Adults who are religious are like kids who believe in Santa Claus

For many young kids (adults), Christmas (religion) is a day when Santa Claus (God) will deliver them their presents (their eternal happiness). They've never actually seen Santa Claus (God) so why do they believe in him? Well, through the years of their life since their birth, their parents (Church) have told them that Santa Claus (God) is very real and exists. Also, their lives are not perfect, so its very comforting and convenient to believe an entity so nice as Santa Claus (God) exists, in a word, it MAKES their daily meaningless lives that much easier to swallow. So, they go with the program, taking in every word of their Parents (Church) as truth and overlooking the inconsistencies as unimportant, never questioning anything, and when confronted, simply and effortlessly state the word "FAITH"...which effectively ends any logical argument at that point. After all, what argument can be used to disprove faith? I can say that I have faith that an invisible six headed reptilian creature hovers above me everyday guiding me, and you would be the wiser to argue against that, since surely you cannot DISPROVE it.

Summary: Religion is for the weak and meek brainless masses who NEED something to make their pathetic lives a little bit more worthwhile. Now, I'm not saying there is no God like entity, but to buy into the manmade concocted religion (in fact, religions are as diverse as the races of man, its purpose is to put a face to all that we cannot explain, it is also a powerful political device to control the masses). Hope you start questioning your beliefs and not leave everything to "faith" because it is convenient to do so.

while I whole heartedly agree with you, I believe you should have softened up your point a bit. Don't be surprised if this thread ends up getting closed..............for it's bluntness. Respecting others' beliefs is one of the big rules of the forum.

Originally posted by masterbruce
For many young kids (adults), Christmas (religion) is a day when Santa Claus (God) will deliver them their presents (their eternal happiness). They've never actually seen Santa Claus (God) so why do they believe in him? Well, through the years of their life since their birth, their parents (Church) have told them that Santa Claus (God) is very real and exists. Also, their lives are not perfect, so its very comforting and convenient to believe an entity so nice as Santa Claus (God) exists, in a word, it MAKES their daily meaningless lives that much easier to swallow. So, they go with the program, taking in every word of their Parents (Church) as truth and overlooking the inconsistencies as unimportant, never questioning anything, and when confronted, simply and effortlessly state the word "FAITH"...which effectively ends any logical argument at that point. After all, what argument can be used to disprove faith? I can say that I have faith that an invisible six headed reptilian creature hovers above me everyday guiding me, and you would be the wiser to argue against that, since surely you cannot DISPROVE it.

Summary: Religion is for the weak and meek brainless masses who NEED something to make their pathetic lives a little bit more worthwhile. Now, I'm not saying there is no God like entity, but to buy into the manmade concocted religion (in fact, religions are as diverse as the races of man, its purpose is to put a face to all that we cannot explain, it is also a powerful political device to control the masses). Hope you start questioning your beliefs and not leave everything to "faith" because it is convenient to do so.

I mostly agree with you, however, the tone, for me, is wrong, "pathetic lives" is where we part company. Now I agree that most people wish to hide from the possibility of "pathetic lives", but what I have found is, this pathetic life, is not pathetic, but profound. If you let got of all attachments, you will gain something unbelievable, control over yourself.

I didnt target anyone specifically...basically just launched my tirade on what I think to be the absurdity of religion

my post is more oped than something meant to offend so hopefully the mods will let it stay

Shakya, I understand that my tone is a bit harsh, but I think one of the reasons why so many people gravitate towards religion is because of the convenient comfort it provides them with.

Imagine there was a religion that said God created man and the universe but doesnt give a f@#k about humans and that there is no afterlife, it would be a very unpopular religion and most people would stay away from it because it doesn't HELP them.

Originally posted by masterbruce
Shakya, I understand that my tone is a bit harsh, but I think one of the reasons why so many people gravitate towards religion is because of the convenient comfort it provides them with.

Imagine there was a religion that said God created man and the universe but doesnt give a f@#k about humans and that there is no afterlife, it would be a very unpopular religion and most people would stay away from it because it doesn't HELP them.

I understand you have a point, but the only ones who will get it, are people like Evil Dead, debbiejo & me. I wish I had a way to tell the "children" that "Santa Claus" does not exist but they will not listen.

Other than that, I think you made a good point and I liked the way you drew a parallel with Xmas and religion.

BTW there are religions in the world that do not do this.

People try to find comfort in the different religions..It's banning together in groups and subgroups...Your point is very straight forward, and I do find that many, many people do follow blindly, never questioning anything...Even though scripture says things like "Let us Reason together", And" Do not trust in mans teachings."....Still people do...I don't know if it's laziness, ignorant bliss, or just the uncomfortable feeling of finding out something that might be true, because that would leave you with a decision.....A decision that may not be popular...and one that will cause you to be judged....It's a comfort thing for most.

I do believe there is something....something that connects with everything...something that doesn't judge....IT enter reacts/enter relates with us...It's just most people don't see or realize it unless you study it, as they are now doing with some physics fields....

while I agree with you Bruce, here's where my thinking differs. You claim these people are pathetic, leaving meaningless lives, weak and brainless. I do not see it that way at all.

I agree with you that they are merely searching for something to give their life meaning......comfort......happiness. Sure they must suspend dis-belief and embrace the incredible, much like while watching an action sci-fi movie,......without one ounce of evidence or even quasi-evidence to do so. I, frankly, see nothing wrong with that. To each his own. The old saying "ignorance is bliss" is true. If it works for them......helping them lead happier, more productive lives I'm all for it. Sure they'll be dissapointed when they reach their end on this earth and face the moment of truth......but no harm done, it served it's purpose. It helped them lead happier, more productive lives.

My only problems are with the yahoos who seem it's necissary to share their own personal beliefs. They are called OWN PERSONAL beliefs for a reason. There is no need to preach about them in hopes of converting others, trying to change others' beliefs to match their own. Everybody on this planet knows what Christianity is about. What it's beliefs are. There is no need for it's members to ever mutter another word about it to the rest of the world. We know what it is.....if we believed it, we'd be sitting next to you at church on Sunday. The only reason I can think of that they do this is to re-affirm the beliefs that they themselves have doubts about. After all, if others believe it too......it must be true.

evil dead, I agree with you that there is nothing wrong with people choosing beliefs that make their lives easier...IRL I dont go around telling people they are idiots because they worhsip something that doesn't exist. In fact I think society would be a hellhole without any religion, because many morally corrupt people would do horrible stuff if they didn't believe that they would be damned in hell forever otherwise...so religion definitely serves its purposes.

In the end, I have no problems with religious people who act consistently with their beliefs. But I definitely have a problem with religious HYPOCRITES...they annoy me very much.

Originally posted by masterbruce
evil dead, I agree with you that there is nothing wrong with people choosing beliefs that make their lives easier...IRL I dont go around telling people they are idiots because they worhsip something that doesn't exist. In fact I think society would be a hellhole without any religion, because many morally corrupt people would do horrible stuff if they didn't believe that they would be damned in hell forever otherwise...so religion definitely serves its purposes.

In the end, I have no problems with religious people who act consistently with their beliefs. But I definitely have a problem with religious HYPOCRITES...they annoy me very much.

I believe that religions have done much harm.....It should include all beliefs in what the good of all there is.....Instead it has proved to be noninclusive to the point of harming other beliefs, caused wars,...It's destructive and causes people to act on the behalf of a god they do not know...Most don't even read the Bible themselves....Just sit on Sunday and listen to what the Pastor has to say....churches are denomination oriented, and not love oriented...it's divisive..

And yes, there are more hypocrites in places like this, then in other spiritual communities....mainly because they know it's only a journey...

Well with Santa Clause most people just outgrow it (or are told the truth).People don't out grow religon.They might abandon it or not belive it though.

People don't out grow religon.

I did.

People stop believing in Santa because they learn more about the world around them and realize how impractical/impossible it is for a fat man to travel around the world in one night, sliding down chimneys, leaving presents for good boys and girls. Same thing for me.....just insert Jesus over Santa.

You just didn't get any presents one year did you???

though I think many people will research "Other Religions" first, before deciding to quite a belief altogether....Just my impression

here's where it all fell apart for me.......for all religions, never bothered with any others.

Incredible statements require incredible investigation to yeild incredible proof. In the last 5000+ years of human civilization, not one shed of proof has been turned up to lend creedence to these incredible accusations.

As for researching other religions.........

Religions are all the same. You're told what to believe by one.....you're told what to believe by another. If you think for yourself and come to your own conclusions that differ from those of a religion in any way.......you're not actually part of the religion as you don't believe 100% what it states, what it tells you to believe.

Originally posted by debbiejo
You just didn't get any presents one year did you???

though I think many people will research "Other Religions" first, before deciding to quite a belief altogether....Just my impression

My big mistake was reading the bible. What I was being told it said was not what it said. That was over 20 years ago, I went a long time with no religion. I finally got tired of being without an important part of my early life, spirituality. So I chose Buddhism just because it was different, and filled the need in me, however, I was surprise to find, that for me, it worked.

Originally posted by Evil Dead
here's where it all fell apart for me.......for all religions, never bothered with any others.

Incredible statements require incredible investigation to yeild incredible proof. In the last 5000+ years of human civilization, not one shed of proof has been turned up to lend creedence to these incredible accusations.

As for researching other religions.........

Religions are all the same. You're told what to believe by one.....you're told what to believe by another. If you think for yourself and come to your own conclusions that differ from those of a religion in any way.......you're not actually part of the religion as you don't believe 100% what it states, what it tells you to believe.

You should study the writing of Buddha, Zen would be a good place for you to start.

Originally posted by Evil Dead
here's where it all fell apart for me.......for all religions, never bothered with any others.

Incredible statements require incredible investigation to yeild incredible proof. In the last 5000+ years of human civilization, not one shed of proof has been turned up to lend creedence to these incredible accusations.

As for researching other religions.........

Religions are all the same. You're told what to believe by one.....you're told what to believe by another. If you think for yourself and come to your own conclusions that differ from those of a religion in any way.......you're not actually part of the religion as you don't believe 100% what it states, what it tells you to believe.

Yup...you have to investigate everything...I feel it's in our nature to do so...Where you stop, is where you're stuck....BUT seeing proofs do help to make up ones mind....one that has caused me to look at the quantum physics field...There I feel I have found proof of something...something completely different..Something that cannot be put neatly into a box and called "Control the people." In fact, as I have stated else where...It would, in my opinion, do away with religion....and all the prejudices and strife that has hurt so many people.

Though spirituality like Buddhism is very close to many aspects of it.

Originally posted by masterbruce
For many young kids (adults), Christmas (religion) is a day when Santa Claus (God) will deliver them their presents (their eternal happiness). They've never actually seen Santa Claus (God) so why do they believe in him? Well, through the years of their life since their birth, their parents (Church) have told them that Santa Claus (God) is very real and exists. Also, their lives are not perfect, so its very comforting and convenient to believe an entity so nice as Santa Claus (God) exists, in a word, it MAKES their daily meaningless lives that much easier to swallow. So, they go with the program, taking in every word of their Parents (Church) as truth and overlooking the inconsistencies as unimportant, never questioning anything, and when confronted, simply and effortlessly state the word "FAITH"...which effectively ends any logical argument at that point. After all, what argument can be used to disprove faith? I can say that I have faith that an invisible six headed reptilian creature hovers above me everyday guiding me, and you would be the wiser to argue against that, since surely you cannot DISPROVE it.

Summary: Religion is for the weak and meek brainless masses who NEED something to make their pathetic lives a little bit more worthwhile. Now, I'm not saying there is no God like entity, but to buy into the manmade concocted religion (in fact, religions are as diverse as the races of man, its purpose is to put a face to all that we cannot explain, it is also a powerful political device to control the masses). Hope you start questioning your beliefs and not leave everything to "faith" because it is convenient to do so.

1. Santa claus existed as a man named, or now named as Saint Nicholas.

2. The parents say themselves that todays Santa doesn't exist, unlike whoever was supposed to have made up god.

3. "Summary: Religion is for the weak and meek brainless masses who NEED something to make their pathetic lives a little bit more worthwhile. Now, I'm not saying there is no God like entity, but to buy into the manmade concocted religion (in fact, religions are as diverse as the races of man, its purpose is to put a face to all that we cannot explain, it is also a powerful political device to control the masses). Hope you start questioning your beliefs and not leave everything to "faith" because it is convenient to do so."
Atleast Christians aren't sad enough to consider themselves unimportant, unlike atheists whom think they are important even though their beliefs say the opposite.

Those who don't believe in a god think life revolves around luck, although science doesn't agree. Many atheists believe in science, it doesn't mix, science says that life revolves around reason just like religions do but atheists think it's about luck.

If purpose/reason is what the universe is about it means there must have been something or someone to spark the purpose, like a god making a reason for mans existance.

4. "I can say that I have faith that an invisible six headed reptilian creature hovers above me everyday guiding me, and you would be the wiser to argue against that, since surely you cannot DISPROVE it."
Because there is no book of it recording what this creature has done to create the universe etc it was clearly just made up by you right now, unlike Christianity which has a book recording what happened, and if you ask some other religions also have the same recordings as christianity.

5. "They've never actually seen Santa Claus (God) so why do they believe in him?" That's the most pathetic thing i've ever read on the forums EVER.
http://www.killermovies.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=357148&from=thread&pagenumber=10#post4683242

Look there for answers.

my wife's always trying to get me to read her books on Buddhism too.......she has tons of books about all religions.....learning about them is pretty much her past time. She tells me I would agree with about 90% of what it has to offer.......and she knows me best.......but then again, I wouldn't be a Buddhist. Unless I believed 100% I would merely be a person who's personal beliefs are pretty comparible to Buddhism.

Yeah I agree too.. what to say, its right. I specially think that religion could be for the weak in some sense like you masterbruce said. I think people are spiritually weak, they don´t have strong convictions of their beliefs, and don´t know how to search for a spiritual enlightment. They are spiritually insecure, so they follow any spiritual doctrine that shows up in front of them, thats because so much contradictory religious factions have many followers. They are insecure, so they can´t argue against their religion. They lack of the necessary understanding to see that God is not their religion. For me its even idolatry to say that God has a image which is religion. I´m not saying religion is wrong I like many of their thoughts, but there are some religions that are really
off topic when talking about God. They try to have monopoly on spirituality, and consider it like if it was a product which you can buy or sell.