Why would anyone say ‘religion’ is here…to ‘control’ people?

There is no god. Why do people still believe? They are afraid. Simple formula for controlling the masses: keep the people scared and they will do whatever you want for the promise of safety. What is the safety that religion promises? Safety from death and a higher power. Two very basic fears that most humans share.

I will try to answer your questions based on what I have personally read and also witnessed.

1.) Yes I do believe that religion is here as a form of control.
2.) The christian based religions tell you that if you do not follow the rules layed out before you then you will burn in the pits of hell for all eternity. Thats control right there.
3.) Explained in 2.
4.) I still do believe, but I do not believe what I am told that I should believe. Instead I choose to believe that there is a higher power that some would call a god, but I refuse to believe that what is written in the bible are actually his/jesus' words. I have played the game of telling a story on one side of a room to see how much it changes by the time it reaches the other side of the room. Now play that game back in the era when the bible was written except ten fold. I also choose to believe that a god would be more tollerant of his people/followers.
5.) I used to be a catholic, and now I believe what I have written above. (well a much more ellaborate version.)
6.) I am not
7.) I am not
8.) I am not
9.) For some reason I don't think that god looks any different than you or I. I also do not think that he/she would act any different than any other caring kind individual.

Those are my honest answers. I would ellaborate more on some, but this is one subject that I remain slightly guarded about.

Religion (emulation of adults by children) encysts past mythologies: guesses, hidden assumptions of trust in the universe, pronouncements made in search of personal power, all mingled with shreds of enlightenment. And always an unspoken commandment: Thou shall not question! We break that commandment daily in the harnessing of human imagination to our deepest creativity.

-Frank Herbert

Originally posted by SantaClaus

9) What ‘SHOULD‘ God look like/act like/be like?

He shouldn't be anything but pure joy. We will all experience him one day, regardless of the people we are now. He is all that is good, and to some extent (shallowly) all that is bad.

What we need to realize is that things can happen no other way. We are all free to be who we are and worship how we'd like. As long as you feel in tune with your universe, then you are in touch with God.

Saint Nick, Your answer to number 9 is right-on, in my book...pure joy! Sweet...

OT

Great point too about ORGANIZED religion...I agree!


edit:spelling

[edit on 4-2-2009 by OldThinker]

Originally posted by Founding
There is no god. Why do people still believe? They are afraid. Simple formula for controlling the masses: keep the people scared and they will do whatever you want for the promise of safety. What is the safety that religion promises? Safety from death and a higher power. Two very basic fears that most humans share.

Or maybe to some, the afterlife is scarier than this one. I for one, find the vastness of the universe to be horrifying. But I look forward to cautiously experience its beauty.

1) Do you think faith/religion is here to control the masses?

Yes, mostly.

2) Why?

Because human societies tend to be hierarquical structures, where the top layers control the lives of the bottom layers. It's just how we tend to organise ourselves, although there are exceptions, as was the case of the australian aborigines and other tribal people. Sometimes these hierarchies are stealth, you don't know they are there till you cross them. This is a higher up manifestation of a fractal antropological structure which comes all the way from primate male dominance, and probably beyond that.

3) Your evidence?

Just look at the structures envolved, the people envolved. As you climb up the hierarchy the individuals tend to become more perverse and shady, as they become more powerfull. From this, if you are honest about the analysis, you must realise that the people who control what is said about religion, what is written, what memes are dominant, are very suspect. Most faithfull don't talk to god, they talk to a priest about god, that is the problem.

Or, if you prefer, history and experience is my evidence.

4) Did you once believe?

In formal religion? Yes, when I was too young to know better.

5) Did you change?

I got old enough and smart enough to know better. Do realise I am talking about formal religions and the memetics of them. Personal spirituality is another thing. Also I was lucky enough to not be blitzed with enough mind control at an early age, because I moved around a fair bit.

6) Why are you an atheist?

I am not an atheist, I just refuse to be a mind slave, controlled by fear based ritualism and apocriphal scriptures.

7) Why are you an agnostic?

I am not sure this label applies, I seem to have a direct connection, don't need to wait and see, so to speak.

8) Why you are a christian?

I have sympathy for a lot of the words attributed to Jesus, but I suspect he is just a manifestation of a deeper archetype, which is one of the enlightened human being, who has found the power of love as a creational energy. So I am not christian in the reductionist sense, although I do think there *might* be something there.

9) What ‘SHOULD‘ God look like/act like/be like?

Don't ask me, look inside yourself and ask God. He's there waiting to talk to you, should you so ask. (Hint: he looks like everything and behaves like a universe).

Hope this helps in understanding these things. My take on God and spirituality is you need to free your mind and look inside yourself, to your heart. There you will find God. If you let someone else, anyone, position himself or herself between yourself and your own divine connection, then you're moving away from it, not to it. God is something personal, no institution will connect you to him better than you can connect to him yourself. So just quiet the mind and look inside. With patience results will come.

Cheers.

Originally posted by Founding
There is no god. Why do people still believe? They are afraid. Simple formula for controlling the masses: keep the people scared and they will do whatever you want for the promise of safety. What is the safety that religion promises? Safety from death and a higher power. Two very basic fears that most humans share.

Founding, hey, welcome...when you have time, please re-read the OP, ok? We would love your responses to each, ok...fair?

OT

1) Do you think faith/religion is here to control the masses?
2) Why?
3) Your evidence?
4) Did you once believe?
5) Did you change?
6) Why are you an atheist?
7) Why are you an agnostic?
8) Why you are a christian?
9) What ‘SHOULD‘ God look like/act like/be like?


1) Yes
2) Because they can.
3) For one instance, look at American slavery. Slaves were told that they were meant to be slaves because it said so in the bible.
4) Yes
5) yes
6) I'm not an atheist.
7) I'm not an agnostic.
8) I'm not a christian.
9) My idea of a god would be an immense energy full of light and love.

reply to post by virraszto


Aw, believing in an energy full of love totally contradicts the fear mentality that reuling elites wish you to have. i dont think you are doing your part for the economy...consume!

Originally posted by SpaDe_
I will try to answer your questions based on what I have personally read and also witnessed.

1.) Yes I do believe that religion is here as a form of control.
....

Those are my honest answers. I would ellaborate more on some, but this is one subject that I remain slightly guarded about.

Thanks so very much...really!

When you have time please elaborate more on number one....when you are ready/available...


I, too am a bit GUARDED....these are serious, important matters, for sure...


I do appreciate your input/take on this...

OT

PS: OT is not catholic, and 'I' have no issues with them, but I know some that do....we will get through this...I've dealt with some SH!t, too....

reply to post by SantaClaus


btw, Awesome avatar there......

very creative...

OT

"The whole thing is so patently infantile, so foreign to reality, that to anyone with a friendly attitude to humanity it is painful to think that the great majority of mortals will never be able to rise above this view of life. It is still more humiliating to discover how a large number of people living today, who cannot but see that this religion is not tenable, nevertheless try to defend it piece by piece in a series of pitiful rearguard actions."

Sigmund Freud

Originally posted by Zepherian
........Hope this helps in understanding these things. My take on God and spirituality is you need to free your mind and look inside yourself, to your heart. There you will find God. If you let someone else, anyone, position himself or herself between yourself and your own divine connection, then you're moving away from it, not to it. God is something personal, no institution will connect you to him better than you can connect to him yourself. So just quiet the mind and look inside. With patience results will come.

Cheers.

Z, Didn't want to re-post your entire thoughts...band width and all...but please know OT thinks there is GREAT WISDOM in your response...


It definitely did HELP!

OT


PS: I have met some that have helped me SEE Him...guess OT is lucky, huh?

Don't throw the baby out too...

Originally posted by 420prajna
"The whole thing is so patently infantile, so foreign to reality, that to anyone with a friendly attitude to humanity it is painful to think that the great majority of mortals will never be able to rise above this view of life. It is still more humiliating to discover how a large number of people living today, who cannot but see that this religion is not tenable, nevertheless try to defend it piece by piece in a series of pitiful rearguard actions."

Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud was purely genius with no shred of what could be construed as emotion.

The man was as delusional as he was brilliant.

Logic is sometimes not entirely logical.. (too logical? not human enough)

Originally posted by virraszto

3) For one instance, look at American slavery. Slaves were told that they were meant to be slaves because it said so in the bible.

Thx for the time and responses...but number 3 bothers me, ok...please see...

Today one of his full portraits hangs in a pub. Another in the same town, Cambridge, hangs in a hotel. Another still, in his old college, St. John's. In each he peers at the world quizzically through small, bright eyes over a long, upturned nose. He was said to be "the wittiest man in England, and the most religious" (Madame de Stael), and one who possessed "the greatest natural eloquence of all the men I ever met" (William Pitt). When he spoke, another quipped, "The shrimp became a whale" (James Boswell). Historian G. M. Trevelyan called this "shrimp" the primary human agent for "one of the turning events in the history of the world."

link here... www.christianitytoday.com...


It was Christian folks who STOPPED slavery....


WE are about JUSTICE and FAIRNESS...

OT

[edit on 4-2-2009 by OldThinker]

reply to post by OldThinker


One thing is to talk about religion with someone who gives insight and helps one's personal progress, another is to be sucked into a structure with it's own ritualism, it's own memetics, it's own hierarchy and it's own tax structure.

I think it's clear where the baby is and what is the bath water.

Originally posted by 420prajna
"The whole thing is so patently infantile, so foreign to reality, that to anyone with a friendly attitude to humanity it is painful to think that the great majority of mortals will never be able to rise above this view of life. It is still more humiliating to discover how a large number of people living today, who cannot but see that this religion is not tenable, nevertheless try to defend it piece by piece in a series of pitiful rearguard actions."

Sigmund Freud

So OT guesses your answerr is NO...to answer the questions?????

OT curious?

I didn't read all the posts-forgive me.

Originally posted by OldThinker
Any ATS regular or lurker can see OT is online to represent his savior….no bait and switch here. It’s pretty darn clear, agree?

Very clear. You need not even state it.

1) Do you think faith/religion is here to control the masses?
2) Why?
3) Your evidence?
4) Did you once believe?
5) Did you change?
6) Why are you an atheist?
7) Why are you an agnostic?
8) Why you are a christian?
9) What ‘SHOULD‘ God look like/act like/be like?

1. mostly
2. It is a win/win situation. The masses who want and need to be controlled are controlled by their religion and those who want and need to control others get their power from religion. For those who do not fit into these two categories which is the minority, they do not benefit.
3. So much effort and energy put into advertising religions and so many wars and disputes over "the one true religion" which they all claim to be. And they all close their minds to protect their beliefs from any contamination of other beliefs. Also, all the money spent on luxuries in centers of worship that make it seem more appealing to the customers (religious people) when they could possibly spend it on something that helps people that are in need. And throughout history people have used religions and God/Gods as their source of authority and thus as a tool to control the masses.
4. Believe in what? God? yes.
5. Constantly.
6. I'm not.
7. I'm not.
8. I'm not.
9. God should look/act/be as It pleases.

Originally posted by Zepherian
reply to post by OldThinker

 

One thing is to talk about religion with someone who gives insight and helps one's personal progress, another is to be sucked into a structure with it's own ritualism, it's own memetics, it's own hierarchy and it's own tax structure.

I think it's clear where the baby is and what is the bath water.

Good point...

Were you Sucked in....?

Why?

How?

OT

reply to post by cancerian42



aawww....some don't read profiles, that's all...

OT