Religion, as most will know, is a cultral universal. But why is it? It gives explainations to the unexplainable things. It motivates followers to survive. What one needs to understand is that religion is there for just those few purposes. But as we learn more about the world around us, more questions are answered. As more questions are answered, less are being asked. Making people less likely to believe in a religion, in my opinion. Religion has 3 major reasons for existing. Social cohesion, Social control, and emotional support. It is there to keep us together, keep us in line, and help us cope with guilt and hardships. These 3 things are why religion is a good thing. But do not consume your life around it, or else it goes bad. Most people today are monotheistic. People tend to look down on other religions that are polytheistic, animism, and sometimes even ethicalism. This is when you take it to far. All of these religion types serve the same purpose. I myself have an ethicalism view of a polytheistic belief. People often prejudge me on that. Yet, look at yourself before you do judge, if you do judge. When religion is put in the hands of fundamentalists, we get the catholic church in the middle ages. That isnt right.

Religions serve a good purpose, but do not take it to far. Do not use your religion to destroy the rights of others. Do not use your religion to justify actions that you are wrong. Learn what you can. Become intellegent. Religion is there to comfort, and to guide you. It is not there to take over you.

Religions are good, but do not let them get out of hand so far to hurt others.

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Do not believe out of fear, or for the fact you grew up in a religon. Believe what your heart tells you is right.
-C. Payette

Also I would like to add that taking beliefs to extremes can lead you to events such as the Jim Jones mass suicide of 900+ people.

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Do not believe out of fear, or for the fact you grew up in a religon. Believe what your heart tells you is right.
-C. Payette

It all boils down to being a fool; a fool and his money are some party.

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I shall continue to be an impossible person as long as those who are now possible remain possible.
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Religion is man`s attempt to work his way in to heaven,and bypass Jesus
Christ,and his work on the cross at Calvary,and God (Jesus Christ) hates
religion ,its a bureaucracy.

God also tells us in His Word ( the bible) " The fool has said in his heart,There is no God." (Psalm14:1)

If atheists do not believe in God,why do they take his name in vain when
they curse,why not Budda,Confucious, or any one else but God ???

It's a cultural thing. Christianity and Judaism were dominant in Western culture, so curses in the West tend to involve icons of those religions. An interesting question might be, do Chinese atheists curse Buddha? Probably.

Here's an even more interesting question: Can one can be Buddhist or Confucian and still be an atheist? Because neither of those belief systems involve an actual God.

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Man up.

Here's another question for you, Raytri. Why would an avowed atheist ask for your prayers in a time of crisis? Or offer them?

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"Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves." ~Ronald Reagan

Hedging their bets?

Figure of speech?

They're not as atheist as they think?

You'd have to ask them. But don't overlook the power of cultural norms. I'm agnostic, yet I take some God's name in vain when I hit my thumb with a hammer. Sometimes I invoke Christ as well.

Although my usual profanity when I do something dumb like that is "f*ck me!" I believe in placing the blame where it belongs.

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Man up.