The only thing I hate about religion is how people try to impose it on others (this encompasses all the violence, prejudice, etc that has been happening forever) but I think we should keep it around because the morals "forced" upon believers through religious stories do impact lives whether you call them slaves or not. I get a lot from them regardless of being atheist and unaffiliated with any group since I don't take them literally at all. The stories from the Native Americans where I live (Tlingit and Haida Indians whom don't follow their ancestral mythology anymore just like anywhere else) are just as far fetched as anything in the Bible, but they all serve the purpose of teaching morals, not to brainwash you into believing "their" version of history.

I do think organized religion today has gotten out of hand, I don't think the Bible was meant to be taken literally since, disputably, it borrows SO many "physical" details from other mythologies but puts different meanings on them to teach the necessary lessons to succeed in life. Sure the belief in god(s) is part of it but that has been around forever.

Organized religion needs to be revamped with the times, just like all past religions were (the Egyptian mythologies were changed constantly to fit with the current time period), not killed. The New Testament was an "update" of the old ideas, why can't their be a new, New Testament?

[edit on 5/1/10 by MoothyKnight]

I think describing religion as a parasite is poetic, although maybe a bit harsh.

Its brainwashing, at its most basic and destructive. People believing in well, fairy-tales while they surrender their uninhibited right to do WHATEVER they want in this, their only known life...electing instead to exist within strict boundaries in fear of eternal damnation.
You lose touch with reality, have no real sense of self and what can be achieved, and forget that there are no lines, instead live in adoring dread of some omnipresent figure watching your life intensely; filled with unconditional love and yet willing to damn mankind wholesale if they stray outside the bounds of a book written by other men.

I was a Christian for sixteen years, and I'm still suffering for it. Guilt, appologising profusely for the smallest things. Its a sickness which I think takes a long time to shake. But at least I don't believe in fairy-tales, and realise the absolute freedom and possibility present in the world.

[edit on 1-5-2010 by Milleresque]

Exactly how communism feels. Exactly how the progressive left taking over our country feels. A world without God is a world without order and freedom. You have just sided with marxism.


"Man makes religion, religion does not make man." - Karl Marx

Religion is the opiate of the people.
- Karl Marx

The more of himself man attributes to God, the less he has left in himself.
- Karl Marx

I think religion is useful.

It separates the leaders from the followers and reminds us not all men are created equal.

Very well written and sadly pathetic.
How can anyone look at the order of the universe and the construction of everything in existance down to the smallest of atoms and molecules and question intelligent creation. What about the developement of the human in the womb? Everything is timed out to perfection. Science does not prove anything, it only discovers what God has already done.
I agree with you that religion is destructive, very destructive, but that has nothing to do with God's existance and a relationship with Him.
Religion is man's attempt to not only define God but keep Him in a box that they can control. It's convenient to bring Him out when needed to justify oppression and war, but this has nothing to do with the existance of God, but with man's failure.
God is the Author and Finisher of time. He instantly, immediately, without effort knows all things past, present, and future. He is not affected or intimidated by my or your lack of belief or need for Him. He just is.
Of course, the next objections are: Why do people suffer? Why is there cancer and AIDS? Why is there war? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why? Why? Why?
This miserable world in it's present state was never God's plan. Sickness, war, evil, etc., are all the result of the original sin of Adam. This one act of disobedience separated man from God and caused all of creation into failure.
However, God has a plan, according to the Bible, to make everything right again and to bring forth the paradise of His original plan. I know that I will probably get flamed on this post, but I believe in God and any lack of belief will not change His plans. What a fearful thought to wake up in eternity and to realize that you are now in the hands of the Almighty God that you never believed in. You seem like a very intelligent individual. I'd like to reccommend that you read some of the late A. W. Tozer's work. He was a genius and had a grasp of God that few can rise to. The book that I would reccommend is "In The Pursuit of God".
Seeashrink

However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that Name.-1Pet4.16

You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.-Acts3.15

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress-James1.27

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.-Is9.6

And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God.-Rev20.4

Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.-Rev11.8

at one time I used to say religion is just something for the weakminded to believe in and Christian specific then one night when I had put down the Colt and picked up a small green Gideons NT (that an American woman from the Plains had given me a few days earlier) and as soon as I began to open the cover I heard an AUDIBLE voice as if sitting to my left that said-my Name, I am Jesus I died for your sins believe in Me and you will never perish-AWESTRUCK (not being raised "churched or knowing any scripts) I stood to my feet and said yes Lord-

I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.-John5.25

Christ has indeed been raised from the dead-1Cor15.20

For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.-2Cor5.14

for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."-Eph5.14

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.-1Tim1.15

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.-2Cor3.17

One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone.-Rom14.5

What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator.-Gal3.19

to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son-Heb1.5

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.-Gal5.1

For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience?-1Cor10.29

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."-John20.29

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.-Matt5.11

At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now.-Gal4.29

Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all-Col3.11

I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

Originally posted by Kaytagg
I don't think our leaders are actually leaders. They're figureheads. And the people pulling their strings are as ruthless as they are godless.

You know it.

Hell, even the ones that profess their love for Christ, his guiding force behind their decisions, and how he saved them, will congregate behind closed doors in groups, and clubs with other powerful "rulers" and engage in bizarre ceremonies that seem to contradict just that.

It's the same sort of thing that has people confused as to why a priest of all people would commit, excuse, or hide heinous acts committed against the most innocent of their religions followers that would surely send them to hell according to their religious beliefs.

They have no fear of Christian Gods' reprisals because they know there will be none.
They know who really runs this prison and how to stay in their good graces.

- Lee

Religion is a pure pissing contest for egos.
A person doesn't get his way? BANG! he goes off to form his own Church/God
That simple disagreement between human egos has often laid to millions of lives being destroyed years later.

In my opinion The Dark Ages are over and anyone that supports religious control of our lives through government had better give me evidence that there is live after death, otherwise their opinions and authority is Null & Void

Man left God and if religion wasn't here we would be at war with our own political ideology, technological advancements and conditions on how to live as a human being. Moral and ethical issues that would spread war throughout the world. We would be more at faction with ourselves if it wasn't for religion. There is no utopia without a "religion/spirituality", a Utiopia cannot be made by human means

[edit on 1-5-2010 by Jordan River]

Originally posted by dalek
Religion is a pure pissing contest for egos.
A person doesn't get his way? BANG! he goes off to form his own Church/God
That simple disagreement between human egos has often laid to millions of lives being destroyed years later.

In my opinion The Dark Ages are over and anyone that supports religious control of our lives through government had better give me evidence that there is live after death, otherwise their opinions and authority is Null & Void

Many reported NDE's. But you won't accept those... will you?