Any group that worships, well, anything. (God,Ganeshe, Yahewa, Golden Calf, Satan, Bill Gates, The Beatles, etc...)
Oh, and for MANY of the above posts...
Buddhism is a philosophy, and historically, unless I'm extremely uneducated, hasn't caused any harm. It's a nonviolent group. Oh, and for those who DO consider it a religion... well, you're obviously grossly uneducated in buddhism, and should probably read up on it before judging it.
For some reason, I get the impression that none of the religion-smashers here have even read any religious texts, instead choosing to be atheist because it's trendy instead observing all the evidence and making a philosophical choice.
Oh, and for MANY of the above posts...
Buddhism is a philosophy, and historically, unless I'm extremely uneducated, hasn't caused any harm. It's a nonviolent group. Oh, and for those who DO consider it a religion... well, you're obviously grossly uneducated in buddhism, and should probably read up on it before judging it.
For some reason, I get the impression that none of the religion-smashers here have even read any religious texts, instead choosing to be atheist because it's trendy instead observing all the evidence and making a philosophical choice.
Majority of Above Posters: Religion sucks! Down with Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc...!
Me: *walks up, draws a Hitler moustache on them, walks away* Enjoy your book-burning.
Me: *walks up, draws a Hitler moustache on them, walks away* Enjoy your book-burning.
by Foret March 31, 2005
by vvlad June 13, 2006
Most cults through out history failed, those which succeeded and reached political power became a "religion".
All their representatives messed up history to their own advantage to be rememebred in a certain way, then again they are needed to preserve a form of hierarchy in society to prevent chaos and give people with weak self esteem some sort of comfort to questions such as "what is my goal in life" or "where do we go after we die". All promise heaven, or something like it, since humans are so greedy and need something in return to behave the way each cult/religion asks. The simplest reason of all, people feel lost and need a guide, and since few have a certain degree of self control and self discipline they actualy need a Book to differ/tell what is right from wrong.
All their representatives messed up history to their own advantage to be rememebred in a certain way, then again they are needed to preserve a form of hierarchy in society to prevent chaos and give people with weak self esteem some sort of comfort to questions such as "what is my goal in life" or "where do we go after we die". All promise heaven, or something like it, since humans are so greedy and need something in return to behave the way each cult/religion asks. The simplest reason of all, people feel lost and need a guide, and since few have a certain degree of self control and self discipline they actualy need a Book to differ/tell what is right from wrong.
Judaism's Kingdom of David, Islamic Empire, Christian Holy Roman Empire, Buddhist advisors to Chinese Emperors, Shinto Samurais ruling Japanese territories, just keep looking around you All their representatives messed up history to their own advantage
by Doodeh May 5, 2005
A belief system lacking in logic. Denies in some shape or form hard-to-accept facts, such as death, chance, and chaos. Often includes rituals and rules. Frequently abused by authorities to keep the masses under control. Includes shamanism, monotheism, henotheism, etc. Often the source of bad decisions.
The Scandinavians starved themselves to death by not learning from the pagan natives how to survive in Greenland.
Members of the Panawave Laboratory believe their leader is dying from communist microwaves attacks.
Members of the Panawave Laboratory believe their leader is dying from communist microwaves attacks.
by Tom November 20, 2003
Religion is for weak-minded people who can't think for themselves and need an readily avalible scape-goat so the don't have to take the blame. Also the cause of war and hate in mankind. A scam to make the peole of the "church" rich.
by yin-yang August 6, 2003
A man once said 'Religion is a tool the Devil uses to play man against himself'. Try not to take the 'Devil' part to seriously and imagine the Devil as a force and how the 'Devil' plays on emotions like insecurity. All religions believe they are right and all the other thousands of religions are wrong, the more people that believe in a certain religion the more they all feel they are right eg: if there was a religion with say only 5 members everyone would laugh there beliefs off without question but the more people that believe in something the more it is taken as genuine. Now when a large number of people believe in something different to what another large number of people believe it makes them feel insecure in the way of making them feel there might be a chance they might not be right. This is why you get religious wars, if the opposing people wont believe in what you do then you kill them and with them out of the way and no more opposing views, you feel secure again also a lot of religions recruit with fear eg: Catholics use the fear of hell and tell people that if you dont believe in what they do that is where you are going and they tell Catholic childern this from a very young age in an attempt to stop them from leaving the religion in later life. This is what has happened throughout history and will continue to happen if religion exists although a lot of religious poeple dont feel thretened by others there will always be the insecure ones that cant stand people believing in things they do, people should be able to believe in what they want as long as there a good person, people should be able to look at life and make there own decisions on what they want to believe, and kids should certainly not be brought up with there parents telling them what to believe, sure there parents can tell them what they believe but at the same time tell them they can believe whatever they want to believe in as long as they are a good person. Just remember most religions are nearly identical in there morals eg peace, love, charity etc its just the different ways of worship that divide them, and these are what calls all the wars which is so stupid if you think about it and worship is what devines a religion, so if you take out worship what do you have: 'Good Morals'. Religious people need to take there living morals seriously but have a less intense and serious approach to worship or things like: what happens when you die, is god a man or is god a not of sex, was Jesus really the sun of God or was he a prophet, none of these things really matter on a day to day basis its the living morals that really count.
Physicist and Nobel prizewinner Stephen Weinberg describes religion as an insult to human dignity. 'Without it,' he says, 'you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, it takes religion.'. It is more moral, he says, to do good for its own sake than out of fear. Morality, he says, is older than religion, and kindness and generosity are innate in human beings, as they are in other social animals. The irony is that science recognises the majesty and complexity of the universe while religions lead to easy, closed answers.
by Nemesis June 14, 2006
A politically correct label for an organized group where people believe in some supernatural occurrences controlled by a supernatural being. Often is used for political gain and profit. Draws boundaries to all understanding.
Freedom of religion exists, but if you want to be president of the U.S.A., you'll be favored to win over almost anyone if you're Protestant.
by Ze March 12, 2005