Why does religion even exist?

Question

Believing in religion is ignorant. I'm not trying to be offensive, even if you're religious, you probably agree with me, as in order for your religion to be correct, every other religion that has ever existed has to be wrong. I don't think it's ignorant because it is wrong, we could be wrong about anything; I think it's ignorant because the reasons for believing in it are illogical. This is why I think religion exists.

There are two types of human behaviour, the first are the things that exist in all human societies, no matter how secluded they are. For example, facial expressions to show different emotions are the same everywhere. These are phycological and instinctive to all humans. The other are things that emerge separately in different cultures, such as shaking someone's hand when meeting them is a exclusively Western idea.

Every tribe, society and culture that has emerged have all developed their own religion, it doesn't necessarily imply religion itself is instinctive, as not everybody is religious, but the reasons for religion to propagate so well are undoubtably due to human phycology.

-Responding to an authority: most humans structure their societies upon hierarchy patterns, often with just one leader at the top. It is instinctive to respond to authority figures. We also create models of people in our minds, it's understandable as to why we would create the ‘ultimate authority’.
-Morality: almost all religions are structured upon morality, fear of punishment after you die may work as a good deterrent to stop people committing crimes, and reward after you die will have a similar effect.
-Fear of the unknown: religions tend to have explanations for things that were at the time unknown, such as a creation story for the Earth and humans, how rainbows are created, thunder and lightening etc. and where you will go after death.
-Magical thinking: a type of causal reasoning or causal fallacy that looks for meaningful relationships of grouped phenomena between acts and events. It's thinking that one's thoughts by themselves can bring about effects in the world or that thinking something corresponds with doing it.
-Tribes were often in competition with each other for food and resources, religion may have been beneficial at giving them the confidence they needed.
-Every item tribes knew how it was made, was created by them, so they assumed everything in nature also had to be created in the same way.
-Having ‘faith’ can create an effect similar to how placebos work, meaning believing in something can make it seem real.

Individual religions are purely cultural; no one religion will develop in two separate cultures. It is for cultural reasons as to why you happen to be part of a particular religion; if you were born in India you'd be a Hindu; if you were born in Sadie Arabia you'd be a Muslim; if you where born in the Zulu tribe of Southern Africa you'd be worshipping the Zulu religion; if you where born in Ancient Greece you'd be worshipping the Greek Gods; if you where born in a Mazatec Indian tribes of Central America you'd be worshiping their religion; if you were born in the United States you might be a Christian. Your religion is almost exclusively down to what part of the world and what time in history you've lived. You'd be amazed to how small your society/culture is compared to all the societies and cultures that have come and gone in the world throughout history.

Sorry to ramble, I know I've answered my own question but it's just an opinion.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Money doesn't make itself.

-atheist

SignPost · Answer

Christianity is exclusive ....it claims that only those who believe in Christ will find salvation..... 

Even religions which claim to accept other religions- usually don't - ALL OF THEM claim that their path is far superior to all other paths. 

(BUT If a given religion isn't superior or unique in important ways, then of what value is it for a prospective convert?) 

A LOT OF People claim all religions are the same and all religions lead to the same God….but...

All religions are not the same nor do they lead to the same God...... In Hinduism the world  is an illusion....... in Christianity it is real......The Hindu Brahman is anything but the biblical Yahweh....... In Islam the incarnation is blasphemy.......in Christianity it is central, while Allah and Jehovah are literally worlds apart......Buddhism is founded upon the denial of personality......while Christianity is founded upon the assertion of God's personality- and on it goes. 

Is Christianity alone fully true, and is Jesus Christ really the only way to God?  

The creation parallels the nature of its Creator through its unity and diversity. So we might just expect the same for the Creator's approach to salvation.    

There is only one true God, and there should be only one true way of salvation because the way of salvation must be consistent with the nature of the one true God,His grace, love, mercy, truth, etc.

"Logically, since all religions contradict each other, there are only two options open to us. Either they are all false, or there is only one true religion. If there is only one God, there will be only one religion." 


The creation that God has made also parallels the nature of salvation. Like everything else in the world, salvation must be done correctly to be successful.

Consider some examples of how life works, or doesn't work: What happens if you're driving your car in reverse? Or stopping in the middle of a busy freeway? What happens if you let your dog drive your car? Or if you drive on the wrong side of the road-or drive drunk? What happens if you don't drive correctly is that you injure or kill yourself and others. Driving the wrong way sooner or later has consequences, even if you're only a bad driver.

When you build a house, what happens if you place the glass where wood should be and wood where the glass should be? What if you try to play tennis with a broken arm? Or use your hand as a racket? What happens is you will lose the game.  Consider learning math or being in surgery. What if you try to learn math by reading comic books? What if you're scheduled for a routine appendectomy and the surgeon takes out your brain instead? In either case, you're brain dead .......our very lives may be at stake. 

If everything in the world must be done correctly to be successful, and if our lives are literally filled with examples of the problems caused for us when we do things incorrectly, why should we conclude that salvation is any different? 

Why should we conclude there won't be consequences for doing salvation wrong? 

And if our lives are already at stake in worldly things, its also possible that our souls are at stake in spiritual things. But a life is only for a period of time; a soul is forever.

Then how much more vital is it that we be certain that salvation be done correctly if our very souls are at stake? 

Only Jesus can and does promise a new life in a new body on an earthly existence know as paradise..... all other "religions" can only promise some vague spiritual existence in another dimension(which is false)......at death it is either Heaven or Hell....

Most religions have some good in them and may inspire one to live a better life, and even save some lives, but they lead to destruction at the end of that life. One must be discerning or perish. There is only one faith based upon a risen Savior and living God..... and that is Jesus Christ....

JOH 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Its His universe.

Beyond · Answer

How do you then explain the growth of the church in places that have no logical reason for its growth, (in fact in countries where the persecution of the church is pointed and sharply repelled, even at the cost of the lives of those who might convert), and yet there, people come to Jesus in droves. Over 120,000 a year martyred for the sake of the faith, and yet they continue to swell in number where the faith is most strongly resisted.

How then do you explain the conversion process of grown men such as C. S. Lewis, a famed and well accepted writer of the faith, whose roots were staunchly solidified in atheism long into his adult years? His books of merit have all been written in the framework of what is now a brilliant apologetic stance defending the Judaic- Christian faith, including the Narnia series, Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, and more recently, the Magician's Twin (a rebuttal to humanism).

Do you think these things are unique?  I converted in my forties. I know many who came to a knowledge of saving grace in their later years.

Owen · Answer

so you're interested enough to look for proof?
IF YOU ACTUALLY CARE

SEE SOURCES I advise you to look into it for yourself after reading this.
Heres why I believe in God and JEsus

1. Thanks to our outstanding discovery of the DEAD SEA SCROLLS we have been able to compare our current copies of the Old Testament to our discovery. {sources for more detail} and have come to the conclusion that our copies have NOT been changed drastically. the only difference between the ancient manuscripts and the newer ones are grammar improvements.


2.{SEE SOURCES} with that being said we now have proof that the Old Testament has not been changed over time. 

In the Old Testament there are many prophecies about the coming of the Messiah, which are specific claims made by many different people at different times.


a FEW are:: {SEE SOURCES FOR THE REST}
 Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5) <-- entire chapter "biblegateway - micah 5"

 Messiah would be born of a virgin (isaiah 7:14) "14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.(God with us)" 

He will be a desendent of David (Jeremiah 33:15-16) "“‘In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.’"


Messiah's price money would be used to buy a potter's field. (Zechariah 11:12-13) [[very specific, and fulfilled]]


Also, the entire chapter of ISAIAH 53 is about JESUS himself, even the crucifixion part.
______________________________________

ATHEIST ARGUEMENTS

"any one could have wrirtten these General claims." 
These claims actually point to a specific person, and reveal fulfilled details of the future. {see sources}
 "They were added on later"
no, the evidence of the dead sea scrolls proves otherwise. research them yourself, there is a lot of info on them. {SOURCES}


3. Also there are various archaeological discoveries which back up the bible.
(atheists used to claim, Jesus never existed, Jesus was never CRUCIFIED [see sources]  bethlehem never existed, they used to claim david and solomon never existed.. and many others which have been discovered in archaeology.)

______

4. Personal experience, I have heard testimonies of broken bones being healed, by christians who witnessed them. 
lying about a miracle of God is called Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit which is very serious. the reason why they are christians is because they saw this, they wouldnt lie.


5. Other christians experiences [see sources - testimonies] ^^ above explanation

6. no other Holy Book prophecies about the future, which also has the amount of evidence of it being true.

7. the big bang could not have come from nothing. What ever has a beginning has a cause,  the universe had a beginning, and the cause must be transcendent. also outside our realm of time space and matter

robert · Answer

Let me start by saying you have a right to your opinion but how many indigenous tribes have you lived in to say that their all the same i only pray to the Creator and pratice my Native American culture and Craetor want us to be kind and love everyone and everything on this earth we belong to the earth the earth does not belong to us so if someone truly believes in  any religion that preaches love  and they treat everyone and except everyone with love where do you see the harm dont you want to live in a world where everyone gets along and lives in peace

Anonymous · Answer

Religion is a rational psychological response suffering in an absurd universe. Religion gives the comforting illusion of purpose and meaning to a purposeless, meaningless, and paradoxical universe. In this regard, disbelief is irrational.

Religion also serves the purpose of social bonding. It dictates customs that intend to reduce conflicts between men and men or men and nature. Religion also prevents the masses from looking too deeply into existential questions and subsequently falling into hopeless cynicism and moral relativism.

If we assume atheism is true, then theism is merely a reaction to profound dissatisfaction with disbelief. One cannot say that rejecting a source of discomfort in exchange for a source of psychological comfort is wholly irrational.

? · Answer

My friend, you have much to learn :) so much :)

I don't know if this will help you but I used to practice Black Magick and it ended horrifically to say the least, but just when I thought it was over for me I was saved by the Lord Jesus Christ, when I begged Him to come into my heart. It's all real my friend, many people just haven't experienced the worst side of it yet :)

Black Magick involves eastern mysticism meditations as well as the chakras. I believe both these things are going against the One and only true God.

I also used to be a person full of all kinds of wickedness and bitterness, but God, through Jesus Christ has truly changed my heart in the most beautiful, poetic way :) I have forgiven everyone that I may have had hate towards, before I received the Holy Spirit, and to this day I do not hate a single person on this earth, no matter what they have done.

I didn't care for the poor. Now I can't stop giving them food and clothing :) And I didn't care much for my mom or my dad. Now I can't stop this burning desire in my heart from wanting to serve others, especially all my brothers and sisters in the faith, and people I have never met. I love everyone so much I can't stop thanking God :)

If you ask God, I guarantee that He will work His might in your life :) He will make your heart overflow with love, joy and compassion as He has with me :) God's forgiveness is free and Jesus Christ died for everyone, so that they may be saved :) God, our heavenly Father wants everyone to accept His Son Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, to confess their sins and repent :)

“Then Jesus told them this parable:  “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?  And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Luke 15: 3-7

“Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” Acts 2: 38

Anonymous · Answer

then why does santa? the tooth fairy? disney? wizards and witches?
They all have a place but somehow the story of God is more rewarding and so its the best seller and it wins the Xfactor!

Anonymous · Answer

"Believing in religion is ignorant"

Sure. The discoverer of penicillin was ignorant. So was William Wilberforce who was foremost in ending the slave trade. Not to mention Francis Collins, who knows absolutely nothing about genetics.

You are just one more atheist bigot.

Sara · Answer

u say that u don't believe in religion coz it has no Logic and proof but i have proof in my religions holy book. and i don't think other religions are wrong, there just the less complete version like for example jesus came to guide ppl to god but now ppl are saying HE is god, he is a prophet and respected in my religion 2 but not god

Anonymous · Answer

i read the end and wanted to know why people answer there own questions and still post it. Go you Yahoo Opinion!

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Why does religion even exist?

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