Religion. People decided to worship deities that they believed made and/or controlled their world. Most early religions can be disproved by science, such as the ancient Egypt's Sun God. They were just trying to explain what they did not understand.
But I don't think enough people today question Christianity. It was made, I think, to explain why the world is how it is, to set rules for people to live by, and most importantly to inspire fear in people so that they can be easily managed. Think about it. Churches try to make people believe in a Hell that awaits them if they do not follow the church and obey it. Catholicism, especially (I think I am Catholic, so don't bother yelling at me for insulting them). People fear death, and the churches offer them the belief of a good afterlife if they give the church money and follow all of its little rules. They also make people believe that death will lead to everlasting pain and suffering id they do not follow the church. Look at the Spanish Inquisition, for instance. Or the Crusades. How many people were tortured and killed for not following the "correct church?" Charles Darwin feared the churches because his scientific evidence did not correspond with the church. The church writes history. The church dictates the laws of nature. The church has its own rules. The church takes your money.
Whether or not there is a God, and regardless of whether Christianity is correct about Him, these churches are a plague on society.

Now to sit back and be violently opposed by everyone on PTF besides TSL.

Why would everybody on PTF oppose you violently over this besides TSL?

The God thread. Just about everyone except me and TSL believes in a God.

But on different levels and, with that said, the opinion you shared isn't controversial enough to me to warrant violent opposition. Not that I give anybody the satisfaction of that. I can't really see this getting violent responses either but maybe.

You're part of a growing group of people who think that the church/organized religion brainwash adults and children. And that's fine, because it can and more often than not, does.

This post is irrelevant if you want it to be.

Churches were a plague on society. I see you've typed up some common misunderstandings as well.

Um, I haven't been in a Church that (directly) says "Pray and pay so you don't go to Hell!" So could you indulge me in the examples that say it indirectly? I'd like to be more aware of more things in the Church.

Once again, I haven't encountered a Church that does this. I'm specifically Roman Catholic, so it may not be as "shove-it-down-your-throat" attitude as others. My churches (the ones I've experienced for years in my life) taught not to fear death. "You're going to be with God." It's kinda the complete opposite of what you're describing. If I may, would you please share you're specific form of Christianity?

If, replacing the "id." Yes, well, once again, and this is the last time I'm going to say that line, this isn't what we learn. What do you mean by "follow the church?" As in their encouragement to read the bible or pray the rosary or something? I'm pretty confused.

I only know much about 2 subjects out of this. Darwin and the Crusades. Especially the Crusades. The corrupt pope uniting "Christianity" and reclaiming Jerusalem. We are once again told about the Crusades because that was corruption. Priests and Bishops in the past were more concerned with their land, indulgences, and armies more than their "duty as holy followers." I'm guessing we're taught this because we will not make the same mistake. The Church WAS a plague on society, and it was in that whole, vast time period. Things change. I can't really think of the church controlling some issues these days (they do, however, influence the authenticity of gay marriage, IMO).

Of course there's a lot of things questionable. That led to the Reformation. The church made up a bunch of rituals, Martin Luther wondered where the Hell they came up with it, and wanted reform. And the rules. Those rules the "church" set. How often are they followed... these rules are probably the Ten Commandments. Who the Hell in the world doesn't steal (i bet a ton of people has downloaded a song illegally) , say "the Lord's name in vain" (in fact, the only people that do it are Catholics. IRONIC), visit church every Sunday, and so on?
The priest that spoke the homily in my church was very interesting. He talked about the common misunderstandings of the other people and religions, but mostly the misunderstandings of the followers themselves. Like, a family who skipped Church on a Sunday would "repent" by going to church for the rest of the week, or putting in extra money in the collection for a better week, as if telling God, "I put in more money, so something good better happen to me" and if they mess up a prayer, they would start over again, thinking it wouldn't have an effect since one mispronounces a word. I was pretty amazed.

Think about it, the church says "if you're truly sorry, then you're forgiven" and God's mercy is never ending. Turn that around and you have "go and reconcile or you're going to Hell." I'm not with the latter, but I'm with the Church.

It's been a while since I've written this much...

well without the "you are going to be with god" thing, you would fear death. So yes, people do fear death, and the church comforts them with that saying there will be good life afterwards. And no, churches do not blatantly do all of this, because if they did, people wouldnt buy it. They arent stupid, and that's a fact. Those are simply my beliefs. I think that the church plays on people's fears to get what they want. Think of the amount of untaxed money the catholic church takes in yearly. only a fraction of that actually goes into "charitable" things

And apparently this plagues society.

I'm saying that all religions are is something to explain what you are afraid of. When you fear nothing, there is no need for religion.

how was it disproved? the Sun plays a pivotal part in our existence, they knew this and worshiped it for helping to nourish all life, how is that not the power of a God? any warmer or colder and we cannot live

as i've stated many times before, i believe you are a God, and you are the only one who can control any truths in your reality, in your universe. by that thinking, if you choose to conform to religion and follow its teachings thats fine, most church going people are kind and gentle and are just looking for an answer, and whatever answer they find is whats their truth.

the problems with organized religion is just that, its organized and at the top are the people who feel they are the church and as so use their truths in the religion...an example would be Christianity and The Bible, which being written by man, cannot escape prejudices held by the men who wrote the copies, remember that during those times, it had to be written by hand and so things could've easily been changed around...like down playing the role of women, or making Jesus white with flowing locks of hair

i personally believe in the power of the universe, and i believe that the key to unlock the secrets of the universe lie within all of us. is it not possible that inside of the tiniest atom in our genetic make up doesn't contain a universe such as ours? how do we know our universe isn't inside of an atom of another humanoid in another alternate reality and time? how do we know whats possible and whats not? who are humans to decide any celestial apparitions without a guide showing them the way? i don't think a guide can speak to you through a book, i believe it has to be more hands on

<b>

These symptoms suggested that our evolution, i suppose, from the animal kingdom
Into the human kingdom itself was catalyzed, or triggered by our encounter with
These hallucenogenics, and

Yes, we are an ape with a symbiotic relationship to a mushroom, and that has
Given us self reflection, language, religion and all the spectrum of effects
That flow from these things.

And one can only wonder how these hallucinogens might effect our future
Evolution as well...

They have brought us to this point, and as we make our relationship to them
Concious, we may be able to take control of our furute evolutionary path

</b>

I'm glad there's some discussion here even though it's about something I've had to read about a million times before.

That was nice but let me agree/disagree with it at the same time. I've said a million times in my life, just seperate the bullshit in the bible and religion in general from the good stuff. Not all of it is good, not all of it is bad.
So yes, a lot of church goers are kind and gentle and are just looking for an answer, but there is a lot of ignorance and hatred spewed from church goers.

Really, the thing I don't get about what people are taught is, why can't we bend the rules? If I steal from Walmart, that's breaking a commandment, but Walmart exploits people. I have a very good friend who's quite religious and I tell her things like that all the time and it's hard for her to let it sink in.
I don't think God would be as fascist as people think, and I think he has a sense of humour but that's my own God. Yeah, I believe in God but I'm also more free than quite a few people in a lot of ways that matter.

Nothing's perfect. Christianity is a target because it shaped our laws and our civilization. It's LARGE. If people would just keep their PERSONAL BELIEFS to themselves and to others who believe in it, this conversation wouldn't exist, but that's true of a lot of things that are just ridiculous.
People who are strongly opposed to religion itself- meaning they find no qualities in it at all- are just as bad as the people who are brainwashed by it.

Does any of this have to do with anything? I don't know. I also don't even care.