Hm, I've to say I agree with you -mostly- although I have got beliefs. Religion tries to explain the world, but since science does just the same, maybe religion is becoming obsolete. It also makes people feel better, which is why poor and/or oppressed people tend to be more religious than rich and well-fed ones. (Though of course education is point, too.) I'm not religious (which would be difficult in a family of mixed creeds and with a hell-and-damnantion-preaching stepdad who did all, but live up to his own moral standards), but I do believe in god, somehow, although it's certainly not the god of the thora, bible or koran. I've always loved sciences (with the exception of maths *g*), but I don't think they contradict what I believe in. After what we learnt in philosophy at school (now that was a lovely subject!) I'd call myself a pantheist and since nobody can know for sure (which is why I hate fundamentalists), it's as good an attempt as any other (-though I guess I'm not making myself very credible, loving cars and hair-dye and hating health food. *lol* Say hello to hypocrite me). Also, the god=nature, so god=rather-a-universal-spirit, thing solves the whole problem of well-meaning-god-but-evil-world and the amusing Good vs. Evil issue. (I mean, who defines that, anyway?) Nature is cruel and everyone knows. But its also very beautiful. I think people believe in heaven and hell (and ghosts for that matter), because nobody wants to be just dead and gone one day. Meaningless lives and mortal souls are just too sad to believe in. I'm not sure we've got souls, but if I could choose, I'd like to have one and keep it. Eternal oblivion is immensely frightening. Most people are too self-important to realize they and their entire world are only little grains of sand in an incredibly huge universe. Another thing is, that, I guess, simple people at all times thought it comforting not to be responsible, to have a fate and a god who plans their life for them. (Though I think that's frightening as well.) But in case they believe in free will, they want to see the good guys (themselves) rewarded with an eternity in heaven, while the bad guys (everyone stronger or just more ruthless and therefore more successful) punished in hell. Maybe the whole system is more ingenious than it looks, because it bmakes both parties feel good: the people who largely stick to morals feel good and righteous and secretly gloat over those who will go to hell, while those who have no moral inhibitions live a comfortable life. Of course that's simplified, but it might be roughly true. Someone once said heaven and hell were metaphors for the human concience, but I suppose that's another theme for a scholarly work. I'll stop now, because I noticed -besides the fact that I might fill pages- I started confusing myself. *g* And the whole discussion is just depressing (though interesting). Moreover, I'm not sure I'm explaining exactly what I mean, because it's a rather difficult topic with no solid ground to stand on and I'm not following any argumentative structure.
no subject
I'm not religious (which would be difficult in a family of mixed creeds and with a hell-and-damnantion-preaching stepdad who did all, but live up to his own moral standards), but I do believe in god, somehow, although it's certainly not the god of the thora, bible or koran. I've always loved sciences (with the exception of maths *g*), but I don't think they contradict what I believe in. After what we learnt in philosophy at school (now that was a lovely subject!) I'd call myself a pantheist and since nobody can know for sure (which is why I hate fundamentalists), it's as good an attempt as any other (-though I guess I'm not making myself very credible, loving cars and hair-dye and hating health food. *lol* Say hello to hypocrite me). Also, the god=nature, so god=rather-a-universal-spirit, thing solves the whole problem of well-meaning-god-but-evil-world and the amusing Good vs. Evil issue. (I mean, who defines that, anyway?) Nature is cruel and everyone knows. But its also very beautiful.
I think people believe in heaven and hell (and ghosts for that matter), because nobody wants to be just dead and gone one day. Meaningless lives and mortal souls are just too sad to believe in. I'm not sure we've got souls, but if I could choose, I'd like to have one and keep it. Eternal oblivion is immensely frightening. Most people are too self-important to realize they and their entire world are only little grains of sand in an incredibly huge universe.
Another thing is, that, I guess, simple people at all times thought it comforting not to be responsible, to have a fate and a god who plans their life for them. (Though I think that's frightening as well.) But in case they believe in free will, they want to see the good guys (themselves) rewarded with an eternity in heaven, while the bad guys (everyone stronger or just more ruthless and therefore more successful) punished in hell. Maybe the whole system is more ingenious than it looks, because it bmakes both parties feel good: the people who largely stick to morals feel good and righteous and secretly gloat over those who will go to hell, while those who have no moral inhibitions live a comfortable life. Of course that's simplified, but it might be roughly true. Someone once said heaven and hell were metaphors for the human concience, but I suppose that's another theme for a scholarly work.
I'll stop now, because I noticed -besides the fact that I might fill pages- I started confusing myself. *g* And the whole discussion is just depressing (though interesting). Moreover, I'm not sure I'm explaining exactly what I mean, because it's a rather difficult topic with no solid ground to stand on and I'm not following any argumentative structure.