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I'll tell you where that philosophy came from for me. Every once in a while, as a principal, some teacher would say to me, "You don't know what it's like to be a teacher". And my response was always the same. "I did it for 13 years. So I know exactly what's it's like being a teacher. On the other hand, you've never been a principal, so you have no idea what being a principal is like".
I sat through Sunday church (and sometimes Sunday school) for 8 years growing up as a methodist. Then spent another 40 years struggling with catholicism. I'm not saying I'm an expert at either religion...just a pretty typical American church-goer for 48 years. But while a very few of our religious posters may have been atheist at some point, they are the exceptions who have had a foot in both worlds.
I see this same lack of understanding on the part of many christians when they make comments about other religions. For example, christians cannot get past that Buddhism is not a religion based on commandments. And all a few of them rely on are technical definitions of the word "precept" instead of considering how the word is used in the Buddhist world. And oddly enough, the type of christian who will say (and yes, I've heard several christians say something like this), "Oh I know all about Buddhism". They're most commonly the ones who have never been to a Buddhist temple, never visited a Buddhist nation, etc. But they're the supposed experts on all things religious.
We all think we know all we need to know, but we all don't know enough as we should...
Humbly accept this fact and learning can continue. Don't and any further learning is rendered impossible.
Time for me to sign off now I think, but the thought just occurred to me that I want to share here before I go...
This about so much in religion being man made and/or man-centered. One need only look at so much that is blatantly sexist, and I just don't know how anyone cannot see or recognize to what extent so very much of religion is male oriented, male dominated, male centered. Clearly man made. In particular how so many women are inclined to "look the other way" when it comes to so much of this. Even all that depicts God as a man.
No doubt if there is a god, SHE might not be so inclined to look the other way like so many of us humans are so readily inclined to do...
Time for me to sign off now I think, but the thought just occurred to me that I want to share here before I go...
This about so much in religion being man made and/or man-centered. One need only look at so much that is blatantly sexist, and I just don't know how anyone cannot see or recognize to what extent so very much of religion is male oriented, male dominated, male centered. Clearly man made. In particular how so many women are inclined to "look the other way" when it comes to so much of this. Even all that depicts God as a man.
No doubt if there is a god, SHE might not be so inclined to look the other way like so many of us humans are so readily inclined to do...
A theory that I think has a lot of credibility is the one that says 'religion' in general was created as a means to keep the population more 'controllable'.
Think about it, if there was no religion at all, there is no fear of being judged for ones actions while alive, our world would likely be much more brutal than it is now, so in that sense religion is useful.
A theory that I think has a lot of credibility is the one that says 'religion' in general was created as a means to keep the population more 'controllable'.
Think about it, if there was no religion at all, there is no fear of being judged for ones actions while alive, our world would likely be much more brutal than it is now, so in that sense religion is useful.
When you have a commandments-based religion dominating ("Thought shalt not...") it is conducive to people -- not just 'officials' within the religion -- making judgements.
There's a lot of 'gossip-judgement' made in some churches, particularly those, perhaps, that are churches in small towns where people know each other reasonably well. It seems less prevalent where people choose a church where several are present, and it is not such a small town community base involved.
A theory that I think has a lot of credibility is the one that says 'religion' in general was created as a means to keep the population more 'controllable'.
Religion was not "created", but is intrinsic to man. Man is by nature a religious creature. This is demonstrated in the fact that all human societies from the most primitive to the most advanced have always had religion.
I disagree. All believers struggle with belief on some level at some point.
Not only that, but we all live functionally as atheists from time to time, whether we would call ourselves one or not.
I'm not sure it's just 'from time to time' for MANY. I think there's a huge gap between a person saying, "I'm a christian" and a person being a christian (or any other religion, for that matter). And I'm not talking about slightly different interpretations of a holy book.
I'm talking about the christian (or Buddhist) who considers himself devout, who is a married man or woman who is having an affair, or has had several.
I'm talking about the christian (or Muslim) who considers himself devout, who goes to the race track or Las Vegas (to gamble) on a frequent basis.
or any other numbers of behaviors that are not devout in any sense of the word.
I don't think it has anything to do with struggling with belief. For most I think it has more to do with giving lip service to a belief that they have fallen into based primarily on location (christianity if you're American or British, Hindu if you're Indian, Buddhism if you're from Southeast Asia, Islam if you're from Saudi Arabia, etc.
I think the clear trend is toward Americans being nominal christians.
When I was still living in Colorado Springs, I would drive down this one hill toward I-25 and there was this huge billboard put up by a church (don't remember which one), and the billboard pointed out that 64% of christian men are 'into' pornography. I'm not sure what that says, but it's not good.
A theory that I think has a lot of credibility is the one that says 'religion' in general was created as a means to keep the population more 'controllable'.
Think about it, if there was no religion at all, there is no fear of being judged for ones actions while alive, our world would likely be much more brutal than it is now, so in that sense religion is useful.
Think about it?
Oh my how I have thought about this over the years. Too bad more people don't. Thanks for reminding us in any case...
Religion was not "created", but is intrinsic to man. Man is by nature a religious creature. This is demonstrated in the fact that all human societies from the most primitive to the most advanced have always had religion.
Just keeps getting better...
"Religion was not 'created,' but intrinsic to man?"
Are we also not able to recognize all about religion that was clearly created by man?
Additionally, that religion has been a part of our history since our most primitive times doesn't prove religion is " 'intrinsic' to man." Does it? (You said you invite challenge of your comments)...
We're inclined to do things as a result of not understanding what is going on around us. We have a long history that well demonstrates this fact. Like when some of us used to dance to bring rain, or offer human sacrifices to please the gods, but does this mean religion is intrinsic to man or that our way of dealing with the unknown is our intrinsic inclination?
Interesting question to ponder as I sign off now, but at a minimum let's recognize the conclusion you make here is not a given or subject to no other explanation. Be interesting if you have some better fact-based justification for this proclamation as well. If so, can you provide it? Perhaps for if/when I return here tomorrow?
"Religion was not 'created,' but intrinsic to man. Are we also not able to recognize all about religion that was clearly created by man?
That religion has been a part of our history since our most primitive times doesn't prove religion is "intrinsic" to man. Does it? We're inclined to do things as a result of not understanding what is going on around us. Like when we some people used to dance to bring rain, or offer human sacrifices to please the gods, but does this mean religion is intrinsic to man or that our way of dealing with the unknown is our intrinsic inclination?
Interesting question to ponder as I sign off now, but at a minimum let's recognize the conclusion you make here is not a given or subject to no other explanation. Be interesting if you have some better fact-based justification for this proclamation as well. If so, can you provide it? Perhaps for if/when I return here tomorrow?
If you please...
I agree. Especially when you consider that in different parts of the world very different religions are created.
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