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Magic-Al2

Evolution is based on survival of the fittest and those beings that develop better ways to survive do survive. This is just a theory but it would explain the tendencies toward the spiritual in all societies. It has been shown that people that pray have better chances than those who don't, regardless for the religion. I think this is an effect of the mind, perhaps some sort of self-healing mode. It’s shown by Eastern Yogis and Monks that the body can be controlled by the mind more directly than we think. Perhaps the acts of concentration and devotion in all religions have some sort of Placebo healing power. What I'm saying is that maybe Spirituality is an evolved survival technique. Which makes sense since all traits according to evolution should be based on increasing survival.

Maybe I'm just a pothead but it seems to be very likely...

 

pipe

While I definetely agree that increased spirituality translates into a healthier lifestyle, I think that submittal to any form of organized religion has the potential to be deconstructive to the human spirit.
For proof of that, just take a look at your history textbook.
The societies that have lasted the longest have been deeply rooted in spirituality, but not in widespread, emotionally harmful organized religion.
Empires from China and India and the middle east - producers of easily the most successful, productive, philiosophical intellectuals the world has ever seen - relied on loose forms of spirituality that accepted the use of certain psychoactives (like weed) and relied more on the expansion and strengthening of mind and soul instead of "sins" like most white european religions.

Keep in mind that Christianity, Judiasm and its variants have produced the society we live in today (we meaning those of us in the US), which is full of depressed and forgotten teens, alcohol-junkie parents, and millions of other troubled people. The socities that formed around more unconventional (at least in a european sense) "religions" gave birth to a much more varied array of philosophy and intellectual achievements than ones based around euro-religions. Just look at the brilliant philosophers of ancient greece - their intelligence and wisedom is STILL unmatched even after thousands of years.

Christianity and its variations have a stranglehold on euro/american politics, and this is why the world is in the ****ty position its in today.

Also I don't think I agree with you that "people who pray are healthier", some of the least healthy people I know pray several times a day. They're called Catholics. SPIRITUALITY gives us life, gives us purpose, makes us question who we are...organized european religion just restricts us and is poison for the soul.

I really wandered off there, but hey, I'm stoned.

bonghits4christ

Are you calling Christianity, Judaism, and Islam euro-religions because they are upheld by them, or because they started in europe? I would call it western religion, just cuz euro sounds like as if the religions were crafted from the hands of a particular ethnicity. I know I sound anal in all my posts, but I'm just suggesting, please don't take me too seriously.


Peace out.

BH4C

pipe

Actually I totally agree, I most definetely should have refered to them as Western. I know it might sound a bit pointless, and, as you said, anal, to make such small changes in vocabulary....but words are the medium by which we express our thoughts, to precise vocabulary (even if its just 1 little word) is extremely important in accurately communicating ideas. Western is definetely what I was going for.

Donno why I didn't say that in the first place....



....Oh right, I was stoned stupid

bonghits4christ

Exactly, yeah, I'm glad you didn't get mad or anything. I totally know what you meant, I was just trying to make sure....smoke on buddy.

Peace out.

BH4C

 

thrashnor

religion also breeds hate, and it spreads like fire. remember the crusades, and for the most part, the missionaries? we can't let that happen again.

pipe

Agreed. The crusades were a terrible display of needless violence, the sort that Western religion tends to breed. Give me ancient Chinese religions and philosophies over western religion anyday; their ideals were grounded in reason and logic instead of blood spilled in the name of a fictional character...

goodgirl

Moved to Spiritual Aspects

__________________
"Sometimes being a bitch is all you have to hold onto." ~Dolores Claiborne

bonghits4christ

Yeah I also agree. But I also believe that eastern religions should not be excluded. It goes all ways. Christianity, is the most popular for its dark side, because of the ignorance of the spanish inquisition and the pure arrogant evil that sprouted the war of the crusades. But hey the buddhists killed Christians, the boxer rebellion. Hindus kill buddhists near nepal. Muslims in malaysia kill people who use recreational drugs, and Christians who are armenian. No one religion has a darker side than another. Shame on all nations and religion. I don't follow a religion, only my faith in Christ, so I am free of being accused.

pipe

Hrm lemme see if I have this straight...

You think you can't be attacked for following any religion since you say you don't follow the guidelines of any one religion...yet you pray to the god idolized by the most murderous religion mankind has ever known? Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that akin to saying you hate Nazis, but Hitler is your hero?

I don't mean to attack anyone's beliefs, I just have trouble understanding hypocrisy.

Religion is an outdated concept whose time has passed. It made perfect sense to praise gods back in a time when we needed an explanation for lightning, death, and the stars. But now we've evolved to the point where religion is nothing but an outdated convention, and all it serves to do is split us up even MORE than we already are by adding yet another label to categorize us by.

We already have skin color, nationality, music prefered, sexuality, etc etc...do we really need yet another label to divide us? Its one thing to be in close contact with your roots, its another to dedicate your life to a system of values that preach hypocrisy, discrimination, and restrain freedom and acceptance of varied cultures and ideas.

The majority of people who embrace Western religion are emotionally troubled and looking for a quick-fix, a promise of something good that they will be rewarded with later on, or just something to believe in. I hate generalizing, but to embrace a fictional character and his fruity little book to the point where you deprive your life of meaning (in fear of sinning, or breaking the Ten Commandments, or making Priest Jackoff angry) is just stupid. There's better things to do than embrace a system that discrimantes and causes widespread repression of feelings.