What is religion

What is religion in your opinion?

Two opinions with a mix of sarcasm (in which one of the two below? I wont tell) 😛:

1) Religion is a set of beliefs and values based on the teachings of God. It tells us what is the right thing to do and it tells us what God wants us to do.

2) Religion is a political tool designed by apparently intelligent, eloquent and persuasive people, with the objective to control common people. This is such that common people can be controlled to do the "right things " whereas right things are defined by the controllers themselves. Note that control can be in good sense and religion is there to remind morality to people.

Originally posted by: Summer3

Yes I quite agree that there has been on over emphasis on religious differences rather than similarities which is more important. Spiritiual self satisfaction is most important to earn peace and goodness. I have always liked the fact that there are so many religions. There is nothing worse then people peddling different religions or threatening people and misrepresenting God. It is most important that in practising any religion we do not harm others. Religion should also not be used as an excuse for being lazy.

Originally posted by: gumsum

Regarding the question about God, you may check an old thread:

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/debate-mansion/1250781/god-paradoxes

Originally posted by: karandel_2008

Regarding the question about God, you may check an old thread:

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/debate-mansion/1250781/god-paradoxes

An excerpt from the end credits of religulous. Bill Maher on religion. I'm a fan of his humor. I do not endorse his extreme views, but he has a significant point.

"The irony of religion is that because of its power to divert man to destructive courses, the world could actually come to an end' Plain fact is, religion must die for mankind to live. The hour is getting very late to be able to indulge in having key decisions made by religious people. By irrationalists. By those who would steer the ship of state not by a compass, but by the equivalent of reading the entrails of a chicken. George Bush prayed a lot about Iraq, but he didn't learn a lot about it' Faith means making a virtue out of not thinking. It's nothing to brag about. And those who preach faith and enable and elevate it are intellectual slaveholders keeping mankind in a bondage to fantasy and nonsense that has spawned and justified so much lunacy and destruction. Religion is dangerous because it allows human beings who don't have all the answers to think that they do. Most people would think it's wonderful when someone says, "I'm willing, Lord! I'll do whatever you want me to do!" Except that since there are no gods actually talking to us, that void is filled in by people with their own corruptions and limitations and agendas' And anyone who tells you they know, they just know what happens when you die, I promise you you don't. How can I be so sure? Because I don't know, and you do not possess mental powers that I do not. The only appropriate attitude for man to have about the big questions is not the arrogant certitude that is the hallmark of religion, but doubt. Doubt is humble, and that's what man needs to be, considering that human history is just a littany of getting shit dead wrong' This is why rational people, anti-religionists, must end their timidity and come out of the closet and assert themselves. And those who consider themselves only moderately religious really need to look in the mirror and realize that the solace and comfort that religion brings you comes at a horrible price' If you belonged to a political party or a social club that was tied to as much bigotry, misogyny, homophobia, violence, and sheer ignorance as religion is, you'd resign in protest. To do otherwise is to be an enabler, a mafia wife, for the true devils of extremism that draw their legitimacy from the billions of their fellow travelers. If the world does come to an end here, or wherever, or if it limps into the future, decimated by the effects of religion-inspired nuclear terrorism, let's remember what the real problem was. We learned how to precipitate mass death before we got past the neurological disorder of wishing for it. That's it. Grow up or die." -Bill Maher

Another stand up Geroge Carlin's view on religion. But he is a bit of a bad mouthed.

I love my Church, and I'm a Catholic who was raised by intellectuals, who were very devout. I was raised to believe that you could question the Church and still be a Catholic. What is worthy of satire is the misuse of religion for destructive or political gains. That's totally different from the Word, the blood, the body and the Christ. His kingdom is not of this earth. - Steve Colbert on being a Catholic and satiring the church

Religion makes sense to me. I have trouble with dogma more than I have trouble with religion. I think the best thing religion does is give people a sense of place, purpose, and compassion. My quibble with it is when it's described as the only way to have those things instilled. You can be moral and not be religious, you can be compassionate, you can be empathetic—you can have all those wonderful qualities. When it begins to be judged as purely based on religion, then you're suggesting a world where Star Jones goes to heaven but Gandhi doesn't.

Like anything else that's that powerful—that is touching that deep into the epicenter of the human psyche and our fears, it can be misused. I'm probably much more responsive in a bad way to dogma and to extremism than to religion.

When people say things like, "I found God and that helped me stop drinking," I say, "Great! More power to you. Just know that some people stop drinking without it." It's when it gets into the realm of "This is the only way to salvation"—that's when I think, "Okay, now we're getting into a problem."

- Jon Stewart

Originally posted by: gumsum

How do you achieve that spiritual satisfaction? Is it important to follow a predefined set of beliefs or you go on inventing your own?