The background to most threads.

[Pavlo]

Have you guys noticed that most threads in some way, directly or indirectly relate to religion? Including this one.
Think there is something causing this? People just seem to rely on religion to explain the unexplainable.
Every thread made about some either wierd or common topic ends up being related to religion. I think religion is the main philosophizing topic as we can relate almost everything to it, and we do.
This leads to the conclusion (to me at least) that people need religion, just like the people 5000 years ago. People have religions to make life a little easier, relieve some of stress and blame some of the problems on the higher power, what ever it is.
Just found this wierd, and if my words don't make perfect sense I'll rephrase some of this stuff after I get some sleep.
Good Night.

[Moppie]

Its because 99% of the people on this forum don't know the difference between philosophy and theology.

[ct91rs]

Originally Posted by Pavlo

People have religions to make life a little easier, relieve some of stress and blame some of the problems on the higher power, what ever it is.

I will not speak for every major religion, but I will tell you that belief in Jesus Christ is not at all about making your life easier. Jesus told us to deny ourselves and pick up our cross daily. He said that his disciples would be persecuted, ridiculed, and misunderstood, just as He was. Being a "Christian" in the true sense of the word, does not make one's life easier. Belief in Christ gives your life purpose, meaning, and hope.

[MagicRat]

Originally Posted by Pavlo

Have you guys noticed that most threads in some way, directly or indirectly relate to religion? .

I hope you mean most philosophizing threads at AF. It would be hard to believe my last thread I started on a 1980 Camaro is related to religion............ although some people here believe in the Church of the Z-28...............

[thrasher]

How do you explain things about the world that you don't understand? It's either science, or religion. Most people lack either the capacity or desire to explore the world empirically, so they rely on their faith to guide them. Life is a whole lot easier if you can just release your problems and stress, attributing them to a symbolic god. It's been that found that humans who are religious tend to live longer for exactly that reason, they are more able to release their stress and decrease anxiety, which over a long period of time actually increases your life span. It would make sense then that religious belief is adaptive, and thus is highly prevalent in today's societies. As we begin to understand the world more and more, I think you will find a decrease in religious belief and worship, a trend that has been occurring and will likely continue.

[Pavlo]

Originally Posted by MagicRat

I hope you mean most philosophizing threads at AF. It would be hard to believe my last thread I started on a 1980 Camaro is related to religion............ although some people here believe in the Church of the Z-28...............

Haha, yeah I ment philosophizing section.

thrasher, I am completely with you on your reasoning. That pretty much how I think of religion in general.

[Moppie]

Originally Posted by potsdamcartel

what is philosophy?
just a bunch of suggestions on how to live right?

No.

The literal translation is "Love of Knowledge".

It can be a theory on how to live, or it can be a theory about the existance of sticky green tea ice cream.

[BigBL87]

Originally Posted by thrasher

How do you explain things about the world that you don't understand? It's either science, or religion. Most people lack either the capacity or desire to explore the world empirically, so they rely on their faith to guide them. Life is a whole lot easier if you can just release your problems and stress, attributing them to a symbolic god. It's been that found that humans who are religious tend to live longer for exactly that reason, they are more able to release their stress and decrease anxiety, which over a long period of time actually increases your life span. It would make sense then that religious belief is adaptive, and thus is highly prevalent in today's societies. As we begin to understand the world more and more, I think you will find a decrease in religious belief and worship, a trend that has been occurring and will likely continue.

I'm very interested in science and history, and at the same time I am a devoted Christian, so thats not the only reason that people turn to faith. Some of the greatest scientists ever were Christians, and some people see a supreme being being the most logical explanation. Religion should be adaptive on some things, but at the same time it should not be adaptive on its core beliefs, and thats something that i see as a problem becoming more prevalent in the modern church. I also agree that there is a decrease in religious belief and worship, and it kind of scares me. When you look back at history, many of the greatest empires/powers in history started out with a strong religious faith, or at least a belief in Gods (Egypt, Romans, Greeks, even the Japanese to a point), and when they began to fall away from their faith was when the powers began to decline. Just something that I realized in a class discussion. Anyway, any well-educated theologan should at the same time be a good philosopher, so it doesn't surprise me that alot of the discussion centers around religion here.