what does religion mean to you ?.. and do you think we still need religions ?..if so why ?

The development of religion has taken different forms in different cultures. Some religions place greater emphasis on belief, while others emphasize practice. Some religions focus on the subjective experience of the religious individual, while others consider the activities of the community to be most important. Some religions claim to be universal, believing their laws and cosmology to be binding for everyone, while others are intended to be practiced only by one, localized group. Religion often makes use of meditation, music and art. In many places it has been associated with public institutions such as education, the family, government, and political power.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion

Religion means nothing to me. Jesus and our father means everything though. Would give my last breath for Jesus.

This is a deep question for me. To answer it correctly would require a book. But let me just say a few things:

The origin of the word "religion" came from the idea of doing something "religiously". In other words, to do something diligently, consistently and with great dedication.

It became associated with the worship of Gods, because the idea is that in most spiritual philosophies the idea is to worship God "religiously" (i.e. with much consistency and great dedication)

So, should we be "religious" about things? Yes, I think being religious about things is productive and health as long as it doesn't become an obsession.

Should we be 'religious' in our spiritual endeavors? Well, again, I feel that we should (assuming we have spiritual endeavors) because it's good to be consistent and diligent in these things. But once again allowing it to become an obsession can be unhealthy. So anything that is done religiously should also be done in a sane and healthy manner.

I think what you are really attempting to ask is, "Do we need spirituality? Do we need to believe in something beyond what we directly experience in this life?"

My answer to that is that this is a personal thing. I feel that some people like to believe in spirituality and that there could potentially be something more to reality than meets the eye. I see nothing wrong with believing in such things. On the contrary I feel that believing in such things can have a very positive affect on some people.

Of course, it can also have negative results too, especially if it becomes obsessive, or if a person (or group of people) associate spirituality with a particular mythological God and start demanding that everyone obey that mythological God. Then it can become extremely problematic and cause much political and social unrest and potential even be the case of wars.

Do I believe that as a society we "need" spirituality? Not necessarily. However, having said that I think if a spiritual view is truly wholesome it can have positive benefits for an entire society to collectively embrace it and give each other support in the "Dream".

However, if it gets to the point where the "non-dreamers" are being chastised for not believing in the dream, then it becomes negative and destructive again.

So I believe that spiritual views should be encouraged and embraced for those who are sincerely interested in these dreams. Just as I believe that if a child has an imaginary friend that should also be embraced (assuming the imaginary friend isn't telling the child to do horrible things of course).

There's nothing wrong with having hopes and dreams. This is a huge part of what makes us human. It would be horrible if our hopes and dreams were frowned upon and scoffed at.

But as we clearly see, often times religious dreams, can indeed be the very cause of people frowning upon and scoffing at other people's religious dreams. Dreams clashing with dreams. And obviously that's not good either.

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I guess the bottom line for me is that I embrace spiritual dreams and highly encourage them. I do not condone the chastising or belittling people who choose not to dream of spiritual things.

Finally, if a spiritual belief becomes associated with a jealous judgmental godhead that is being held up as the "God" of all mankind, then it has completely defeated its own spiritual purpose, IMHO. At that point it has become an extremely negative force that can only lead to resentment and animosity between the dreamers and the non-dreamers.



I personally enjoy the dream of spirituality, and always have. Even if it turns out to be false, it was still a pleasant dream to experience during my existence. Just like listening to music is pleasurable, or making love, etc. Hopes and dreams are a real experiences, just like everything else. Why not enjoy them?

Not true. As a follower of our Christ, Jesus we are to love everyone and anyone. Regardless if they believe or not. We aren't to treat anyone any different then another. It does not encourage segregation between people and or resentment. Just because you don't believe I would feel no different nor treat you any different then a believer. So again no resentment or segregation of any form.

Maybe not from your point of view. But have you ever thought that the people whom you suggest are "Rejecting Our Father" simply because they don't share your dream, might feel a bit of resentment concerning your very attitude toward them?

If it's your dream why refer to is as "Our" Christ, or "Our" father, or "Our" Lord?

That implies that you think everyone else should be dreaming the same dream that you dream. This is what I mean about dreams becoming obsessions and intrusive upon other people.

Speak of your dreams as "Your" Christ, "Your" father, and "Your" lord, and maybe people would be more willing to embrace your dreams for you, and simply suggest to you that "Their" Mother also embraces the idea that we should love each other. Or maybe they'll suggest that they are a child of the universe. Whatever their dream might be.

You've got to embrace the dreams of others if you want them to embrace yours.

That's all I'm saying.

You shouldn't feel resentment though. Our lord, our Christ, our saviour, ect. You are included in the our. It's not a dream, it is what it is, it's the truth, it's the fact, it's how it is is. Dreams are fantasy wishes, things YOU want to be true. Doesn't make it real or true. Jesus is in fact the saviour of us all if you wish to accept his gift.

To claim that it's true is a lie Cowboy.

You can't know that it's true.

All you can do is have FAITH that it might be true.

The mere fact that you claim that it's true only shows that you're willing to tell lies to support it.

Unless, of course, you're claiming to actually possess divine knowledge that no other humans have?

Otherwise, you're just a human like the rest of us who has a dream that you would LIKE to be true.

You seem to be in gross denial of truth. This is what I mean about religions becoming obsessive fanaticism. When people start claiming that things are true that they cannot possible know are true, then they have gone over the edge from rationality into insanity.

I'm not sure what to do about irrational people. That really has nothing to do with religion other than the fact that irrational people often do become obsessive religious fanatics.

So perhaps the question changes from, "Do we need spirituality", to, "What should we do about people who have gone off the deep end of insanity"?

Likewise with everything my friend. You can not KNOW the world is round, you can not KNOW there are 7 continents, you can not KNOW most of the world is covered in water, you can not KNOW there are two icecaps on this planet in the north and in the south. You merely have to put faith into what you have read is true.

Well, there you go.

At least you finally CONFESS that your religious dreams are nothing more than FAITH just like everyone else's.

So why did you just try to pass them off as being TRUTH, whilst trying to renounce all other people's spiritual faiths as mere dreams?

You keep shooting yourself in your own foot.

I fully accept that your religion is FAITH-BASED.

No problem there.

I'm glad to see you finally confess to it.

Everything is under faith is what I was getting at. Religion, Science, history, EVERYTHING. NOTHING can be proven to be exact 100% concrete fact. It's all done through faith.

Well, if you truly believe this then all religions and spiritual beliefs are on equal footing, even atheism.

Therefore it's absurd for you to claim that your religion is "truth" whilst everyone else's is just a dream.

Everyone else's spiritual beliefs are every bit as valid as yours. Even the views of an atheist.

And therefore my belief that Jesus was a Jewish Buddhist that was an unfortunate victim of a bad situation holds as much merit as anything else.

Yes all religions are on equal footing, I do not believe in a "religion". I believe in Christianity. Which is included in the religion category because of people like you. They don't wish for it to be true, so they find ways to keep it from being a "fact". I pray you find God abra. But for now I'm done with you and your ignorant arrogance. Have a great day my friend :)

And what makes you any less arrogant? You assume you're right and everyone else is wrong too.......

The arguing, banter, and frustration people feel here and everywhere is only one example of how religion has lead us down the WRONG path...organized religion is lie, a joke, the biggest error we, as a whole - have allowed into our civilation. Man made rules that have nothing to do with any higher power...

I pity anyone who gets caught up in this fiasco!!

I don't try to "prove" anyone wrong. I don't belittle other's beliefs. I'm not arrogant about the discussion. I'm open for DISCUSSION. That would entitle you to put your views, then I put my views, then you, ect without belittling the other. Someone has their belief, that is fine. But that doesn't mean to try to rub it in the other's face and or try to make someone feel stupid for their beliefs. EVERYONE is entitled to their belief. And that is what i'm here to discuss... discuss people's beliefs. Again without belittling and or any negative talk about the other person's belief.

But you said he had ignorant arrogance......so you belittled his beliefs by default right there.

Well, if you truly believe this then all religions and spiritual beliefs are on equal footing, even atheism.

Therefore it's absurd for you to claim that your religion is "truth" whilst everyone else's is just a dream.

Everyone else's spiritual beliefs are every bit as valid as yours. Even the views of an atheist.

And therefore my belief that Jesus was a Jewish Buddhist that was an unfortunate victim of a bad situation holds as much merit as anything else.

a false way for people to feel they love something.

so, a total false.

the beast.

the accurse of human pain and suffering.

makes people claim allegaince, and deem they would die for a character in a book, and give their last breath for them, and so think of themself as "good"...

when if they were good, they would say, i would die for my loved ones, but indeed, their loved ones are last, as the illusion of GOD, is declared first in their life.

or of most value.

not people.

not their own children, not their own families, as these can even come to be so delusional as to think believing they would give their last breath for jesus, makes them a carer and unconditional lover of other humans, lol...

rather just the opposite.

rather, it creates a total state of brain delusion, inducing a coma like state being, propogating all the clinical definitions of unsanity.

to believe oneself loves a person, that they never met.

somewhat as childish fantasies of little boys, whom see a pretty girl, and think they love her, and would die for her?

no, their not that out of touch with reality.

for few young boys are able to fantasize to such degree that they can think they love a girl, by only reading about her, and certainly not delusional enough to deem they would die for this one particualr girl, from such undying love...

so, it reduces grown up to infantile imaginations as reality, and therefore creates a loss of mental faculties as to what is actually REAL, and what is not...

time will prove, that to not know the difference in TRUE HAPPENINGS AS REALITY, versus imaginations of things heard from books, shall prove a serious danger to society as a whole, as has always in history shown to be so...

for it was people that swore allegiance to GOD, that lost sight of the value of millions of other humans, and were able to be convinced killing them was FOR GOD.

it creates a terrorist mentality....

since all GOOD FOR SELF, happens to self IF IT DOES WHAT GOD SAYS, and so these will follow many, whom swear allegaince to god, BE THE PAROMOUNT GOOD OF HUMAN EXISTENCE, EVEN WHILE THEIR FELLOW MAN IS KILLED FOR THEM TO GET TO "HEAVEN"...

unsanity is religion.

a curse.

of ignorance, which is SELF INTEREST AND SELF AGENDA OF SELF ALONE RUN AMOCK.

But this is incorrect. To show love for one, would you not do as they ask or tell you? God has told us "love thy neighbour as thyself". So in order to love God and obey his commands, we would love everyone. It works together, it's not love this one and forget that one or any like that.