None of the 'religious books' mention it, it's never been a premise to get into heaven. So why the need? Surely we could organise our lives without it? And think how much less Wars there'd have been. How many less children would have been raped and molested by the very figureheads in it.

You know if everyone on earth lived according to the commandments, this world would be heaven.

Anyway, the reason for religion is to tell us that ONE God exists.

And the one God tells us not to murder, bla bla bla.....
See how God says NOT to kill?

Religion has done bad, but it has also done good, so don't go around blamimg everything that's bad on religion.

Well...what else would high school goths complain about?

You don't need religion....I don't need religion...

Become an Atheist like me....

Only sheep need a sheppard...

You think? We would still be as judgmental as we are today - the same as God(?) was at the time that the commandments were layed down.


And which religion are you referring to? If you're speaking of religion as a whole, then you have no idea what you're talking about.


Maybe so, but it has been the cause of so many problems in the world.

We don't.


Just look at what good it's done the world and human community population of the religious and non, so far. Religion gives us a reason to segregate, hate and feed our self-serving, selfish ego.

We're here to spread the good news, there's only one way to think about god!

We're here to kill all infidels because god told us to.

And it provides a cause to murder those not like ourselves, and an excuse it wasn't actually our choice, we were just following orders.

The two greatest crimes perpetrated to destroy the world was the creation of politics and religion. By nature they are not intent on uniting the world, but ripping it to shreds for the conflict the institutions create as divergent philosophies are obeyed by the faithful, that fight to the death to defend what they have been told is the one and only way to see everyone and everything about politics and religion. And all institutions in each camp strive to install one command over all persons. One form of politics, one faith. And in the process those bloody conflicts serve the faithfuls belief that they are needed in the fray, so as to bring their one kind of order to the chaos. And so we dedicate our lives believing the institutions we cling to have the one answer to bring peace to the bedlam of billions of voices decrying there's only one way, their way, to live; governed and faithful. And so we live in faith of the institution, that defines the structure that makes us feel safe believing in it. And we dream of the peace we might one day see, if only everyone else in the world thought like "me".

We shall see world peace when we put away the institutions that tell us there's only one way for all of us to live here. We witness what blind faith does to the world. If only we would open our eyes to our responsibility for everything we pray to be saved from, we'd save ourselves instead of living to die because we're told it's better somewhere else we cant even see.

You gotta start watching maury, americas most wanted and rest of em.



Religions such as Islam, christianity, Bahaism (what I am)...



Yup, read below.



So you're saying our "judgmental" God provided an excuse for what PEOPLE do?
Makes enough sense to me.

There is no need for god. It is my belief that a belief in yourself is far more important then a belief in someone who may or maynot exist and may or may not care about you and may or may not be singular etc etc.

I find it hard to believe in something so contradictory and vague



P.S

Does anyone know the origin of the anonymous quote i have below. I have tried to find it but have been told that it was people ranging from Coolridge to Jefferson, to Benjimen Franklin

I Would really like to know and any help would be appreciated.

:-)

We don't need religion. It's a man-made scheme to put words in the mouth of whatever supreme creator may or may not exist. It works well to control people.

Lets all look at the bigger picture here, in your minds eye look at the world without religion and racial issues. What do you see?

Religion is one of the reasons of War,and makes people being arrogant with different people that believe in other religions.

Why some religious people have to almost "obligate" others to believe in what they believe?

Now the world is small... so we don't need religion.. but once in a time world was so big.. no one knows what heppens around the world.. thats the time, religion was a must.. so each region become one religion...

Are you referring to the word "religion"?

I'm afraid the Bible does mention religion -

James 1:26-27 - If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Though the definition of religion here is somewhat different to the context you're using. I think you are referring to "organized religion", which is distinct from your personal beliefs. Organized religions are nothing more than corporations, and I agree - we don't have to have these. That is not to say that we should just get rid of religious organizations though. Those belonging to religious organizations have done significant amounts of good for humanity, quite aside from those who have done evil under the banner of the same organization.

Regards, PA

Good points PA, I agree.....Why do we need religion? We don't need religion, but it seems to be hard-wired into our very being to believe in a Deity....

I believe that we do not need a religion. Religion is a belief in a certain god an you must follow specific beliefs and if you do not you are considered to be a heretic and if you do not believe in religion, they call you an atheist.

I see religion as a source of conflict and not a place of unity and spirituality that many religious people claim it to be. Pretty much all the problems in the Middle East, stripped bare, can be traced back to religious differences that they can not get over.

I do not believe that we need a religion at all. I believe in a higher power, but who or what that is i do not know. All I know is that if i believe in a certain religion above all others, then it is like I am saying that all other religions that are or have been are false and that the people who follow them are delusional.

If you are going to dissect a portion of my posting like that at least dissect the whole sentence and not just the bit that suits your smug repose. My posting started off by asking 'Why do we need religion'? And I'm right by saying that none of the religious books mention why we do need it. And furthermore no religious book states that it is a pre-requisite to get into heaven.

Nothing I can see/imagine from here. However it is a lovely dream.

Lucifuge - I did read your whole post, and my post was not meant to be something that "suits my smug repose". I feel I answered your question in its entirety. The second paragraph (the part after the Bible quote) addresses your question specifically - indeed, I agreed with you that religion (as in organized religion) is not a requirement of salvation. i just don't see that as thus making organized religion as redundant

sock it to em T LOL


to add IMO.......NO WEDONT NEED A RELIGION

Political parties and ideological extremists.

A world in chaos. At least religion holds people back from murdering and raping because of its belief in Gods reward system, but without that, people wouldn't fear anything and they would kill without regret, thinking "who is going to punish me?"

not really exeller, because there would still be government, people wouldnt kill for that reason cuz they wouldnt want to go to jail, plus everyone, even without religion knows killing is moraly wrong, even if they dont like the person and think "whos gunna punish me" they would be affecting the lives of others in a very bad way, also if they killed someone that persons friend might kill them

It's wrong, yet people do it, even with religions existence. I know I would be a bad person without Gods influence over my life.

Exeller, Many of those things you claim would not happen because of religion still happened mainly because of religion. In the past, people used religion as a means to justify what they did. Torturing, raping, beating, etc. They said God told them to do it to punish or to purge them of their sins . Religion gave people a means to justify their actions.

Honestly if I didn't have religion, I would become a serial killer. I don't have patience for those who are not usefull to me. I guess I don't have the same values as those who love life and earth.

"People need somebody to watch over them... Ninety-five percent of the people in the world need to be told what to do and how to behave."
-- Arnold Schwarzenegger at 44 to US News and World Report in 1990.

Yeah,look what religion made to terrorists,and they are true believers and followers in their religion.

Actually zealot Islam and other faiths , practice the same religous control today. Remember the Taliban and it's treatment of female muslims. How men could kill their wives if she disgraced him in public or before his family etc...!?

As was said before, one can excuse behavior with religion, a bad childhood, not enough cuddles growing up, etc... However, I see torture, rape, murder, etc...of persons in the name of a faith, an institution dedicated to the reverence of a higher power (more intelligent than we are), as evidence that what we imagine as god worship is really just an excuse to be ourselves and call it god's will.

How many people, cultures, futures, have been compromised in the name of religion!? People are jealous, murder, are offensively violent, etc... After all "god" is suppose to lead by example. (Which may explain the global situation.) However I think god is suppose to be better than that, that's why it's god. It's suppose to be the wiser source that guides us through and beyond our primal compulsions. God is suppose to be better than we are and wiser because it knows more than we do. It's not suppose to hold the same character flaws as we pray it will save us from in ourselves. Otherwise, if it is just like us, then it's damned to.

This thread has inspired me, I'll have to make another thread soon.

Inspired you to..............................?

Bump up his post count LOL


I think he is going to create a thread on something im not sure come exe tell us.

belief in god is one of many survival instincts that we no longer require. A mental/spiritual appendix if you will

you cheeky lil so and so LOL

This is one of the main reasons that I no longer follow any religion. Call me what ever you may, but my beliefs have come from my observations of various religions as well as scientific theories and explanations and I no longer belong to any religion on this Earth yet I truely believe that I am better for it. My own beliefs being more... free you could say. I grew tired and disgusted that many if not all of the worst events in history could be traced back to fanatic lunatics who all claimed that what they were doing was God's will. That in their need to conquer, control, and show superiority over others that they hid behind their faiths and used their beliefs to justify their actions.

That was enough for me to swear off organized religion entirely.