The Purpose Of Religion

[*Deidre*]

''Power'' is a relative term, though. Power in a religious sense can mean from a wealthy standpoint, but...it can also mean from a conformity standpoint. Who wants to be the outlier? The outsider of the group? Strength in numbers, as they say. It stands to reason that religion has been 'rounding up the troops' for centuries, and very few people like to be left out. This is why religion is so pervasive...it taps into humanity's vulnerability. That, is why it's ''powerful.''

Hence the fact that the poor and desperate are more likely to adhere to a religion than someone who is rich

But, when money doesn't help a person (think someone who is dying of a terminal illness and all the $$ in the world won't save him/her) ...the vulnerable turn to religion.

But, typically the vulnerable of society in a general sense, are the poorer of society, from a financial perspective.

[The Valkyrie]

Hence the fact that the poor and desperate are more likely to adhere to a religion than someone who is rich

But, when money doesn't help a person (think someone who is dying of a terminal illness and all the $$ in the world won't save him/her) ...the vulnerable turn to religion.

But, typically the vulnerable of society in a general sense, are the poorer of society, from a financial perspective.

That's why these evangelistic con-men always target the poor and vulnerable.

THey're the worst kind of parasite.

[Jiggerj]

Consider the janitors that work at McDonalds or gas stations. What do you use to satisfy them and ensure that they don't rise up?

I'm afraid I have to disagree with this. There will always be jobs for the uneducated because people (like janitors) still need to support themselves and their families. They will never rise up out of fear of losing their jobs.

Religion was spawned out of primitive man's fear of the unknown. They didn't know why volcanoes erupted, why earthquakes shook the ground, why there were hurricanes and tornadoes. People way back when had no answers for such awesome sights. So, surely there had to be a god behind them; a punishing god that forced man to guess at why they were being punished. Hence, laws were made. Lawbreakers were killed. Virgins were tossed into volcanoes.

[Minimalist]

Why is it that a poor motherfucker that has a life full of misfortunes will praise God? Never made sense to me.

They've been conned.

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Why is it that a poor motherfucker that has a life full of misfortunes will praise God? Never made sense to me.

They've been conned.

Plus misery does love company. And the abrahamic version does seem like a miserable old fart doesn't it?

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

That's not exactly your theory, mate. Most critics of religion have come to the same conclusion. Probably the most famous of them would be Karl Marx with his 'Religion is the opium of the people.' De Sade and von Hardenberg made similar observations forty-odd years before Marx. It's nothing new.

Boru

Then it would be a theory I didn't know about until today and put into my own words.

lol, I wasn't accusing you of plagiarism. Merely pointing out that the soporific quality of religion is a common observation.

Boru

[archangle]

I don't think religion has a purpose on it's own. It is used by different people in a different ways but on it's own it's a self sustaining virus which exists simply by exploiting bugs of the human brain. Self evolving, self replicating brain virus which consists of information and is spreading through media, conversations, books etc.
Like any virus it exists simply because it can.

were you popped in the arise by a religious person?

The notion you are speaking to is "memes". You are speaking to the memes of emotions we have.

Why is the "emotional connection" all bad?

It can be used in an bad way, like a gun, or even evolution (1940 ish Germany style). That is very true.

[tor]

I don't think religion has a purpose on it's own. It is used by different people in a different ways but on it's own it's a self sustaining virus which exists simply by exploiting bugs of the human brain. Self evolving, self replicating brain virus which consists of information and is spreading through media, conversations, books etc.
Like any virus it exists simply because it can.

were you popped in the arise by a religious person?

The notion you are speaking to is "memes". You are speaking to the memes of emotions we have.

Why is the "emotional connection" all bad?

It can be used in an bad way, like a gun, or even evolution (1940 ish Germany style). That is very true.

Nazism had nothing to do with evolution you should stop drinking.

[FreeTony]

Religion may have come about as a result of the natural wonder of humans about the world they inhabit, but it only continues to exist as people use it for power and wealth.

[Faith No More]

I think anyone that thinks religion rose as a means of control is ignoring the driving force behind religion, and that is to have answers to the questions to which there are no answers, at least that we'll ever know. As was already pointed out, religion is more likely an evolutionary relic from our more primitive ancestors, not some sort of carefully construced tool of manipulation. Sure, people learned how to use religion as control, and that concept then latched itself onto religion.

But to say that religion was created specifically for that purpose fails to account for why religion is so attractive to the masses, and that is because it gives them answers to life's existential questions, which, in turn, gives them a sense of control over their lives. It appears to me that it's much more likely that that reason was truly the original purpose for religion, because our emotional needs evolved much earlier than the intellectual ability to manipulate others with ideas.