Thats why conflict happen and such thing as humiliate or look down on other religious view happen.
I agree on what he say but not 100%, as the issue u mention is part of thing that create religion war nowadays.
If there is only one religion, maybe....

The fact that there are much more than 1 religion in the world at anytime in human history, with widely varying concepts, values and beliefs tells you something about what religion really is. On top of that, while proclaiming universality of it's belief, strangely every religion is intimately tied to the culture and moral values of the people at that time when and where it originated.

So when we become global, moral values are placed on the international chopping board, believers have to interpret those values so the religion still stays relevant.

LOL

This post has been edited by SpikeMarlene: Aug 20 2010, 11:19 PM

Any "needs" apart from the basic physical ones are self created by humans. It is entirely up to you if you master your mind to determine what "needs" you have.

once a buddhist monks told me that religion is merely a tools for leaders and an essential and crucial building blocks of our society. Religion is the only thing that hold our conscience together. Without this conscience & compassion, we are no difference with the dog and cat on the road. And without this two building blocks, it would be a dog eat dog world out there.

heaven? serve as reward beyond grasp
hell? serve as imminent future

again, the same monk also told me this



this is what all religios scholars are doing... Priest, monks, Imam etc... providing emotional comfort to people who has met jell in their lifes

What is religion ? Pure and undefiled religion before God is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. Taken from the Bible (James 1:27)

I share this view too, it is a regulated source of control that serves as the cornerstone of society.
You do not kill because you are told not to, but because you do not WANT to. And by self-regulating yourself, it is a better form of control to get you fitting into modern society.

i can religion is love actually

You need a regulator to regulate. Likewise you need law enforcers to maintain law. Since even written laws today have some room for interpretation, ancient holy texts can be interpreted to fit almost any situations. So who is regulating these regulators if they don't sef-regulate? Hence, eventually you have to self-regulate.

Self regulation. That's right.

Religion was once the answer to solve society's problems, but nowadays clashes between religions seem to be causing more problems. Next step foward would be to reduce the friction between religions, and prevent the use of religion to justify extremist actions.

People need something to give them hope/meaning in life. For some this is an edition of a very old book, for some this is looking at a statue, for some this is cold hard $$$ and pretty things, for some this is relationships with other humans etc. etc.

Other than religion; upbringing, environment, a good education, local culture, secular laws, empathy for other humans beings, fear of being caught all contributes to us conforming to being a "good person", as most commonly understood by the general populace.

I think this pretty much sums it up.

circular arguments all the way.

heck i cant believe this thread still exist

well to conclude it all, some human need religion. some people dont. what makes the difference is the cause of the need.

religion is set guidance/regulation/controler for us to a better life to live in this world...some people might say they dont need it, i dont know y they say like that...

what about if we grow up as human but no guidance/regulation/controler???what would you be???

let say you dont believe in god and dont believe in religion...but you have a good live,rich,easy earn money tiaw2...one day u saw 1 good sexy beauty girl and u got horny and really want to make love with her....but you keep it in your brain, y re doin that???because u have a brain that tell you that thing is not good and a crime and if rape her,got caught by the bukit aman, masuk dalam kena hentam lagi, got jail,no body look for your busines....y this happend??? ur brain tell u that thing is not good and ok if no body see u and no law...and not ok if people see u rape that girl and bukit aman got u...

the brain differentiate u from being animal and the rule help u from what your brain capable.....

so...never say y people dont need this kind controller@guidance@rule@religion@what ever u name it....

If it is a civil law that regulates human behavior, then we don't need religion? Is that what you are saying?

Try to think religion as a road with signboard and u are the driver in your car.

Without road, how far can u go and where will your destination be ?

It is necessary to have guidance for us to move on in life.

There is a hidden assumption you made about the road with signboards. It may well be a road that leads to nowhere, or worse, it leads you astray. How can we know this? Examine say, the moral signboards, that should give you clues.

thats depend on which road u follow .