Why do we have religion?

[Wolf Enigma]

For me, it's just used to lable someone and to discriminiate someone.

[Gavin]

I believe it's for peace of mind, and knowing that there is something after death, then being barried six feet under. Being able to put faith in a higher beings hands for satisfaction your doing the right thing in life.

[Forever Atlas]

well there was a time that there was no religion, but one truth... and then people wanted to go their own way... do their own thing... and divisions came up... yada yada.. so on...

Its even in the Bible why there are so many diff religions.

[Dawning Twilight]

religion exists for one purpose of reassuring people that existence is possible beyond death. so we aren't afraid to "pass on." though that is merely my opinion...

[vinnie]

In my opinion, is because it acts like, not necessarily a "crutch", but more a stength for people to continue on.

Everyone needs something, someone to fall back on, not to mention it is in the nature of the human to question and wonder, so Religion serves a double-purpose. With all the intolerance, death, famine, and general "wrongs" in the world, it does humanity as a whole a great favor to have something divine to fall back on, to have the blind faith in your heart that, through struggle, and ultimate nirvana is achievable. It also is a desperate human attempt to answer questions that are brains try to, but haven't the capacity to comprehend. "Why are we here?" "What is our purpose?" Some people would die, even kill to know those answers, even if their answer ends up being "to worship God".

The irony in this, of course, is when people's beliefs contrast. Hardly anyone can respect people's religious affiliation these days, especially in the United States. We live in a predominantly Christian area, and people like me, who's beliefs cannot be confined by typical religious terms or a book, are viewed as freaks. People seem to be a war-like race, manipulative and tenacious, and yet, religion is supposed to be the embodiment of peace and prosperity, the general idea, it seems, is that the divine peace can be achieved through superior firepower. But that doesn't stop at the United States borders; alot of people say the war over in the middle-east is a religious war.

These are all my opinions of course, take them as you will.

[Donnie Yen]

Why?

All of you do your lives a favor and read "Of Civil Government" by John Locke, and a passage from Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes called "Of Commonwealth". Read them and actually understand what they're about. Both things technically apply to religion as well if you think about it.

[Dr. Freeman]

Originally Posted by gungonX

I believe it's for peace of mind, and knowing that there is something after death, then being barried six feet under. Being able to put faith in a higher beings hands for satisfaction your doing the right thing in life.

Ding ding ding.

Honestly, that's why I believe religion was created. So that we wouldn't go insane.

[bamak93]

for me, we need reasons why things happen the way we do. so we invented the concept of "higher beings" and an "afterlife".

IMO.

[Angel Shards]

Originally Posted by Smooth

well there was a time that there was no religion, but one truth... and then people wanted to go their own way... do their own thing... and divisions came up... yada yada.. so on...

Its even in the Bible why there are so many diff religions.

Smooth, there were other religions before Christianity. In fact, Christianity borrowed and stole from other religions. How can you call that the "one truth"? Seriously.

[Zook]

from my point of view religion is to give people something to look forward to when they are dieing.

[vinnie]

That's the problem though isn't it? Truth is relative. Truth doesn't necessarily mean absolution, though sometimes it can be.

[CtR]

In my opinion, religion was created as a way for humans to understand and explain the things around them, such as the sun and the seasons. Gods/higher powers have existed almost as long as the human mind has been able to think, used as a way to understand and explain the world around them.

Like the others before me have said, it also adds meaning to someones life, and comforts them to know that death isn't the end.

[wu tang goku]

Originally Posted by CtR

In my opinion, religion was created as a way for humans to understand and explain the things around them, such as the sun and the seasons. Gods/higher powers have existed almost as long as the human mind has been able to think, used as a way to understand and explain the world around them.

Like the others before me have said, it also adds meaning to someones life, and comforts them to know that death isn't the end.

Give this gentlelady some DELICIOUS CAKE; it seems I'm not the only one who has it right.