Religion - Is it just an emotional buffer?

No. You're generalizing.

- secular atheist

We all buffer ourselves emotionally. Religion just allows people to do it collaboratively, ironically this is also true of hard-line atheists. Belief only in the observed is as illogical as belief in the made up.

Religions are clearly made up. They reek of human "imagination" in that they are flawed beyond that which would be given point to riddicule. However, the atheist approach is also flawed. It IS observed and observable that everything in this universe is finite. Stars die, planets are absorbed by the star which they orbit and eventually (theoretically) even black holes evaporate in a spray of hawking radiation. If we accept this as true then a creator (may not have been a being but an event of some description) had to have existed at some point that is somewhat recent in the projected lifespan of the universe (universe is expanding therefore is in its youth). Eventually even the universe will contract and reach an inevitable end whether this will spawn the creation of a new universe would be pure supposition.

Basically we dont know, we convince ourselves we do know because we fear that which we dont know making hardline atheists just as bad as the faithful (regardless of faith).

It is hard to answer your question because you're painting all faith-heads with a broad brush.

Some people are religious because they use it as a crutch, but many other truly believe it, either because they have been indoctrinated to believe it from youth or because they have converted to the religion.

Nobody truly knows if the claims of religion are true, but many are faithful to its promises. Maybe there's a bit of bribing going on: you join my church and I give you eternity in paradise (which would be torture... the first trillion years may be cool, but what about the eternity after that?)

Anyhow, there are other reasons for believing (fear, worship of the god of the gaps, etc.), but it's not always as an emotional buffer. I know it's hard to try to see irrationality through rational eyes, but one must try to do so.

I was born and raised a Catholic and left the church.

I came to the church of Christ after that by faith and intelligence. I have lived as best I can under the teachings of the Holy Bible and the grace of God, the salvation of the Christ Jesus.

The best I can isn't good enough. It sucks like a sour lemon comparatively and if I was dependent on my good works I'd die without a doubt.

This I've come to learn and believe after I left the Catholic church (they really couldn't answer my questions about catechism and maryisms sufficiently) so I walked away. I walked in a protesting manner and have since come to a better understanding of grace.

My family is not religious, nor do I subscribe to #2 and my belief is not rooted in fear of hell or aspirations for heaven.

It is rooted in faith in God's love and study in thoughtful and intelligent reasoning.

You know, To this day I feel angry towards all religious beliefs.

Starting from birth I've had christianity forced down my throat and into my brain. I've always chose to refuse and question the teachings (especially with thousands of flaws in the bible).

Turns out, refusing to believe the no-picture, no concrete evidence, fairy tale was the right choice. People mistaken co-incidence, self produced results, luck, and genuine kindness from other human beings as REPLY FROM GOD.

I hate religion. Period.

Christian churches are the worst. Its just using self sympathy, fear, and all other emotional triggers in attempt to convert you.

You don't believe it? Go find out for yourself.

This so called invisible cosmic jewish zombie doesn't ******* exist. There's not one damn evidence in this universe that concludes his existence. Now thats leaving the fact out about 13 kooks who followed an old school david blaine who was on DMT, performing fabricated theatrical miracle acts where-ever he went.

The closest thing that ever makes sense is; Our gullible, uneducated (compared to today's standards) ancestors mistakening another highly advanced civilization as our "god(s)".

Oh yeah, screw you atheists too.

Divine Justice would not restrict salvation on the basis of when or where or to whom each is born. Every soul has free will and can choose to make the search on his own. More importantly is GOOD WILL to do so.

What comes first is the Will. It is to want, to desire. Even at 3 years old this is done. A longing exists. But a 3-year-old has not the explanation of what it is.

Closer to the age of cognizance (5 through 11) a child seeking answers responds acceptingly when elementary catechism is expositioned to him. Good will does the rest.

@ATS lmfao "No one could ever convince me my body just 'came about' I believe in God because of what I see."

Better ask Daddy what he did to Mommy and how your body came about ;)

@Nik - are you male or female?

This is the Truth, just like these verses; 1cor.14:34-35 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.

35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

Religion is both emotional buffer and a handy weapon, depending on which side of the fence you're on.

I was a good kid born into a (dead) church-attending athiest/agnostic family that attended for the social aspect of 'church' and out of tradtion. Very few people went b/c they believed God was real. I owned a Bible when young, but never read it.

But extensive hiking and observation of the complexity of nature left me with OVERWHELMING evidence to believe a God exists, even down to the last few details. Mathematically its simply not possible for things to evolve and interact as evolution in public schools have taught.

However, I didn't believe any certain God was better than another or any path to God was different from another. But that changed abruptly when Jesus came to me spiritually/in a vision and convicted me of my sin(s) even though I was a 'good kid.' No church was involved in me receiving the good news. And I certainly didn't pick up a Bible or seek Jesus out! INSTEAD, Jesus came directly to me in a spiritual form, exactly as a person walks up and talks to you, and caught me when I was doing something sinful against God.

Like Paul the apostle, I was full of fear and I suddenly knew these three things: 1. Jesus is God 2. Jesus is the true way to God 3. I was headed to hell due to sins. I emphasize again, no church or individual was involved -- only Jesus Himself.

I immediately fell to the floor in great fear and begged for salvation from Jesus. I then picked up a Bible I never read (and believe me my Bible was dusty) and began reading it, and for the first time actually understood some of it.

Your answer is "YES" there is not only HARD EVIDENCE for God, but plenty of witnesses as well, some of them actually being witnesses to the true Jesus of the Bible.

But be careful of which "churches" you attend. Many are not right with Jesus or God.

The reason(s) I believe in God causes "fear" in others.

Well, at first it was 1.

Then it was 2. But that doesn't seem to work out, either.

Now I don't know, but I can't say I feel emotionally any worse than before. It's kind of a relief not to think about it at all, actually.

I was raised as Catholic and now I'm Agnostic, and I think you can not determine whether there is or isn't a God at this present moment in time.