Quote:
Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos
The thing with scientology is that there is some evidence (or at least rumours) that old L.Ron just made it all up and put it out there. Almost like an elaborate hoax, or maybe just to take money from gullible people.
The religions with longstanding traditions and founders who (I assume) truly believed in what they were preaching do seem more "legitimate" to me, even though I don't think any of them have a true story.
|
I think that early religions were invented to explain the unexplained. Natural phenomena, social injustice, cultural differences. But gradually, they transformed into tools to control those with little hope. And from there, the ones that benefited, helped transform religion into a form of social networking.
I don't see any of them as legitimate. I see all of them as methods to define different cultures and nothing else. They are barriers that need to be broken. They are ancient ways to communicate with like minded individuals and to rally people against other people by inventing 'devils' and claiming that the the other people believe in and follow. And that, IMO, is just another way of describing power. Religion is, was, and always will be a way to exert power over people and induce people to voluntarily follow, through fear of the big, scary unknown.