Religions. How could billions be wrong?

[flobadob]

Evey now and again (usually after I've been to mass for one reason or another) I get this feeling come over me, questioning how so many people who believe in whichever God they believe in could be wrong. For example if you were to ask someone a question about something and they told you that a billion people think this is the answer to your question, then you would probably accept the answer that is given.

Why then can I feel so sure that the billions who testify to the reality of a God are wrong? Or do I even? Confused sometimes.

[sandyRoe]

If a religious belief helps someone through life who's to say that it is wrong?

[Hopkirk]

Only one religion can beright, so the majority of people are wrong.

Therefore you would be making a mistake to believe just because millions do.

[starone]

Voltaire said "If there were no God it would have been necessary to invent him" .

[birdie1971]

Before Nicolaus Copernicus realised that the Earth was not at the centre of the universe, the accepted wisdom was that this was the case. Millions of people believed that the Earth was at the centre as it is self evident – from an observer stationed on the Earth, everything else in the universe seems to revolve around us. It is self evident and it is utterly wrong.

In 1796, a Frenchman by the name of Georges Cuvier, wrote a book called, “Notes on the Species of Living and Fossil Elephants”. In this book, for the first time ever, was the theory of animal extinctions put forward. Prior to this scholarly work, it was almost universally believed that no animal species ever entirely died out. The rationale behind this thinking was: to what end would God create a species only to wipe them out later? It was uncomfortable for religious minds to contemplate a capricious God who could arbitrarily extinguish one of His creations. We now know that species do indeed become extinct.

The number of people who believe in an idea has no bearing on the validity of that idea. When someone says, “Well, millions of people can't be wrong”, the correct response should be, “Yes they can. They have been before, are today and will be in the future.”.

[joko]

because its not really a question.
nor does it have an actual answer.

its just a belief ...with no facts at all...

[wildwood]

Because religion is an easy to accept concept to explain the existence of not only Earth, but also the Universe. Humans, being what we are, will grasp at apparently logical explanations for the complexities of life. A few hundred years ago even the scoundrels and thiefs would believe in religion. Nowadays, as our knowledge evolves further, we question the improbabilities and general ecclesiastical teachings of religions. "Because God does this for a reason' is no longer an acceptable explanation for the natural multi fatality tragedies and human perpetrated atrocities.

[joko]

true wildwood...people were much less educated and less intelligent when religion first appeared and were easy to convince - they had little way of disproving anything, and also easy to fill with fear...id say also pretty gullible

if religion had first ever appeared in the 21st century it would not catch on...it would get laughed off and thought crazy - much like cults are now

[trt]

If its true there is a God/Gods, how can he/she cause so many problems between different Country's?

I have read some of the Koran and its very disturbing!

[joko]

history is littered with examples of how an enormous number of people seemingly believed something, despite having no evidence, (flat earth) to even committing horrific atrocities (nazis) - all believed they were right...

it shows how mass hysteria, brainwashing, popular thinking, fear trends, laws etc etc happen in our society that make it very easy to understand how billions can believe something seemingly nonsensical...

[jomifl]

Hopkirk ..surely not that many?

[andy-hughes]

I have always subscribed to the theory that belief in a God and an afterlife is a comfort mechanism that helps people deal with the difficulties of life.

The notion that Man is cause of all the ills in the world is far too trite for me to accept.

I do not feel the need for comfort of a God who loves me and who will take me up to heaven when I die - although o do believe that the need for that belief is so stronf that billions of people subscrible to it.

As stated previously - if people take comfort from that notion, that is fine, and who am I to try and dissuade anyone from that belief.

Questioning anything and everything is also part of the human psyche - it's part of what makes us who we are.

[jomifl]

As I replied in a previous thread, If one person believes jesus existed and another believes that he didn't, it doesn't mean he half existed.

[KARL]

Part of the reason for large numbers being attracted to any one religion is the innate need to fit in, to belong possessed by the vast majority of people - the snowball effect (the same happens in a non-secular way when fashions come and go). Once sufficient numbers join in agreement on a belief then you have a tribe, one whose identity is centred simply on the belief. As with any society you soon get specialists, those who define, hone and develop every aspect of the belief and in one way or other it thus entres most facets of life within that society. Historically, in its ultimate form, religion becomes a tool for power and in certain ways even an industry or trade. Large numbers of people follow just because others follow, just like people will seek (and pay over the odds for) some garment or electronic toy, just to be in fashion, not un-cool, square or heatehen.

[KARL]

*centered
*heathen

[Lonnie]

The thing about Christianity, Judaism and Islam, is that if you believe, it has to be blind belief, start asking questions and delving into it, and your faith will probably not ba as strong as you'd like.

[jomifl]

The first question you ask dooms you to hell, Sorry Lonnie there is no hope for you, you will not go to heaven, but you will at least not be alone.

[Davethedog]

Can I point out that an awful lot of people are religious because of upbringing, belief in religion is all nurture no nature.

I also believe that many of the great minds were Athiest, If you would be disbarred from society, ridculed or even worse subject to the inquisition and death would you be of the religion or a declared atheist.. I would be in church every Sunday.

Voltaire, who is one of my heros, was subject to exile because he derided established Catholic teachings, just the teachings, chances are as a non beliver if he hadn't followed the line then we would never of heard of this champion of enlightenment.

[Lonnie]

jomifl, I agree, the eay I see it, if I go to Heaven, its supposed to be a better place than we have now, so thats ok, If I go to Hell, I'll Hell, I 'll be having fun with all my mates that got there first, and if there's nothing, Who cares.

For me, its a win win win situation.