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What is it that makes religion so attractive to many people? - -

According to Tim Crane in his book "The Meaning of belief", the religious world-view should be seen as a combination of two fundamental attitudes:

(A.) the "religious impulse". That is a sense of the transcendent, of there being "more to it all than just this.” It is the desire to transcend the own little, fragile and evanescent life towards something that is "bigger", more stable, more meaningful, and to live one's life in harmony with the transcendent (whether it is called god or the "divine order" or whatever.)

(B.)"identification" : To be religious is more than subscribing to a set of propositions, tenets, dogmas; it is an integral part of one's identity. "Identification" refers to the the fact that religions are inherently social institutions; that, as the famous French sociologist Durkheim said, one does not just believe in a religion, one belongs to it.
Identification means to belong to a historical tradition, and making sense of the world through ritual and custom as an expression of this tradition. (This includes the moral element in religious belief too.)

Matias 8 Aug 31
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17 comments

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Life is meaningless, worthless, pointless and useless - the life of the whole human race is worth the same as the life of one ant - and that is nothing - but it's okay - it is better to be real than to abandon sanity - just dance to reality, like zorba the greek - laugh with reality - religion is the triumph of wish over realism - don't go there - it is shameful to abandon reason in order to belong - stand alone as far as you have to - life is glorious if you have enough beer - the ancient egyptian idea of heaven was drinking beer with friends - and being ever lighthearted - be lighthearted through everything life throws at you - that is how to win the game of this life

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Yep.
Pattern recognition (true or false).
Feeling of confort from having a cosmic nanny that enforces clear and easy to understand rules.
Feeling of confort from having a community around you.

We are hardwired for those 3 things as we survived and evolved to act in groups.

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I see it as the need to fit in. The human animal has a need to conform to the norms of general society. I find patriotism, having children, and getting married to be the same way.too many people never truly examine their feelings, and what is right for them as an individual,and just go with the flow. Life is indeed a bit more difficult when you're a non-conformist.

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Well, i see it as a kind of mental and even moral (loaded word) laziness. people like religion because it relieves them from having to think for themselves.

g

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My husband used to attend churches and youth groups when he was a kid just to meet girls there if he saw any cute ones. Their family was always more accepting if their daughters had met him in church. He is an atheist by the way and has been he says for as long as he can remember.

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We humans all would love to have a strong, powerful, protecting, loving father, who would right all wrongs and who loves us no matter what. *The stories are lovely, mystical, and appealing to humans . They make us feel safe, give us hope and solace both. I wish I believed these things were all true, but my intelligence and education and experience make it impossible for me to believe in any religion doctrine.

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Religion is simply just a glee club!

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You are Brainwashed from Numero Uno day of Existence along with your racial identity, sex and the ability to think out of the Box that they have put you into. Which is why he have found this site. We have an awakening exprerience that was brought about by the Protestant Reformation which is one of the most Christian Statements ever written into History.

@Matias I don't know how that happens and when I catch it I usually delete one. I also used the improper declention of "you" which was meant to be "We" I will be more aware of these inadvertent remarks in the future. I am not on this website to attack anyone or belittle anyone in any way. Thank you for making me more cognizant of how my posts appear and I will be more careful in the future.

1

When my boyfriend died, I felt like if I died, I might be able to meet up with him. I know it's not true bit I wanted it so bad. When he was in a coma I told him I would see him on the other side. He was a Christian but really didn't practice religion. I still feel that way in my heart. If there's anything that would make me believe in an after life or reincarnation, it would be the sense that I will some day reunite with people I love and live forever. I think many feel the same.

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The part where you feel socially accepted (most major religions anyways). A sense of purpose. The promise that you will live forever rather than just decomposing as worm food. If for some reason you aren't the first in church in the front row on sunday, they think you are a bad person.

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The sick , the poor , the broken and the fearful will most likely always need a protector , a savier , someone to blame for own short comings / choices , and something to hope and believe that their life and ego will not end ever .. and if they try really really really hard to please big daddy , rewards as heaven is waiting for them .
Not believing in gods , karma , whatever , is a luxury . I truly believe this . Is not for everyone , in order to afford such position and life road u must really understand self , potentials , short comings , and u can't be lazy or a drama queen . My opinion of course .

2

My view is simplistic....some people really need guidelines. Someone to always be there to tell them how to behave and to be sure they know what is and is not a sin. Chains. No free thought and no free will.

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I think it is a fear of death.

When man became sentient and self aware he had two big questions. Where did I come from? Where am I going to? Religion became the answers. Where did I come from? The creation and since you have to have someone to create, god(s) created mankind. Where am I going, death can not be the final stage, fear of death added to religion, "there must be more".

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There must be survival value to the religious impulse, and to organized religious groups also, otherwise they’d have died out long ago, or never started.

So far as the religious impulse, I think that awareness, appreciation, and reverence for the great miracle of existence lends the keenest of motivation to survive and live well.

Organized, tightly bound groups are more likely to survive in difficult times than isolated individuals. It probably doesn’t even matter what they claim to believe—it’s just the structure that gives security.

It all has purpose, or had purpose, and there’s nothing to be gained through harsh condemnation or a judgmental attitude toward human history.

2

In my opinion it is more indoctrination and brainwashing from infant to adult with geography and tribalism playing a major part.

Agree....and don’t forget all the money to be had by the institution.

0

Why transcend if you are happy and amazed with this life? To transcend is to chose door number 2, because you don't like what you have. Learn to love what you have and leave religion to the sellouts!

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Why transcend if you are happy and amazed with this life? To transcend is to chose door number 2, because you don't like what you have. Learn to love what you have and leave religion to the sellouts!

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