Humanities & Classics 1002
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Renaissance Forum
Humanities & Classics 1002 |
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In Reply to: Re: The power of religion posted by Jennifer Grubac on December 14, 1998 at 21:41:50:
The meaning of my life? Family, friends, music (ani, tori, sinead), school, books, living, seeing, believing, disagreeing,....you get the picture. I don't feel it necessary to believe in a god to give my life meaning. And, because of the afore mentioned my life is not empty, nor often depressing. If someone believes in God in order to give their life meaning thats great! Religion is not a "meaning giver" to me.
What will I do after I die? I don't know. And I'm comfortable not knowing. If there's more, awesome. If there is no afterlife than I'll be thankful for the life I've lived and not worry about what might happen. Now, if there is an afterlife and it is only made available to those who believe now I'd that is unfair. Why? Because what better way to show a non-believer there is a higher power than to bring them to the after-world.
Why has religion been so long-lasting? Maybe because it is something that has become part of the collective unconsciuos. Many need religion because it gets them through life, it motivates them. And clinging to their belief gives them comfort, especially when other comfort-givers fail. That's a wild concept if you think about it: Millions of people believing in something that is virtually unprovable, taking it solely on faith with no "real" evidence. It's fascinating to think about.
I must clarify one thing that I believe, and I apologize if anyone else has already mentioned this: Having religion does not necessarily mean you need to believe in a higher being. It means, in my opinion, that your devotion can to whatever you believe in. Sound to simple? Maybe it is just that simple.
I do have one question. Throughout the past hundred years or so it has been suggested that God is dead, do you believe this to be true?