better?

The point being that nobody goes out into a vacuum, does independant research, and comes up with a story that mirrors the bible's explanation for the formation of the universe. Someone presents this particular story to you at some point and you either buy it, or you don't. The rest is downhill in either direction.

I wanna know why no one finds Santa late in life.

People need belief systems, they provide a structured system of reinforcement that help guide thought and behaviour. Why people choose or gravitate towards belief systems that include the worship of a powerful deity is probably a consequence of how our brains are structured i.e. we possess self-consciousness as such we're aware of our own mortality, we question meaning, and occasionally in extraordinary circumstances (extreme physiological situations, epilepsy, drugs) we feel we are one with the universe (aka cosmic consciousness) and we know we're not alone and that someone is watching over us.

You've, in a sense, describe cultural reproduction... which in itself does nothing to diminish the "power" of religion....

Everything is a story you believe, a narrative that helps you understand your experience. "Religious people are not rational." "Religion is responsible for wars." "I shouldn't fuck around on my wife." "Big govenment erodes individual liberties." "White people control dialogue in the public sphere."

All stories we tell each other, tell ourselves, to arrange phenomena is some way we can understand.

After agreeing that culture/stories proscribe the language of making sense of our experience, a deeper reflection is needed on the root, the impact, the efficacy, and generative power of those stories. Which ultimately I think you are arguing for...

or more accurately "would be arguing for," if I cared enough to try I guess. It's interesting, and to the degree that it stimulates thoughts and posits like yours I enjoy it. It's one of the board's charms. But I don't want to change anyone's mind, and unfortunately I'm pretty sure I already understand the other viewpoint pretty well. Really it's just an intersting way to pass the time, that sometimes yields surprises (good and bad).

That's really good.

"Worship leaders want to break it down for a moment"

That site. Is. Amazing.


In His service,
pussydick_taco

The English Major/philosopher in me applauds this post.

This reminds me of those silly Christian girls who cop it up the gary glitter just to preserve their virginity.

Jesus Christ. It's just unfathomable, but it happens all the time.

to be fair, that graphic is from landover baptist church, the merry pranksters that gave us these gems:

haha - what's he got in his hand?

Cigar?

Oh, now I see the smoke.

sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

and sometimes christians stick it in a vagina

. . . which bring to mind Mythology, the source of all religions, as useful now as it was then. And you know, human nature has a hard time of breaking the shower, rinse, repeat course of history. It amazes me how much those stories of forbidden recycle in actual occurrence; how far have we come or ever will?

Mainly because they want eternal life. That's essentially it. Want and Hope are powerful things....but just because you want or hope in something doesn't necessarily make it true.

i'd have this tattooed on my knuckles if i had 28 fingers...so true


now let that sink in a little...

Oh this is essentially it, huh? Man you've got it all figured out, don't you.

People couldn't possible come to embrace any religious belief as a means of finding fulfillment in this life? I mean, you seem to have a clear window into the motivations of all human beings so I don't mean to question you.

That's the pay off. How many people would embrace christianity without the concept of Heaven?

I find it sad that some people need religion to find fulfillment in life.

Certainly not as many, but I don't think it's fair to necessarily to reduce it to that as the "essence" of why people decide to follow a certain belief system.



People do all sorts of sad shit to try and make themselves happy. I don't think religion would come close to topping my list of what I would consider to be the saddest.