Fundamental question here:
Of what practical use is RELIGION?
I didn't say "spirituality." I see uses in personal spirituality. But organized, codified religion: WHY? The only people who REALLY benefit from religions are people who need or want to be told what to do and what to think.
That's why it was such a great tool for kings of ages past. Kings could codify the beliefs of the masses so that they were willing to work in his favor.
Now, I don't have anything AGAINST people in religions, although I do question their motives for being a part of one.
I grew up Roman-Catholic and went to Catholic elementary, middle, and high schools. I took religion classes all my life.
And in almost every class, another person's version of morality was shoved down my throat. "Do this so that you can be a good person." When I got to high school, they even started preaching against pre-marital sex, trying to tell us how unsafe it is, and how emotionally damaging it is for girls. Typical societal condition BS.
Luckily, my sophomore high school religion history teacher saved me from overgeneralizing my views on people who practice religions. He was a grad of MIT and had thoroughly researched everything he taught. He told us flat-out that the story of Adam and Eve was a FABLE meant to illustrate points. He told us how the ideas of "heaven and hell" and "angels and devils" came about. It turns out that the typical "horned, red devil" often depicted in art was inspired by the Greek god, Pan. Christians conquered the Zoroastrians. The Zoroastrians didn't like the Greeks. So in order to have the Zoroastrians peacefully succumb to the Christian empire, the Christians decided they would make Pan into the religion's symbolic enemy. It worked.
Countless other tales in the bible originated from cultures in similar ways. And unfortunately, people today use these same stories as a basis of truth on which to live their lives. Sad... very sad.
My sophomore teacher also tried to relate the teachings of Jesus to us by showing us pieces of "The Matrix" and how Neo was a character meant to represent Christ in certain aspects.
Does the Church try to modernize its message? No. Does the Church try to educate the world about the true origins of the religion? No. Because then people wouldn't be controlled by ignorance and fear like they are now.
So while my teacher demonstrated to me that there are intelligent Catholics who can practice the religion and live by its tenants, he's in the minority. He wasn't an actual lay-person by the way. He was a "brother", and he was still free to be with women.
The Church is only interested in control, and most of the people who practice religions do so because they were force-fed the beliefs at a young age and either don't question it or don't have the intellectual ability to analyze a system.
I, myself, am agnostic. I don't claim that there aren't ANY gods, because IMO that's just as self-righteous and ignorant as what a fundamentalist Christian says. Truth is, we can't KNOW anything aside from what can be proven. And people who claim to KNOW things that are impossible to prove or disprove irritate me to no end.
So again, my question is: Why be apart of a religion?
Do you need the communal validation? Do you need reassurance that you're a worthwile person? Do you just want to be accepted? Are you confused about what is appropriate or inappropriate behavior?
Please, enlighten me, true believers!
