The delusion of life and religion not far apart

[Mr. Ed]

After discharge from psych hospital I imagined the world as a video game and like a game performing certain tasks in a given order rewarded players by advancing in life.

Similarly, Scientologist advance status by conducting certain tasks in a predetermined order not unlike a delusion of life.

Religion was invented to serve and appease god or the gods. Gods were mostly angry and enjoyed manipulating and terrorizing humans. Certain people claimed the ability to communicate with god or gods. In return for spiritual services, the church community provided housing and support to the religious servant.

In the mean time, members invite and recruit new members for increased revenue and social prominence in the community. And so the circle goes, until now when church attendance and belief in god is at an all time low compared to previous thoughts on the matter.

Increase attendance, bring up revenue, invest in the community, start over.

 

[Echo29Victoria30]

Sadly, none of us will really know the truth until the end. Is it possible that people created religion as a means to control and manipulate other people?

 

[Georgiagranny]

Life is a delusion? Okay. I've been deluded into living for more than 82 years.

Religion? A crutch for all of us deluded people.

 

[Ceege]

We will never know the truth of death until it happens. Heaven, reincarnation, our energy goes into nature or the universe, or a total end of our existence. We can't control it. Why do some feel they have to even know what will happen? Enjoy what we have right now. Life.
Don't waste time on the unknown. Love the people in your world. Enjoy the knowledge you can obtain and make it an adventure.

 

[TabbyAnn]

Why do some feel they have to even know what will happen? Enjoy what we have right now. Life.
Don't waste time on the unknown. Love the people in your world. Enjoy the knowledge you can obtain and make it an adventure.

Most of the things we enjoy today were unknown at one time. And the knowledge we have today is because someone wanted to know what would happen in certain situations so they researched and experimented. But I agree it's a waste of time to look for answers from those who don't know them, which equals many religious leaders today.

 

[officerripley]

Why do some feel they have to even know what will happen?

Possibly, for those who are enduring a horrible existence (and we all know that way too many people are and have throughout history), it's to give themselves hope that they're going to a better place after death.

 

[seadoug]

Sadly, none of us will really know the truth until the end. Is it possible that people created religion as a means to control and manipulate other people?

I really don't think religion was created to manipulate people, although it certainly has on many occasions. I'd rather think it was created to give people something to be hopeful about and to lean on in hard times when they have difficulty coping.

I'm not a religious person. I rely on my own free will and decision-making to get through life, but it sure was a valuable source of solace for my mother as she became infirm and endured her final years. I would never wish to take it away from anyone as long as they don't force it on me.

 

[Alligatorob]

Is it possible that people created religion as a means to control and manipulate other people?

I doubt religion was created with any particular design. I think it just evolved. It does serve some purpose, an important one is a way to treat strangers. Without something like that civilization would not likely have been possible.

We will never know the truth of death until it happens. Heaven, reincarnation, our energy goes into nature or the universe, or a total end of our existence. We can't control it.

For sure, and if it's just the end we won't even know then...

 

[SeaBreeze]

We will never know the truth of death until it happens. Heaven, reincarnation, our energy goes into nature or the universe, or a total end of our existence. We can't control it. Why do some feel they have to even know what will happen? Enjoy what we have right now. Life.
Don't waste time on the unknown. Love the people in your world. Enjoy the knowledge you can obtain and make it an adventure.

Wise words, completely agree with you.

 

[Geezer Garage]

I was fairly young when I decided God and religion had little to do with each other, for me.

 

[Lavinia]

Religion was not invented, it evolved out of the human need to feel that some outside force is in control. There is some desire in most humans to revere something, hence the worship of Gods.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

Religion is a method of obtaining human wants from a deity, whether crop yields to immortality.