This will be my first thread and i want to limit the discussion to a certain criteria. This is not a debate on god so any thiest that chooses to post please do so in the same manner as the rest.

What i want to talk about are the true and actual uses of religion in a society, a government, and country.

I belive that religion isnt really meant to save people or their souls, but to help establish control over a people, limiting the amount of crime, violence, and freedom of thought. Also it can help to unite people by giving them a comman purpose in life to work for. It may also help run armies as zelous soldiers would fight longer and harder possibly till death, with belief of rewards in the afterlife.

These are just off the top of my head but what other applacable purposes of religion could there be?

i agree with you, i think religions of past have been invented to give people guidence in their lives, they are stories told to gullible children to help them understand right and wrong.

however undoubtedly in recent times religion is used as a method of control. if you take Islam as an example, the overriding factor which influences this religion is that all of its members must try and convert at least one person in their lives. why is this so? because eventually if this came to fruition then the whole world would be muslim. this is the goal. this is why people go on a 'holy jihad' against 'unbelievers'.

if the whole world was muslim then everyone would have the same agenda, and in some sense i guess there would be peace. or at least the kind of peace which islam wants. in fact it shouldnt really be called peace, just mind control.

so yeah, for me religion exists ONLY to control, as islam's overall goal proves.

I understand the value of "religion" as a pseudo form of government. I also understand that the Vatican is a sovereign state in it's own right and as such can dictate the behaviour of it's "people"

Religion is just an extension of the "sovereign right to rule" over "lesser people" (read plebeians)

I would agree that power is certainly the use religion is put to primarily. It's a very powerful tool to the ruling class, or has been throughout history. The saturation Xtianity enjoys is only because the Roman Empire saw the potential for control.

This however might be the actual purpose of religion and not it's true purpose.

That's easy. One word ...... control. At the very base level - where it all starts - the primary purpose of religion is control. From king to pope to bishop to cardinal to priest to padre to nun to deacon to altar boy to peasant. Everyone enjoys the power and control of the peons beneath them.

The world is mostly imbeciles being distracted by the guy with the nicest car.

Quote:"A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-fearing and pious. On the other hand, they do less easily move against him, believing that he has the gods on his side." -- Aristotle.

Yes I agree most religions are there for control of others in some form and it does bleed over into christianity. However christianity is not religion nor is it meant to be controlling, that is it's not meant for man to control man. Christianity is a relationship with GOD and a life of freedom. See NT for futher explanation.

(April 16, 2011 at 4:12 am)Godschild Wrote: However christianity is not religion nor is it meant to be controlling, that is it's not meant for man to control man.

Then something has gone very, very wrong somewhere then :S

(April 16, 2011 at 4:17 am)oggtheclever Wrote: Then something has gone very, very wrong somewhere then :S

Abso-diddly-lutely <---

Simply put, it is just control, but in many ways the brainwashing unquestioning effect it has is about the strongest form you can get. Ive had religious nut cases call it blasphemy when i mentioned something of the scientific nature. And even if something is thrown is their face that not only proves them wrong, but makes them look like a lunatic, they still refuse to question their religion. What a remarkable form of control, its just so absolute. You can step all over these people, and they would believe it's a test from god. You can beat, rape, and rob them blind. Then do it again and they still believe god testing them, it's as if the elite class got together and said, hey how can we make the perfect sheep?

I laugh histeracally every time my friend mentions the rapture is coming (because of recent natural disasters), I say no sooner then the boogeyman under my bed, and if there ever was a god, he's no god of mine. Ofcourse he leaves when i say that, ohwell we can't all be sharks, mainly sheep.
^---- lil off topic

(The thing about us sharks is we never look back, because sharks don't have necks)