Mosesquine wrote:Religions are not concerned with truth. Religions are invented by leaders to control people. Those who want to find the truths should look into science. Philosophy is a part of science, like physics, biology, chemistry, etc.
Isn't death and mortality the only certainty and a sure truth! Science is definitely useful but it merely polished conjecturals -Popper.
-- Updated Sat May 06, 2017 12:48 am to add the following --
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Greta
Greta wrote:It's hard to know what is most fearful.
Many say that obliteration at the end of life would be welcome - if you experience nothing t
Anyway, I think most human activities are aimed towards feeling safe or happy.
Why 'feeling safe'? It is none other than ultimately to avoid death [at least till the inevitable]. 'Happiness' is basically related to matters of procreation and assurance of survival [at least till the inevitable].
There are two main categories relating to the fear of death, i.e.
1. The conscious fear of the threat of death
2. The unconscious or subliminal primal fear pulsating within depths of the mind.
- 1. The conscious fear of the threat of death
As programmed, all humans would fear the threat of death consciously, but for all humans such a conscious fear of death is also inhibited and suppressed most of the time so that humans can function consciously.
Any one who has a constant fear of death at the conscious level would relatively be considered psychologically and mentally sick, which is Thanatophobia. Those who has such a sickness should seek psychiatric help.
2. The unconscious or subliminal primal fear pulsating within depths of the mind.
It is no doubt the threat of death generate fears but as in 1 above this fact of life is inhibited and suppressed at the conscious level but not at the subconscious level.
It is also a known fact what is activated at the subconscious [subliminal] level will manifest itself [most of the time] [more compelling] in various forms without the experiencer understanding/knowing its root causes.
This subliminal fear of death in combination with self-consciousness generate a suppressed form of cognitive dissonance and existential crisis brewing at the basement of the mind. This terrible dissonance is often manifest as angst, anxieties, worries, mental pains, lost, helplessness, despairs, psychological tremblings. pangs, etc. at the conscious level. Such terrible feelings are like an itch where one cannot find the exact spot to scratch.
However the majority has naturally veered [driven] toward a psychological balm, i.e. religions to soothe this terrible angst. Believe [god, etc.] and viola the pangs of angst suddenly disappear.
Thus the OP "Fear of Death" [inhibited as a subliminal angst] is THE Primary Motivator of Religions.
With the advent of religions, they are open to abuse by others for various purposes [political [control of the masses], social, economics, romance, love, money, etc.] but these are secondary motivators not the primary motivator [OP].
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-1-
-1- wrote:Religions serve many purposes, one has been noted already, the social / spiritual aiding of the ruling class, which dictates the codes of behaviour -- both for the rulers and for the oppressed ones.
Note my explanation above.
It is the subliminal existential crisis arising out of the suppressed fear of death that is THE primary motivating factor that drive the majority toward religions. Religion is the ultimate root cause.
The points you proposed above are merely secondary factors.
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Present awareness
Present awareness wrote:... ... It may be preferable to live a lifetime of faith, even if wrong, then to live a lifetime of fear, even if right. ... ...
You got a point here but it is not complete for humanity in going forward in the future.
It is very rational to cling to something even if it a lie, delusions, fantasy, etc. as long it
provide relief to the VERY terrible existential crisis gnawing like a worm from the depth of the human psyche. This is the pro of religion. As long as one keep their religion private and personal there is no issue to humanity.
But the reality is religions [especially the Abrahamic ones, notably Islam] stretch itself into the public sphere, infringe on the rights of others and it is a potential to exterminate the human species.
With such a terrible threat to the survival of the human species, therefore it is critical humanity trace all the evils committed by SOME believers to its ultimate root causes, i.e. the 'subliminal fear of death' and the evil elements within the holy texts of the religion [part of]. This is effective problem solving on the ultimate root causes in contrast of fire-fighting the secondary causes.
Not-a-theist. Religion is a critical necessity for humanity now, but not the FUTURE.