Why does religion exist.

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Yes.
The OP never returned to the thread he started.

He writes in my native language of English far better than I can write in any foriegn language- but its still broken english ( and even the site he linked us to is composed of articles written in a similar broken english- obviously not written by native speakers). So its hard to follow what he (and even the article he linked us to) are even saying.

And yes- he is both scary, and bit cryptically self contradictory.

He 'hates religion', but its still his duty to serve his God and invite us all to serve his god as well?

I thiiiink.

And then he PROBABLY is talking about wealth and income distribution in the world.

But he uses the word 'resources'- which is confusing.

Its hard to tell whether he IS arrogant, or is just sounding arrogant because of his broken English.

So his OP is a mess.

Then while the rest of us are standing in line waiting for him to explain himself - a brawl breaks out between the patrons standing in line over stuff that may, or may not, have anything to do with what the OP is talking about.

The whole thread is a mess.

Yes. Please, I am Catholic. But even if one is of snother faith we ought all to agree on one thing: God desires that we love one another. AS, NT, Muslim, etc. If we can't agree on that then we are hopelessly Godless.

I think religions exists because people are illogical and gullible.

Nice.

Listen dudes, I'm a total science freak - I love science and I understand the difference between science and faith. BUT science gets a lot wrong, look at the recent reversal about the development of the human species.

I don't believe anything unconditionally, anything could change at any minute, even evolution. Although, Ok I'm pretty sure evolution isn't going to get reversed, but it doesn't disprove God anyway no matter what Dawkins says.

Arrogant science freaks are the worse!

Science is amazing and beautiful and fascinating and often true! But we know too little to be all arrogant about there not being a God. It's false science and it takes away from the awesomeness of real science, so many other thing to dwell on, consider, teach, ect.

Myself, I have a very hard time believing there could be a God acting on this earth without some physical evidence. How would that even work because there are rules of physics and what happens if this god violates one of them? I can't see it. But that doesn't mean there isn't one, maybe we just haven't' seen the signs yet. Like when Darwin figured out evolution and then years later we discovered DNA.

Give people a break, let them believe what they want, then you get to believe what you want too.

Religion is a safety blanket. Consider that there are many people following numerous faiths which disagree with other faiths. Even if one is correct, that leaves so many wrong. So how can you be sure you've found the right one? Stick religious leaders of different faiths in one room and they will most likely come out as divided as they went in. So if we assume that there is a correct religion, why do so many people follow the wrong ones? The most likely explanation would be that there is no reliable method to determine which religion is right. So what draws people to the wrong faith(s)?
It seems to me that most religions have phrases which boost human ego and self-image. Now this can be healthy, to a degree (like anything), but just as we can become addicted to sugar, we can also become addicted to certain patterns of thinking.
If we had to accept that there was no higher power, that would mean that good and evil, just and unjust, moral and immoral, and so much more are purely human concepts. Many people would rather have a guide to what's right instead of having to hold their own standard up against so many others.

I don't know if that's valid. If there is a God, so what if different people approach it with different views? When I was growing up with my six siblings we all had extremely different views and relationships with both of our parents - that didn't mean our parents didn't exist. It's natural I think.

And some prominent scientists don't use science to boost their ego?

My assumption is that nobody has communicated with God and everybody is just guessing, but that doesn't make it wrong. Anyway, no matter what you think of it, it's a Constitutionally guaranteed freedom. And I may be atheist, but I don't want to live in any country run by atheists where religion is outlawed. We've seen how that works.

If you stuck two scientists with differencing views of scientific theories in a room, they'd be just as divided when they came out - try global warming or multiverse or string theory or many aspects of medicine. Addicted to ways of thinking - we still have doctors handing out antibiotics like candy.

But you can't judge religion by standards of science - it's not science. It's like trying to prove that a piece of art is "right."

Many there are just so many other things to bother oneself with rather than other people enjoying the same freedoms you enjoy yourself. What a waste.

Religions exist because most people are afraid of death and dying.

They also want someone or something to love them unconditionally.

Next question?

ruveyn

And, it makes money.

Religion exists because we moved to a more advanced civilisation and the people (always male) who wanted to grab power realised that the old ways of nature worship and shamanism would no longer allow them sufficient control over other people.

For most of human history religious leaders and political leaders we're one in the same.
Religion (not spirituality) was invented to subjugate and control the minds of the masses.
It was found to be quite effective to threaten eternal damnation if one disobeys. And the subjects we're much more eager to run into battle if it was for "god".

Though modern communications (including the printing press) have made the religious method of control much less effective. These days, the rulers prefer economic methods of control.

I just have one question for you guys - have you ever been involved in any religion at all? You do know they do good, it's not all Benny Hinn buying a fleet of Rolls Royce's or priests molesting kids. I grew up around priests and nuns, most of them are standup people. I'm sure Baptists preachers and Rabbi's and most other denominations are the same. I was raised by a mentally unstable mother, much of what comfort I got in life came from the priests and nuns. You are really clueless about what your speaking about.

If you want to criticize and try to change what is wrong about a specific religion, then you should address that issue specifically, otherwise your just kind pissin in the wind so to speak (and it's getting all over yourselves).

If your idea of a great world is to free people from tyranny and wrong thinking, I think you should reconsider the idea that RELIGION IS BAD is a fact. The truth is simply that some people are bad and they find their way into positions of power in religion. But it's the same for science, education, government. Should we throw out every form of institution that can be polluted by humans?

I work for a Catholic college and I grew up in the faith, so I know the good they do.

I think that they do often spend much time trying to 'solve' problems which they helped to create, though (like poverty caused by overpopulation.) The Church would be at a loss without all those impoverished, disempowered people out there to do charity for. They sort of have an interest in this world being full of suffering, not only so they can be seen to be doing some small things to alleviate that suffering, but also so they can advertise their heaven as something for people to strive for (as opposed to making the world more like heaven.)

So people can debate endlessly over it.

Nonsense. Pure balderdash!

Religion exists for one reason only: EYE CANDY.

For the ladies (or the lads who fancy lads), we have THOR:


For the lads (or the ladies who fancy ladies), we have VENUS:

I can't take my eyes off that picture of Venus. I mean, just look at her neck! It's so long!