Is organized religion based entirely on fear? (176)
wonderworkercosby, Tennessee USA201 Threads 2 Polls 1,883 Posts......Or only partially...
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wonderworker: ......Or only partially...
I am partial to it in small doses 
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wonderworker: ......Or only partially...
Only partially. We have to leave room for guilt.
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Partially. Another large component is the desire to make life and the world around us meaningful.
Not that it logically confers meaning, just that people look at it as doing so.
Not that it logically confers meaning, just that people look at it as doing so.
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Ambrose2007: Partially. Another large component is the desire to make life and the world around us meaningful.
Not that it logically confers meaning, just that people look at it as doing so.
Not that it logically confers meaning, just that people look at it as doing so.
That has to be accurate.Would the desire for meaning be compelling if not first motivated by fear?Did the human ancestor require meaning?
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I don't know but I do. I am considering Atheism seriously today. What do you think?
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wonderworker: ......Or only partially...
What kind of a question is this?
There are hundreds if not thousands of religions, you couldn't be more unspecific in a query, than like this.
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avecaim: I don't know but I do. I am considering Atheism seriously today. What do you think?
Athiesm requires presumtion.You have many options besides Organized Religion.Some of the contributors have a lot of information in that vein.
I'm just a simple-minded country boy who preferred going fishing to attending church.Oddly,It was a life-lesson.
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CaptainBeirutIII: What kind of a question is this?
There are hundreds if not thousands of religions, you couldn't be more unspecific in a query, than like this.
There are hundreds if not thousands of religions, you couldn't be more unspecific in a query, than like this.
I was specific enough in saying ORGANIZED religion.Take your pick.
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wonderworker: I was specific enough in saying ORGANIZED religion.Take your pick.
I'm sorry, but you're still about as vague as a mist inside a fog.
Can you give me an example of a religion which isn't organized?
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wonderworker: That has to be accurate.Would the desire for meaning be compelling if not first motivated by fear?Did the human ancestor require meaning?
Not sure about the order of those emotions, but I'd say the quest to make sense of it all occurred very early and very strongly. How is it related to fear? Doubtless fear was a motivator in a lot of religious beliefs, but consider that if people's every need was taken care of and they had nothing practical to fear; would they still not create myths or belief systems that would give their lives meaning? I think that's a very basic drive in human beings. So much of our intelligence is attuned to making sense of things.
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Ambrose2007: Not sure about the order of those emotions, but I'd say the quest to make sense of it all occurred very early and very strongly. How is it related to fear? Doubtless fear was a motivator in a lot of religious beliefs, but consider that if people's every need was taken care of and they had nothing practical to fear; would they still not create myths or belief systems that would give their lives meaning? I think that's a very basic drive in human beings. So much of our intelligence is attuned to making sense of things.
I've tried to imagine such a world.A difficult task.
I keep coming back to fear as a motovator.And I'm glad you expanded to "every need taken care of".It is illustrative.
A creature without motivation will do nothing.Consider a Grizzly with a dead elk and a warm place to sleep.He will eat and sleep until he must do otherwise.
EQUILLIBRIUM is an abscense of motivation.It is inertia.Without fear--now add hunger lust etc.--what will drive the engine?We might be free to pursue creativity,art,making sense of things,but would we do it?
BLISS is a static concept.There are no events to disrupt it and w/o events there is not even Time--no need for it.Someone( Sartre??)remarked that Heaven would be boredom because nothing would ever happen to differentiate it from Non-Heaven.Would we be able to find a substitute for Fear et. al. to move us,inspire us ,cause us to act,to achieve to do Something?
Or would we just go to sleep? Perhaps forever? What Irony.
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wonderworker: I've tried to imagine such a world.A difficult task.
I keep coming back to fear as a motovator.And I'm glad you expanded to "every need taken care of".It is illustrative.
A creature without motivation will do nothing.Consider a Grizzly with a dead elk and a warm place to sleep.He will eat and sleep until he must do otherwise.
EQUILLIBRIUM is an abscense of motivation.It is inertia.Without fear--now add hunger lust etc.--what will drive the engine?We might be free to pursue creativity,art,making sense of things,but would we do it?
BLISS is a static concept.There are no events to disrupt it and w/o events there is not even Time--no need for it.Someone( Sartre??)remarked that Heaven would be boredom because nothing would ever happen to differentiate it from Non-Heaven.Would we be able to find a substitute for Fear et. al. to move us,inspire us ,cause us to act,to achieve to do Something?
Or would we just go to sleep? Perhaps forever? What Irony.
I keep coming back to fear as a motovator.And I'm glad you expanded to "every need taken care of".It is illustrative.
A creature without motivation will do nothing.Consider a Grizzly with a dead elk and a warm place to sleep.He will eat and sleep until he must do otherwise.
EQUILLIBRIUM is an abscense of motivation.It is inertia.Without fear--now add hunger lust etc.--what will drive the engine?We might be free to pursue creativity,art,making sense of things,but would we do it?
BLISS is a static concept.There are no events to disrupt it and w/o events there is not even Time--no need for it.Someone( Sartre??)remarked that Heaven would be boredom because nothing would ever happen to differentiate it from Non-Heaven.Would we be able to find a substitute for Fear et. al. to move us,inspire us ,cause us to act,to achieve to do Something?
Or would we just go to sleep? Perhaps forever? What Irony.
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I think many organised religions are based on fear, or threats of what will happen if you are not aimed at perfection, or obeying their rules etc.
I would surmise that the reason this either works, or not, for various people, is because of the degree of education they have had, and/or the degree of belief they have, coupled with their willingness and need to have this kind of forced discipline in their lives.
The sweetner that keeps many people addicted to their beliefs or religion, is the promise of good, paradise, nirvana, heaven or whatever, or the places where they worship, that often provide a haven from the outside world, be it sitting in a church, or going on a retreat.
Maybe the thought of an authority figure works too, because it saves the need to think about things for themselves.
There are some who would like the world to be made up entirely of ready-made answers, doled out as required......
I would surmise that the reason this either works, or not, for various people, is because of the degree of education they have had, and/or the degree of belief they have, coupled with their willingness and need to have this kind of forced discipline in their lives.
The sweetner that keeps many people addicted to their beliefs or religion, is the promise of good, paradise, nirvana, heaven or whatever, or the places where they worship, that often provide a haven from the outside world, be it sitting in a church, or going on a retreat.
Maybe the thought of an authority figure works too, because it saves the need to think about things for themselves.
There are some who would like the world to be made up entirely of ready-made answers, doled out as required......
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Religion is man made.....spirituality is what GOD REALLY wanted.
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How do you know what God wants? 
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wonderworker: ......Or only partially...
I'd say partially... Starts with fear of going to hell and ends with hope I got my "get out of hell free card"... Or should it???
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BClady: I guess that shut him up!
Get bent
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gingerb: How do you know what God wants?
DO you think he wants people killing each other over religion?
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There's a really great book out there called 'SPIRITUALITY OF IMPERFECTION'....
I recommend it highly.
I recommend it highly.
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Created: Jul 2009
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