Is The Main Purpose Of Religion To Control Behavior? (salvation, Buddhism, souls)

[MontanaGuy]

I've often thought that one of the main reasons that religions everywhere continue to exist is due to the simple fact that it keeps everybody in line. The Bible as well as other religious books are basically instructions about how we're supposed to behave and what the consequences will be if we don't. There's no punishment that could be handed down by a court of law that could even come close to getting slapped with eternal damnation. That makes the electric chair or life in prison look like a piece of cake. However it seems to me that religion functions in a manner that's very similar to the criminal justice system. It lays out certain boundaries in human behavior that we're told we can't cross and it instills a fear of severe retribution if we don't follow the rules.

[tverde]

Originally Posted by MontanaGuy

I've often thought that one of the main reasons that religions everywhere continue to exist is due to the simple fact that it keeps everybody in line. The Bible as well as other religious books are basically instructions about how we're supposed to behave and what the consequences will be if we don't. There's no punishment that could be handed down by a court of law that could even come close to getting slapped with eternal damnation. That makes the electric chair or life in prison look like a piece of cake. However it seems to me that religion functions in a manner that's very similar to the criminal justice system. It lays out certain boundaries in human behavior that we're told we can't cross and it instills a fear of severe retribution if we don't follow the rules.

Christianity - IMO the main purpose of the Bible is not to put a set of rules and regulations for us to live by, the main purpose of the Bible was to bring us back into communion with God through his son Jesus. In other words, God uses the Bible to reconnect a relationship with his creation that has be broken off because of Sin.

I do not do certain things because i dont want to go to eternal damnation, i just dont do certain things because I love God, and I know how much Sin hurts my relationship with him. Eternal damnation in essance is eliminated because of Jesus'...thats why it is also called "The Good News"

[Travelling fella]

Originally Posted by MontanaGuy

I've often thought that one of the main reasons that religions everywhere continue to exist is due to the simple fact that it keeps everybody in line. The Bible as well as other religious books are basically instructions about how we're supposed to behave and what the consequences will be if we don't. There's no punishment that could be handed down by a court of law that could even come close to getting slapped with eternal damnation. That makes the electric chair or life in prison look like a piece of cake. However it seems to me that religion functions in a manner that's very similar to the criminal justice system. It lays out certain boundaries in human behavior that we're told we can't cross and it instills a fear of severe retribution if we don't follow the rules.

If the main purpose of religion is to control behavior it would mean that, that religious path is totally wrong.

The main purpose of religion is to offer humans a way to reach God, unfortuantely religions have been abused by human beings which loose themselves into the temptation that the power they have from their position offers them and use it as a mean to control people.

Not all religions believe in hell or eternal damnation, and imho neither Christ.

The commandments, or Yoga sutras or the Buddhists eightfold path are just easy guidelines to live a life in harmony with your peers and God.

[coosjoaquin]

Originally Posted by MontanaGuy

I've often thought that one of the main reasons that religions everywhere continue to exist is due to the simple fact that it keeps everybody in line. The Bible as well as other religious books are basically instructions about how we're supposed to behave and what the consequences will be if we don't. There's no punishment that could be handed down by a court of law that could even come close to getting slapped with eternal damnation. That makes the electric chair or life in prison look like a piece of cake. However it seems to me that religion functions in a manner that's very similar to the criminal justice system. It lays out certain boundaries in human behavior that we're told we can't cross and it instills a fear of severe retribution if we don't follow the rules.

Based on observation i figure that how popular a religious belief is, is directly proportional to the number of specific memes that form part of its doctrine. A religion where the followers are not encouraged to stay, be free to question the doctrine and not require gathering more followers will not be as successful as one that uses very effective means to be just short in controlling the actions of its members.

By effective means i refer to:
-promising a reward in the afterlife for those who are of the faith
-threatening with eternal punishment specifically for lack of belief in their particular religion
-active encouragement to recruit more members by means of proselytizing others
-encouragement to reproduce and create as many offspring who will be raised and taught the religion
-discouraging contraception for reasons above
...ect..ect

Its pretty much part of the evolution of religion

[Travelling fella]

Originally Posted by coosjoaquin

Based on observation i figure that how popular a religious belief is, is directly proportional to the number of specific memes that form part of its doctrine. A religion where the followers are not encouraged to stay, be free to question the doctrine and not require gathering more followers will not be as successful as one that uses very effective means to be just short in controlling the actions of its members.

By effective means i refer to:
-promising a reward in the afterlife for those who are of the faith
-threatening with eternal punishment specifically for lack of belief in their particular religion
-active encouragement to recruit more members by means of proselytizing others
-encouragement to reproduce and create as many offspring who will be raised and taught the religion
-discouraging contraception for reasons above
...ect..ect

Its pretty much part of the evolution of religion

only of religions of judeochristian descent.

other religious path don't believe in eternal damnation, and they encourage their followers to question the doctrine, they teach self control, specially of reproduction because it just attracts more souls to this physical plane.

They might not be as succesful in numbers of followers, but they are more succesful in people reaching enlightment

[MontanaGuy]

coosjoaquin wrote:

Its pretty much part of the evolution of religion

I think you made some good points. I guess that's why we don't see the Hare Krishna's anymore hanging around airports or playing the only song they know on a downtown street.

[ainulinale]

Originally Posted by MontanaGuy

The Bible as well as other religious books are basically instructions about how we're supposed to behave and what the consequences will be if we don't.

Well, the Bible is more of an account of God's dealing with his people through a chunk of history. It is also more of the story of salvation than book full of rules--I would call this perspective legalism, and this is one of Jesus' issues with the Pharisees.

Originally Posted by MontanaGuy

There's no punishment that could be handed down by a court of law that could even come close to getting slapped with eternal damnation.

I'm personally not convinced that the Bible teaches nonbelievers will go to "hell" if that's what you mean.

[coosjoaquin]

Originally Posted by Travelling fella

only of religions of judeochristian descent.

other religious path don't believe in eternal damnation, and they encourage their followers to question the doctrine, they teach self control, specially of reproduction because it just attracts more souls to this physical plane.

They might not be as succesful in numbers of followers, but they are more succesful in people reaching enlightment

Well I'm just saying that the religions that try the "brain-control" approach will on average be better at gathering people than those who don't. I haven't even taken into account the fact that the history and geography of its people will have a mayor effect on this.

consider that Zen Buddhism and scientology had both been invented at the same time and in geographically close areas. Which do you think would get the most followers at the end of the day?

[Travelling fella]

Originally Posted by coosjoaquin

Well I'm just saying that the religions that try the "brain-control" approach will on average be better at gathering people than those who don't. I haven't even taken into account the fact that the history and geography of its people will have a mayor effect on this.

consider that Zen Buddhism and scientology had both been invented at the same time and in geographically close areas. Which do you think would get the most followers at the end of the day?

That would be relative to the time they had been invented and the area where they were born, if it was in this era and in the United States scientology would be more succesful but just in attracting more followers, which shouldn't be an indicator of success.

A true indicator of a religion success is the amount of people who are able to reach God by this path, and usually those are the religions who have the less followers and their teachings are preserved in the utmost secrecy to avoid corruption.

[ainulinale]

Originally Posted by Travelling fella

only of religions of judeochristian descent.

other religious path don't believe in eternal damnation, and they encourage their followers to question the doctrine, they teach self control, specially of reproduction because it just attracts more souls to this physical plane.

And all Christian denominations teach "eternal damnation?" We Protestants definitely don't teach a questioning of doctrine! The term "Protestant" means "protester" and we broke away from the religious doctrine that conflicted with our consciences. Our doctrine is explicitly open for revision as we gain more knowledge of the world and our Scriptures (no offense to any Catholics or Orthodox, etc.).

"Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda," that is, "the church reformed, always reforming."