Is religion obselete in this day and age??

This is just a synopsis of my thoughts.

Welcome to the forums, but if you're to cite Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins as "fundamentalist atheists," then at least get the names right, my brother.

As for your topic, it's fairly theoretical. Religion or the NEED for faith should have been obsolete since the beginning of the new century. However, that's not the case. To believe for the sake of believing is pretty much how the mind works. It gives individuals some sense of meaning to live and comfort, albeit in a false sense. Bear in mind, humans have a strong fascination with mysticism, magic, spirituality, dualism, and pretty much anything that drives the psychology of the human mind. In other words, we find comfort in the irrational and dismiss the reality of life.

Think of it like this: magic. We all love magic and even as adults we are fascinated with such things. We always asks "How did you do that?" While we ask out of curiosity, it's also a double-edge sword for people because once that secret is out, we lose interest and life would feel less appealing, even if. It's not the perfect example when compared to religion, but you should get an idea of it.

A better example would be the debate with intelligent design vs. the theory of evolution. Those who argue against the theory of evolution don't have a lick of understanding of the whole scientific theory and would create holes in something they have little understanding of. They make awful assumptions and yet still think SOMEONE created us (irreducible complexity). This leads to the area of arrogance and irony, especially since we're products of evolution throughout our birth. Denial is strong because people like to believe in the irrational.

The human mind is a powerful weapon and the most advance piece of technology and that aspect will never go away. We're thinking creatures, but we're also vulnerable to the influences of delusion.

 

I don't think you're looking at the whole picture.....


What harm is there in making "sex a crime"? Can you honestly say the world would be less of a place if everyone waited until marriage to have sex?

As far as Muslims go, in the grand scheme of things....women covering up their bodies isn't gonna negatively effect the world.

Do those 2 things seem odd? Yes, but there's nothing bad about either one of them.

 

Nico, making sex before marriage a crime is like making snacks between breakfast, lunch, and dinner a crime. Making something that's natural and within the human drive a crime is a horrible idea and YES it makes it BAD. I don't know how you came to that asinine conclusion, but logic and reason tells that humans have the need to eat, sleep, shit, and pleasure. And sex is one of those components.

As far as Muslim women covering up themselves, we can talk about cultural differences and what have you, but all in all, women in those particular countries are subject to phallo-centric attitudes and that part demeans the existence of women and further displaying a great deal of sexism. It's not an option, it's practically enforced and even to some degree, a crime if they're not covered.

 

Marriage is a construct and it's pretty much designed mainly for property rights. It's still like that to this day, although there are better reasons to get hitched (i.e. tax breaks/exemptions and other marriage benefits).

 

Elaborate or rephrase the question. Are you asking what do I think about people who label themselves as (insert religion)?

 

Wooooooooooo you covered so much I am not sure where to begin. Lets hope you made this thread tongue in cheek.

I digress...

Let me make on quick point. Yes women in Muslim countries face atrocities, but what if I told you women are rapped far more in developed countries than in *cough* Muslim countries? You can't even image how many woman are raped in the United States Military. With the freedom of "do what you want" there also comes a price with that freedom.

...the idea that one should wait until marriage is really toe curtain the human "condition." Can you image how many children would have BOTH parents, or what about the spread of Human Diseases?

Secondly I think you are wrong with regards religion suggesting that suffering is good, in fact the opostion. Religion as many believe is the way to end all suffereing. There is no scientific fact. There are only "Scientife theory" because no of us know if at our basic undertanding if what we see is fact or not. We can only theorize to our basic understanding.

...this is what I beleive.

I am a man, imperfect and flawed. I believe that life simply could not jsut happen. I believe in a God or diety, or creation. Because while I myself am not perfect, the gift of life is.

We in the Western world have gotten to used to beleive we are greater than we are.

 

What I've put in bold, I'll explain how your explanation is way off. Here are two definitions of theory according to the Oxford English Dictionary:

Theory, Sense 1: A scheme or system of ideas or statements held as an explanation or account of a group of facts or phenomena; a hypothesis that has been confirmed or established by observation or experiment, and is propounded or accepted as accounting for the known facts; a statement of what are held to be the general laws, principles, or causes of something known or observed.

Theory, Sense 2: A hypothesis proposed as an explanation; hence, a mere hypothesis, speculation, conjecture; an idea or set of ideas about something; an individual view or notion.

For some reason, a lot of people who engorge themselves into the idea of spirituality tend use the second definition when referring to something on the scientific field, which is clearly dumbfounded and absurd. Often times, ignorant of the fact that in light of science, for any idea to be a proven theory (or factual), it has to undergo the scientific method. This simply doesn't just imply theories such as Evolutionary Theory, but also:

• Germ Theory
• Heliocentric Theory
• Quantum Theory
• Theory of Relativity
• Theory of Gravity

...and other theories which are proven to be factual through the scientific method. Thus, for you or anyone else to imply that these theories are merely hypothesized thoughts, then you're sadly mistaken.

Furthmore, you've mentioned religion is the gateway to the end of all suffering. Well, that part is not quite true at all. Pretty much all conservative religions, Buddhism (in its many incarnations) included often feel that Life is Suffering and that we simply have to do good. We like to create things to be bigger than they actually are in this context since suffering is only relative to our experiences and how we deal with them overall.

And relating to Muslim women getting raped in Muslim territories, there's too much naivety when it comes to rape statistics. They tend to go unnoticed in those countries because they are considered second-class citizens. Even in the more developed countries, there's little freedom there.

 

I did not say they are hypothesis, that I said is that they are theories

We can only theorize that what we know as gravity is actually gravity. We can only theorize about evolution. Think about Spontaneous Generation. At one time it was believed that life "just happened" the basic human understanding we know this to be untrue. Life don't "just happen. The Blank Slate Theory, that we were all born without personalities or hereditary psychological traits. And at the time this was our basic human understanding.

...so I am not tying Scientific understandings or theories down to mere questions, but we can't call them facts...which they aren't.

 

You didn't even pay attention to my post at all. Here, I'll repost this bit for you:

In short, a theory is a hypothesis (or an educated guess) to explain something. However, that only applies to philosophical ideas relating to things. Definition 1 of the the word theory is used in a scientific sense, as you can clearly see. How hard is that to comprehend at all? Re-read those two definitions first and then consider a response.

Also, you can't just "theorize" about evolution nor gravity since we actually experience them in real time. Once again, the scientific method applies and the ideas presented through testing and analytical data, which demonstrates a conclusion in which that theory is proven to be factual.

Secondly, the theory of evolution NEVER claimed that things "just happened". That's another horrendous misconception by those who are woefully ignorant of the subject. Evolution simply implies "descent with modification." In other words, things change over the course of time. Not once did anyone suggested that evolution explained when things have started. An example would be human beings. We're products of evolution ourselves. We did it in a nine month period. This isn't merely another theory. This is factual. Denying this means denying your existence as a human being and a product of evolution.

I'd suggest you pick up The Greatest Show on Earth by Richard Dawkins. This will help you understand why evolution isn't merely just a theory and perhaps can help you understand the difference between science and philosophical ideas based on mere speculation. Science isn't just observation. That's why we've managed to create cures for certain bacterial diseases, etcetera. And relating to the other areas, I'll be sure to post some links to help you grasp the material better.

The Blank Slate Theory or Tabula Rasa is a controversial idea. But it's not proven to be as accurate because common sense would tell you that it would conflict with Carl Jung and the collective unconscious idea. Science and our understandings have evolved and certain theories, such as the ones I've named have stood the test of time because of the empirical data collected and presented and demonstrated that it's true and factual.

For them to be proven wrong, it would require a problem within the idea itself. But with the SM applied, it's hard to disprove them since the holes are VERY incremental that it's practically not important.

 

I'll definitely have to pick up that book and read it someday. There's no telling how grave the problems are in those countries.

As for wormholes and other galaxies and universes...I've been on and off with the fascination of such things. The universe is vast and much needs to be explored.

 

I never said this either...

...I said "Spontaneousness Generation"

 

This is what you wrote:

...and you actually made an error. Spontaneous Generation doesn't mean that things "just happened". Rather, we came from inanimate sources and this since then, have been succeeded by abiogenesis - which explains the origin of life.

 

Oh, dear. Is that how you're picturing of what hell would be looks like? Oh, dear, you will wish you will take your words back. There will be no night clubs and malls. Just torment and pain! Oh, I don't want to talk about it...That's why Lord Jesus Christ came in my room last month after confessed my sins to removed the images from hell in my head.

In hell, there's no way for you that you can escape. I'll let Lord Jesus Christ to take care of that description to you after you're no longer with us. You'll know that I'm right.

EDIT: The very same goes for you, BBW!

 

Bradin...you're a good kid...but I think if you're willing to turn fundamentalist on me, then you'll be the one who's damned before any of us. Simple reasonable understandings dictate that hell is a frame of mind and you've created that hell from your own personal experiences.

Jesus, whether he existed or not, has died and won't come back. That's a fairytale that survived by the perverse individuals of an already phallocentric, bastardized faith. Should you engorge yourself in that disturbing attitude, you'll be the only person here with a stake impaled through your flesh.

 

So..you believe that Jesus Christ never existed? I'm very sorry to disappoint to inform you, he will be come back. Only Holy Father in Heaven knows when the day that his son is due to return here on the earth.

And, no. I'm not created the hell from my own personal experiences. I've read the story of Heaven and it's very terrible. It is of said that nonbelievers like you will have a place in lake of fire for all of eternity. That is, there's no way for you to escape. Including Sinful Christians and for those people who have died with their sins in their flesh will not be allowed into the Kingdom of Heaven.

That's why I shall rose from the dead on the third day and go to Heaven to be with Holy Father for all of eternity. I shall be hear again and I shall be sing the wonderful song! Never-ending happiness that I can never stop dance! :rock:

Now, since you're my wonderful friend, I'll be very sad to know that I will not see you again for all of eternity.

 

You really do sound like all the slave-mongering people who can't think for themselves. Drink that bit of Jesus Juice and it becomes a poison in the human psyche.

Did Jesus exist? There's a possibility. However, the one described in the Bible is a bastardized conceptual idea constructed by men. And much of the Bible borrowed a plethora of elements from earlier religions. Notably Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mythology. To say otherwise makes you less educated and dense in the head. Knowing that Jesus' death took place 40 years BEFORE Christianity came to fruition was more of a ploy for people to maintain a sense of control of the populace. It's a marketing strategy.

You're religion is no different from any other faith-based system. And you're only denying your own existence and meaning by indulging yourself into a dogmatic fairytale. Religion is a business like anything else. It's just that when people have the element of fear in them, they turn to something which brings comfort in their lives.

I was like you at one point, but I've grown up.

 

repped.

 

Thank you dear!

 

Jesus Christ does exist! I can feel his presence when he came in my room to touch my forehead to removed all the images from my head. And why are you saying that I'm denying my own existence? No wonder why you're non-believer.

 

That wasn't Jesus. That was a little something called your conscience. It's a purely psychological experience.