable motive to any single act in my whole life. I was only astonished that I could not have realized this at the very beginning. All this had so long been known to me! Illness and death would come, if not today, then tomorrow, to those whom I loved, to myself, and nothing remains but stench and worms. All my acts, whatever I did, would sooner or later be forgotten, and I myself be nowhere. Why, then, busy one's self with anything? How could men fail to see this, and live?
It is possible to live only as long as life intoxicates us; as soon as we are sober again we see that it is all a delusion, and a stupid delusion! In this, indeed, there is nothing either ludicrous or amusing; it is only cruel and stupid!" - Leo Tolstoy
I feel like atheists fall into two categories.
1) Materialists, who's only goal is to have as much pleasure as they can have before they die. To try to avoid any and all suffering, at all costs.
2) Nihilists, who largely have given up on life, and for the most-part, merely exist.
There is plenty of meaning - we are DNA reproduction machines just like every living organism on this planet. We just happen to have a large mass of neural matter in our heads which allows us to get in all sorts of mischief and dream up fantasies like god and heaven.
Judaism had the prophets -other religions as Buddhism, Islam, Hindu. etc etc I have NO clue- I said I would be dust--with our Jesus, and he did not like religion-- that's MY choice- do as you please--
but its has been said by scholars-- if man has no known God-- it invents one--
I'm curious: why do you think Jesus hated religion, and the follow up, why did his followers, who presumably followed because they agreed with him, establish a religion in his name?
I'm curious: why do you think Jesus hated religion, and the follow up, why did his followers, who presumably followed because they agreed with him, establish a religion in his name?
Did Jesus hate religion or just the practices that he saw, what would he say to the practices now that are done in his name?
I'm curious: why do you think Jesus hated religion, and the follow up, why did his followers, who presumably followed because they agreed with him, establish a religion in his name?
I'll take a shot at the Jesus question--he did not like the religious establishment because their rules/laws got in the way of their compassion for others. For example, he is called out for healing on the Sabbath, because it's considered "work" and no work is to be done on Sabbath.
And he illustrates the point of rules vs compassion in the parable of a Priest and a Levite who are on their way to perform their temple duties and pass a man beaten by robbers lying in a ditch. Both of them let him lie, because in their positions they are not supposed to touch anyone who might be dead. If they did, they would have to undergo purification rites and not be able to resume their duties for 7 days. They stick with the rules of the religion, and leave the man there. Later a Samaritan, a member of a sort of outcast tribe of Jews interbred with other people, comes across the man and helps him. Jesus asks who in the story is the man's neighbor, because he's preaching that "Love your neighbor" overrules all religious laws.
His immediate followers did not form a religion. If you read the history of Christianity, you see where it all goes wrong--when the faith starts to get entwined with the government and it begins to go back to sets of rules.
I recommend this, if you've got six months or so, lol. Best if it's read and discussed with a group. It is not a religious book. It is a history book.
I'll take a shot at the Jesus question--he did not like the religious establishment because their rules/laws got in the way of their compassion for others. For example, he is called out for healing on the Sabbath, because it's considered "work" and no work is to be done on Sabbath.
And he illustrates the point of rules vs compassion in the parable of a Priest and a Levite who are on their way to perform their temple duties and pass a man beaten by robbers lying in a ditch. Both of them let him lie, because in their positions they are not supposed to touch anyone who might be dead. If they did, they would have to undergo purification rites and not be able to resume their duties for 7 days. They stick with the rules of the religion, and leave the man there. Later a Samaritan, a member of a sort of outcast tribe of Jews interbred with other people, comes across the man and helps him. Jesus asks who in the story is the man's neighbor, because he's preaching that "Love your neighbor" overrules all religious laws.
His immediate followers did not form a religion. If you read the history of Christianity, you see where it all goes wrong--when the faith starts to get entwined with the government and it begins to go back to sets of rules.
I recommend this, if you've got six months or so, lol. Best if it's read and discussed with a group. It is not a religious book. It is a history book.
Interesting response. I'll put that book on my (increasingly backed up) Amazon reading list. Hopefully I'll get to that book soon.
If I'm following what you're saying, it seems that Jesus had an issue not with religion but how religions is practiced. I always had understood it as Jesus opposed the lack of substance and humanity in religion (at that time), but wasn't really opposed to religion. Jesus also seemed to advocate for a more personal religion. With his comments on public prayer in mind, he wanted people to be genuinely devoted, rather than only giving the appearance of devotion. But perhaps I should brush up on my knowledge of Christian history.
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