Why do people care so much?

[tyude2]

*NOTE* This is a literal question, I'm just a kid, remember that, I don't know all that much about religion.

I have a friend named Donovan, he's 10 yrs. old, who lives across the street from me, we play basketball every day. I was playing HORSE with him last night. I asked him were he had been all day, he told me the following, chruch, lunch, sister's softball game, and bible school. He's obviously a religious person. So we just kept on playing, but when I was trying to go to bed last night that got me thinking. Why do people care so much about religion? (please take note I don't read the religion threads in this forum) I realize people need something to believe in, maybe to hope for, but why study it so much? I couldn't think of an answer. But I'm kind of hoping you all could help me out here, I have only been to church a few times in my life, (I am only a teenager though),but can you all help me answer this question.

Why do people care so much about religion and how the Earth was created. How come we don't have as many places to ask the question, How was Mars created, I know it doesn't have as much significance to our daily lives, but if Mars doesn't then why should Earth?

I'm seriously asking you guys for an answer.

[Crater_Satori]

wow, tough question man. I think as you get older you will be able to understand more. The older you get it seems you question "Life" more, and to most people questions NEED answers. I wish i could get into this more, but i am short on time. I imagine you will receive a lot of varying answers though.

[OnePimpTiger]

I think you're asking two questions in one really: Why is religion important and why is how the Earth was created important...two completely different questions.

As for religion, it really depends on your belief system. For people who are religious and believe in God, religion is important because it determines where you're going to spend eternity. For people who aren't religious, I guess it isn't very important beyond how religion influences the world.

As far as Earth's creation, I don't think that is very important...some people believe God created it and some people don't, but we'll never know the truth during this lifetime so who cares. It's just like any other debated point in history, like the Kennedy assassination...some people will be right and some people will be wrong, but it's just history. The only reason it's considered important is because, if we were able to prove one way or another, it would help prove or disprove religion. But we can't so it won't so who cares? If there wasn't a difference in beliefs between religious people and non-religious people, then it would just be a matter of intellectual curiosity...which is what I consider it, just another important historical event.

[tyude2]

Thanks for the answers guys, and I think this, even if there was incredible evidence that a certain religion didn't exist, people would still believe in it. You just can't chang people's minds when it comes to religion.

[RedGoneWILD]

You just can't chang people's minds when it comes to religion.

AMEN to that....praise the lord and pass the basket!

people care about religion so much because they want to believe that life isn't only 75 years long on average...they pray that they will continue to live after they die...which is fine, until people start bickering about who's right and who's wrong, which religion is the absolute truth and which is a bunch of lies....death is beyond comprehension to the living, and they need some way to cope with it....to me, thats all religion is about...the afterlife

if religion helps somebody be a better person while they are here on earth, then im all for it....but when somebody starts talking about how im going to be beheaded and sent to the firelake for eternity for not believing what they believe, like they received the word from Jesus Christ himself, well then i just tune them out

life is short...be kind to other people...if i go through life being honest, without harming others, and being a good father to my children, then i'll be at peace with how i lived my life...if a god exists, and feels that isn't sufficient enough for me to escape the firelake, then that's not a god i care to worship anyway

[tutall]

AMEN to that....praise the lord and pass the basket!

people care about religion so much because they want to believe that life isn't only 75 years long on average...they pray that they will continue to live after they die...which is fine, until people start bickering about who's right and who's wrong, which religion is the absolute truth and which is a bunch of lies....death is beyond comprehension to the living, and they need some way to cope with it....to me, thats all religion is about...the afterlife

if religion helps somebody be a better person while they are here on earth, then im all for it....but when somebody starts talking about how im going to be beheaded and sent to the firelake for eternity for not believing what they believe, like they received the word from Jesus Christ himself, well then i just tune them out

life is short...be kind to other people...if i go through life being honest, without harming others, and being a good father to my children, then i'll be at peace with how i lived my life...if a god exists, and feels that isn't sufficient enough for me to escape the firelake, then that's not a god i care to worship anyway

I agree completely Red. All i ask as someone who does follow Christ is even if you dont believe in it there is no need to persecute those who do. If you dont agree with it i respect that but respect me too for believing. As far as your question on why it is important. To me it is about how i live my life. The way i figure it, if i follow what i believe in is right at the very least i will be able to look back on my life and be pleased with how it went.

I rarely go to church because as Red said, there is a lot of bickering and people arguing over money. really makes you wonder what the point is sometimes but faith is still something i hold dear to myself.

[tyude2]

they pray that they will continue to live after they die...which is fine, until people start bickering about who's right and who's wrong

I don't like it when people argue either.

really makes you wonder what the point is

Same with me, I don't go to church often.

[daniel3417]

In answer to your question about why people care so much about religion, I'll ask a rhetorical question myself: If we were all immortal, would we worship God?

I think the answer is no. The ultimate consequence to any wrongdoing is death and what happens thereafter. If we never died, what difference would it make if we praised God or not?

In other words, I believe the vast majority of people are religious so they can cover their butts when they die. It's shallow, I know, but it's completely logical, too. For those who worship out of a deep devotion and longing, I applaud you. But I would bet that more than half of the people in any giving church, synagouge, or temple are really just there to assure a place in heaven.

[OnePimpTiger]

In other words, I believe the vast majority of people are religious so they can cover their butts when they die. It's shallow, I know, but it's completely logical, too. For those who worship out of a deep devotion and longing, I applaud you. But I would bet that more than half of the people in any giving church, synagouge, or temple are really just there to assure a place in heaven.

Fair enough, but you say it like it's a bad thing. We look out for #1 in this life, why wouldn't we beyond? What's wrong with wanting to go to Heaven? Sure beats the alternative (for those who believe, at least).

[daniel3417]

Fair enough, but you say it like it's a bad thing. We look out for #1 in this life, why wouldn't we beyond? What's wrong with wanting to go to Heaven? Sure beats the alternative (for those who believe, at least).

I only say it likes a bad thing because those very people will swear up and down that that isn't the only reason they're there. But upon observation of Monday through Saturday, I regard such statements as lip service.

And isn't religion supposed to be deeper than that? I certainly hope there aren't people who openly state that their sole reason for being religious is to save their own ***. That feels, ironically enough, like the greatest form of religious blasphemy.