Why all religion is pointless

Religion is a belief in something more than what is proved, an attempt to understand a vast and wonderous world. To say that something cannot be simply because you don't see it right in front of you is placing a very cumbersome limitation upon your own imagination.

By the way, Santa Claus WAS real. Fact.

But don't you think it is pointless to believe in something that is obviously not true, Its not that the truth about religion is hiding somewhere. Religion is a story that simple people made up to try and better understand the world when they had no real answers. To see it more than a story seems illogical to me.

Plus Santa Claus is long gone, died long ago but the STORY lives on.

FACT

Heh heh, I'd like to see you repeat that 'simple minded' crack to some of our Bible buffs here!

I can understand that the 'stories' that make up religion might seem illogical to you, but then would you say that science has all the answers?

My question is based on an argument in which I recently engaged in the Philosophy section of A2K. We were discussing the nature of reality, I was contending that all the knowledge that we have of existence is based upon our perceptual awareness, the information we recieve through our senses makes up our knowledge of the world. Thus it is that our minds never come into actual contact with the physical world. So, as our knowledge (science) is based upon sensory input, is it not possible that there is more than what is percieved?

Well.. at least people have physical proof, well... as much as possible.. that there was aperson who was 'santa claus' .
I have to side with you Don about the whole jesus thing.
If you go back to the time that 'jesus' existed and use that word in total context, the word Jesus ment ' group of men ' it was not used as a name until much much later and it was adopted by the spaniards as a name. So if 'jesus' was real, then he was a group of men, not a man. At that time in history jesus was something totally diffrent then what people have adopted today.
Secondly, if the bible was read as a piece of literature instead of a ' holy word' , granted, it is a good story, but who in thier right mind would want to bow to someone who is so vicious? The bible states that kids were teasing Moses unrelentlessly.....so.... 'jesus' sent forth bears to attack these children to save Moses. HHmmm.... Pretty mean bas..rd sounds like to me? Dont believe that? Read the bible. ;-)
Also... the Arch angels are protrayed today as these all loving protective angels. ... wrong. In the bible they are the ones who bring the wrath of god on people. They are the huntsmen, the anger of god. They are to be feared not reveared.
3rd... the ver changing arguement of the 'ark' . Well, it is physically impossible to carry 2 of every animal on the planet. Period. Espically in a boat the size that the bible specified. And there is no physical evidence of a world flood. In the area of the 'bible' story, there IS a flooding of the black sea that happens every few thousand years. In the big scheme of things, I could see how people would report that the entire world flooded because technically thier world DID flood. Everything they could see, and every where they went was flooded. But the whole planet? Nah.
But... those are my opinions. I own them. I believe them and they are mine alone. So if you are christian, Take them as you will, but dont take them as insulting because they are not ment to be.

yup
I like your argument, but the fact that we are unable to perceive a full understanding of reality does not mean that religion or god has any part to play in the fundamentals of existence. I think both science and Religion fall short on giving anyone a full sense of knowing. Both can only take it back so far and maybe it is my inability to imagine the world outside of a sensory reality that gives me such problems.

Infinity is an abstract concept, I can not visualize the universe going on forever it must have boundaries. I also can not visualize something such as the big bang because you can argue what came before the big bang and what came before what came before the big bang and so on and so on and so on. InFiNiTY. Same for god, god made world, who made god who made the thing that made god and so on infinity. Something cant come from nothing there has to be a start and a finish or maybe that is just my perception of the world.

oh the world is such a confusing place.

Jesus sent forth bears? Jesus?!! To Moses? In the old testament? What the....?!!!

Firstly, the name 'Jesus' is not the one the archangel spoke, it is a corruption, so I don't know what the heck yer goin' on about (group of men, honestly).

As for the ark reference, I happen to be in agreement with you that it is highly unlikely that it could have happened as the "Bible" states. I also believe that the Bible as we know it has been as corrupted by shifting through about a zillion different languages as the name Jesus was (I'll most likely get a beating, or eternal damnation, for that one). I also believe it was written by prophets and poets, not by trained historians.

My question to you, shewolf, is: Do you believe that religion has no place in the mind of an educated person?

donohue: It is important to kep an open mind. Much of my philosophy in life is based not on what I can prove, but what I think within the realms of possibility. My favourite saying has always been "A wise man admits he knows nothing".

No I dont belive that. Educated, not educated, retarded etc.. Religion belongs to those who want it.
I am not saying that religion is a bad thing, or a 'waste of time' .. it is just a choice.
And yes, in the old testament god called bears to attack children. I am not joking. It is there. So is the rule of not allowing a witch to live. That to kill a witch is ok. Selling your daughter is ok. Read it. All of that is still there. Not that it applies to society today.. no way.. but it is still there. Wich i think is sad because it takes away from what people want to believe and what people draw from a book that means alot to them in thier lives.

Jesus the time travelling bear tamer! lmao!

Religion is a feel good concept one can even consider it group therapy . Me I would rather have a good meal. They came into being as cults and those that survived are now called religions. Why or how the intelligent can believe in them is part of the mystery of life. Possibly they just fulfill a need.

lol
lol the thought of someone telling bears to attack children amuses me for some reason.

Do you think that we will ever fully understand the world around us. I went through a stage in my life where I was completely head smashed by the fact I did not know how I have come to exist. Does anyone else have problems coming to terms with ot being able to beleive in god and instead your left with nothing but the sad true end which is nothingness.

I absolutly agree with your statement that an educated person admits they know nothing. If you think about it, noone knows if jesus, allah, etc exists until they die. That is when the 'reunion' so to speak happens... well.. I dont see anyone who has died and lived to tell about what happens afterwords! hahah

II Kings 2:23-24
He [Moses] went up from there to Bethel; and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, "Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!" And he turned around and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the Lord. And the lord sent she-bears came out from the woods and tore forty-two of the boys.

bears, boys, woods, children. bald heads, hahahah religion is so funny

Exodus 22:18 in 19 English translations of the Bible:

Various Biblical translations render this verse as:

1. American Standard Version "Thou shalt not suffer a sorceress to live."
2. The Answer: Put to death any woman who does evil magic.
3. Amplified Bible: You shall not allow a woman to live who practices sorcery.
4. Good News Version: Put to death any woman who practices magic.
5. James Moffatt Translation: You shall not allow any sorceress to live.
6. Jerusalem Bible: You shall not allow a sorceress to live.
7. King James Version: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
8. Living Bible: A sorceress shall be put to death.
9. Modern Language Bible: Allow no sorceress to live.
10. New American Bible: You shall not let a sorceress live.
11. New American Standard Bible: You shall not let a sorceress live.
12. New Century Version: Put to death any woman who does evil magic.
13. New International Version: Do not allow a sorceress to live.
14. New Living Translation: A sorceress must not be allowed to live.
15. New Revised Standard Version: You shall not permit a female sorcerer to live.
16. New World Translation: You must not preserve a sorceress alive.
17. The Promise: Contemporary English Version: Death is the punishment for witchcraft.
18. Revised Standard Version: You shall not permit a sorceress to live.
19. Revised English Bible: You must not allow a witch to live.

shewolf: Yup, Old Testament= screwed up. Incidentally, Moses is of the Old Testament, you know, the stuff that happened before Jesus was born. Which is why I thought it quite humorous when you referred to Jesus setting bears on Moses. Just a funny incidental (I don't think you actually meant it).

donohue: If you accept that the end of existence is inevitably and incontravertably 'nothingness', then you are as guilty of blinkering yourself as those who refuse to question their religion's veracity. The truth is you simply don't know, none of us do. We hold beliefs and precepts, some of us are even willing to die for them. In the end, however, we could all be wrong. It's that eternal question "What if" that drives us to seek answers, through scientific theory or intuitive faith, and it is also that which prevents us (as a race) from ever being absolutely sure of them when we find them.

For some religion contains all the answers they require. Others will turn to science. Some, like myself, prefer to keep their minds open to all possibilities.

I have always been ...well...just shocked that the bible contained things like bears being sent to kill people.. I dont get it?
But i can say this.
No matter what religion a person chooses, I do have a bit of respect for those who live thier religion with total conviction and remain secure in thier religion aside from others criticisim , and judgement. To make the decision to run and dictate your life by something that can not be proven honestly shows quite a bit of personal strength. That is something alot of people lack. Not the religion part,, just the personal strength.
Everyone has thier own choices. Those who have the backbone to stand behind thier choices and admit that it is a personal choice and not ' set in stone' are pretty strong people. :-)

Such dedication does indeed require considerable bravery. I admire that.

I am a Buddhist. I don't believe in an external God. The power to become happy and change ones destiny comes from within.