Religion will eventually become obsolete (Buddhists, Holy Spirit, Catholics, believe)

[stycotl]

Originally Posted by Mach50

Religion will become obsolete via self-extinction.

its is interesting to see that while a lot of people believe this, religion has been around since before man actually became man. anthropologists are debating religious foundations among neanderthal man, and many *scientists* are coming to the conclusion that whether or not religious devotion is logical, illogical, empowering, or crippling, that it seems to have given early man the needed unity with which to develop language, concept, and civilization.

granted, there are just as many arguments agianst this idea. but that only supports the fact that we do not know everything, and when even science has to turn around and admit that the world is round, we learn as we go.

to state that religion will die out simply because it is 'not true' is a logical fallacy that does not even begin to explore the history of man's many scientific and religious blunders.

[b. frank]

Originally Posted by stycotl

its is interesting to see that while a lot of people believe this, religion has been around since before man actually became man. anthropologists are debating religious foundations among neanderthal man, and many *scientists* are coming to the conclusion that whether or not religious devotion is logical, illogical, empowering, or crippling, that it seems to have given early man the needed unity with which to develop language, concept, and civilization.

granted, there are just as many arguments agianst this idea. but that only supports the fact that we do not know everything, and when even science has to turn around and admit that the world is round, we learn as we go.

to state that religion will die out simply because it is 'not true' is a logical fallacy that does not even begin to explore the history of man's many scientific and religious blunders.

Good points - but we do have proof that religions do die out due to lack of usefulness (like languages).
So, in that sense, probably some that people follow today will die out. Then new ones that nobody has currently thought of will come to be, then some of those will die out.
But, you are right - religious thought and examinations will only die out when humanity does.

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

Isaiah 40:8 "The grass withers, and the flowers fade, but the Word of God stands forever".

[lemon&lime]

If people want to believe that a man sits in heaven and watches over them they can. It's better than no belief. The truth is everyone does have an individualized Presence that does watch over them and does record every thought and feeling they have throughout eternity. It has always been so. The easterners call it the Divine Monad, which is the one God made individualized for each person. The Presence does hover over people depending on their consciousness, "draw nigh unto me", etc.

The country is only headed for disaster to the extent that individuals will it so.

Originally Posted by sophix

I hate to blow it for most of you, but religion is a man-made creation that will very soon be exposed for what it is - a counterintuitive, destructive, manipulative organization that has been feeding off of people's vulnerability and weakness for years.

It's fake, people! I suppose, myself and other non-believers ("atheist" is such a dirty word with so many negative connotations, especially in the US) really wouldn't really give a hoot about this issue if so many religious fundies stopped trying to pass legislation which benefitted their bogus bibically-backed agenda.

When will Americans realize (as most in nearly every other developed nation) that the notion of a man sitting up in the clouds watching every move and every thought you make is utterly ridiculous! It's absolutely astounding to me that someone can actually believe that a man was born of a virgin, performed a bunch of miracles, and then died, and rose again. Especially with zero evidence to support this viewpoint.

Yet, these same religious fundies will balk at repeatable, proveable, time tested scientific research. It just doesn't make any sense.

As I'm sure has been stated on these forums before, you can "choose" (such a favorite word of fundies) to believe whatever you want. It's when you use collective mass ignorance to your benefit to pass or not pass legislation which limit the right of individuals or practices you deem "immoral" that becomes the problem.

I tell ya, unless something changes, this country is headed for disaster.

[Haaziq]

When people couldn't explain where lightning came from, they said it was God
Droughts? God
Tidal Waves? God
Earthquakes? God
Sickness? God

Science came in and proved these things to have causes that were in no way supernatural. Science has continued doing this to this day. More and more learned, more and more religious superstition left behind. Wonder what religion will be left with a few thousand years from now? Just FAITH

And I noticed somebody brought up the leaders who took away religion and killed people. That is because they were communists. In communism, people who are against the leader(s) are silenced. Joseph Stalin or Mao Zedong or no more representatives of atheism than Bin Laden is for Islam. Not to mention, Hitler was a Catholic who believed killing the Jews was "God's work".

[Aeroman]

Originally Posted by Haaziq

Wonder what religion will be left with a few thousand years from now?

I'm hoping Einstein will be right

"Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: it transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural & spiritual, and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity." - Albert Einstein

[Magnum Mike]

Sophix - If you truly knew the truth, you wouldn't be posting threads like this.

I am a Christian, and I've seen what the Lord can do, and I would still believe in Him, even if he didn't do anything. Why? Because I know why Jesus came here and he sacrificed so much.

Think of it from this persepctive, we only have 70-80 years to live, and it's better to live our lives as faithful believers, then pass on and be with our creator in a peaceful eternity, than live the short time on earth as non-believers, pass on, then find out that what was said in the Bible about facing God's judgement is true. There are times when we get second chances, but I doubt you'll be given a second chance when you stand infront of God.

On your analogy of the United States being so "Religious", compared to other nations in the world in this modern day and age, well I enjoy the modern conveniences we have, I have a 3 bedroom house, a career in the IT industry, and I even have a HDTV, with a 5.1 surround sound. But I always find time to balance everything in my life so that I can spend my time with the Lord by showing my praise to him, praying, and reading the Bible everyday, among other things. Just because we are a nation of modern technologies, that doesn't mean we should ignore God.

[Haaziq]

Originally Posted by Aeroman

I'm hoping Einstein will be right

"Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: it transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural & spiritual, and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity." - Albert Einstein

Definitely. Despite some of their supernatural beliefs, they accept science and evolution. Any religion that doesn't I don't expect to last for a few thousand more years. We've advanced too much. I've never been a Buddhist, but if I was to join a religion, that would be it.

[Haaziq]

Originally Posted by Magnum Mike

Sophix - If you truly knew the truth, you wouldn't be posting threads like this.

I am a Christian, and I've seen what the Lord can do, and I would still believe in Him, even if he didn't do anything. Why? Because I know why Jesus came here and he sacrificed so much.

Think of it from this persepctive, we only have 70-80 years to live, and it's better to live our lives as faithful believers, then pass on and be with our creator in a peaceful eternity, than live the short time on earth as non-believers, pass on, then find out that what was said in the Bible about facing God's judgement is true. There are times when we get second chances, but I doubt you'll be given a second chance when you stand infront of God.

On your analogy of the United States being so "Religious", compared to other nations in the world in this modern day and age, well I enjoy the modern conveniences we have, I have a 3 bedroom house, a career in the IT industry, and I even have a HDTV, with a 5.1 surround sound. But I always find time to balance everything in my life so that I can spend my time with the Lord by praying and reading the Bible, everyday, among other things. Just because we have all the modern conveniences, that doesn't mean that we should ignore God.

Ahh, using Pascal's Wager. The whole "It's better just to believe in case you're wrong so you can go to heaven. The problem with that argument is that it can be applied to any of the 5,000 deities worshipped on this planet. Along with the sun, which I thank regularly for heat, energy (solar power and energy for plants to grow cause I'm a vegan) and light. And I don't need a suit and tie to do it. Just open my window.

[Huckleberry3911948]

so will cars, but to throw mine away right now would mean a whole lota walkin.