[tom mccurdy]

Do you believe that religion shows that society is not developed and is more primitive than it will be?

[tom mccurdy]

http://www.physicsforums.com/showthr...765#post394765

[Robert]

It seems that religion can inspire people to do more than then they thought possible. That is, if someone believes they have the power of God in them, (for example) they will have greater confidence, drive, perseverance to do greater things. Now, I believe this ability to do great things comes from the increased confidence, drive, etc and not from any super natural being. But the religion influences these attitudes and behaviors.

As to whether this is good or bad for society, that is debatable. A person can either be inspired to do great good or wickedly evil things, all in the name of religion. If a society believes in a religion and that religion inspires in people goodness, hard work, honesty, etc. does that make a society more developed. I think it makes a society stronger in may ways. However, this may be your "religion is used to control a society" point of view, and I agree with you. The society is probably less developed in that sense.

Personally I believe that we should seek the truth wherever it may lead us. I think we face illusions every day. Historically, when we can not explain a phenomenon, we are tempted to create some imaginary god, or supernatural force to explain it. We cannot explain conscousness so we say that we must have a mind. We cannot imagine non-existance so we believe there must be a soul that survives death. Most may be illusions, however.

Good topic. I haven't checked out your link to physicsforums yet, but will do so. It will be interesting to see others opinions.

[Gil]

I believe that religion is for people that are afraid to go to "hell" and that spirituality is for people that have been there.
Religion is not a quest for "truth" it is a quest away from "truth". The reason being is that "truth" itself is non existent outside the human mind. Man creates the methods to pursue truth as they first define it. In other words, whenever one asks a question he/she already has the answer. The only thing lacking, is the method to arrive at that particular truth.
An example of this is the often quoted phrase "they're always the last to know" when it comes to a person finding out that there loved one is "messing around" on them.
Have a great day,Gil.

[Rybo]

Originally Posted by Gil I believe that religion is for people that are afraid to go to "hell" and that spirituality is for people that have been there. Religion is not a quest for "truth" it is a quest away from "truth". The reason being is that "truth" itself is non existent outside the human mind. Man creates the methods to pursue truth as they first define it. In other words, whenever one asks a question he/she already has the answer. The only thing lacking, is the method to arrive at that particular truth. An example of this is the often quoted phrase "they're always the last to know" when it comes to a person finding out that there loved one is "messing around" on them. Have a great day,Gil.

I understand where your coming from and agree mostly, but, I think that in some cases religon is like government in that is a means to bring order or find order, into a person, family or groups/clans lives.

Rybo

[Marketa]

Religion is dogma and dogma means one truth, one point of view, useful in several cases. I'm also searching for truth but it must arise from many points of view, and it should be more useful. I hope religion won't survive next century.

[AntonioLao]

the belief that this one universe we are in obeys laws that can be described by physics and mathematics. But laws based on morality and ethics do seem to transcend physical or mathematical descriptions.

If religion is the adherence of laws, only the ones derived from physics and math can be considered as universal and absolute, while the ones derived from ethics are relative to their cultural origins and can be subjected to change in time and space as witnessed through human history. Laws that vary thru time and space contain a weakest link for stability, longevity or prosperity.

[Stalky]

Originally Posted by AntonioLao the belief that this one universe we are in obeys laws that can be described by physics and mathematics. But laws based on morality and ethics do seem to transcend physical or mathematical descriptions. If religion is the adherence of laws, only the ones derived from physics and math can be considered as universal and absolute, while the ones derived from ethics are relative to their cultural origins and can be subjected to change in time and space as witnessed through human history. Laws that vary thru time and space contain a weakest link for stability, longevity or prosperity.

Math is a construct of the human mind as much as morality and ethics, it just seems more reputable because it is more basic (ei. the numbers 1,2,3 are more basic than the concept of good/evil).

Religion in a society is always used, as science is, as a way to explain the unknown. You ask the question "Where did we come from?" The spiritualist will explain that God put us here, the scientist will explain that we are a highly organised form of energy BUT the spiritualist cannot logically deny that God may have made him out of energy, nor can the scientist argue that the energy could not have been created by God!

A constructive religion suggests order in the cosmos, which encourages people to look for underlying rules (both Newton and Einstein are excellent examples of this. Their faith inspired their science.) A destructive religion encourages control and manipulation and depresses reasoned thought (i'm sure we can all think of examples here) but the same comparison can be made between open (constructive) and enchrenched (destructive) scientific dogma.

Religion, like Goverment or any other type of large scale human organisational structure, is neutral and it is the people involved and the ideas that determine it's net benefit or harm...

[davidgow77]

Religion doesn't show weakness in society per se, but it does damage society in a variety of ways when it clashes with other ways of understanding the world. One of the questions which isn't usually raised is how the religions of the world would act if a TOE explained GUT, the birth of the universe and quantum gravity etc etc without the need for a God. Would religion be able to co-exist so amiably with science if this happened, and would we see a degradation of our morals and values if such a discovery were to be made?

DG

[AntonioLao]

it is unavoidable that when it comes to know what is GOD, the descriptions were implicitly attributed with human qualities. But if these qualities are removed, there is nothing one can say or describe. GOD is beyond human rational thinking. Refusal to accept this transcendental principle (transcending human intellects) led many to say that there is no GOD, instead of admitting that the intellectual faculty is limited. One is smart but there always someone smarter. but who is the smartest? Is GOD the smartest? If one is so smart, maybe one can fool the flow of time and thus remain ageless.