Jay520 said:


Again, you've done it again. You're not linking the two at all, you're just saying "people fear hell and believe that they can avoid it by a sufficient amount of religious practicing". My question is how did you reach this conclusion? What is your reasoning, or than just saying so?

Yes, they are indeed linked. The bottom line is that religious practicing is nonsense, but people believe that it actually has an effect on their afterlives. The practice is what is not making sense, regarding the topic. It only makes sense that people enjoy practicing it because they actually think that it results in better karma (I mean, how would that not make sense?)

"By removing religious practicing, you will also remove that unjustified fear."

See above

Done.

"That's right, I have already said that. Again, if you are questioning the thread title, I still think that it's justified. It doesn't provide all the info (because then it would be too long), but it does indeed inform every potential reader about the topic."

But you're not talking about religious practicing, you're talking about some peoples perception of religious practicing.

I am talking about religious practicing, and its affect on people. See above.

"And, also again, most people do practice religion to please God, which they think will give them better odds on the judgement day. Not because it's a fun thing to do."

Again, how do you know this. From my experience, it's quite the opposite.

Do you honestly think that people who pray to God (for instance) do it for the sake of entertainment? Do you think that certain people oppose gay rights because they think it's fun? No, I can assure you that nearly all of them do it because they feel that it's their duty. There is a reason to why you won't hear much laughter in church; it's not supposed to be entertaining, but a serious matter. People feel good because they believe that they are carrying out God's will by practicing their faith.

Jay520 said:

1. Not for better karma, but because they want to do it. Not for any rewards, or to risk punishment. They just want to do the act. but you touched on that in the later paragraph.

2. I wouldn't use the word 'entertainment', but yes it pleases them to please the Lord. Why is it so hard for you to understand that people like making their Lord happy? Do you ever feel happy when you make someone else feel happy?

Actually, you are the one not understanding that it doesn't make the Lord happy, given how religious practicing is nonsense. They just think that it makes Him happy, which makes them happy since they know thattheir odds on the judgement day just got better.

About gay marriage, people speak out against it not because they feel oblidged to do so. They just think it's the right thing to do. You know, they have their morals. And people feel happier about themselves knowing that they have strong & well-made morals. It may not cause immediate enjoyment, but yes, in the long run, people do feel better about themselves for standing up for what they believe in.

Yes, they think that it is the right thing to do and that it is their duty to do so. After all, the Bible does despise homosexuals. So by carrying out God's will, they obviously think that God will like them more due to their initiatives.

There's no laughter in funerals either, but people still have funerals. Why? Because they feel good about themselves knowing they honoured their loved ones. Did they have to arrange a funeral? No. Were they required to? No. Do they do it for a reward? No. They do it because they want to. Are you going to say funerals don't make sense now.

This must be a joke. Please elaborate your actual point.

I never said that it makes no sense to practice religion for the sake of joy, but don't fool yourself: Every Christian, Jew and Muslim fear hell and are willing to do anything to avoid it. Praying may be one of those things, circumcising their children may be another, but they all have the same goal.

It brings joy because they feel safe from the Devil.

Jay520 said:

Are you saying it does not please the Lord to do things like worshipping, spreading His word, ect? Because that would be wrong. He likes when we do those things.

That's exactly what I am saying. The OP makes it pretty clear that if such things did matter, it would be an unjust system. Thus, it makes no sense (since God is just).

"This must be a joke. Please elaborate your actual point."

I mean, funerals are just like religious practice. People aren't required to have funerals. There are no rewards for having funerals. And funerals are not for entertainment. People just have funerals because they want to. Same goes for religious practices. People have funerals because it pleases them to honor their loved ones. Just like people practice religion because it pleases them to make the Lord happy.

People don't expect rewards for attending funerals though. And funerals is not necessarily a religious practice, but rather an old tradition. Praying to God is another story, where people hope that they eventually will be rewarded in one way or another.

Jews don't believe in hell. Jews circumcise to celebrate a covenant with God. Christians pray as a means of deepening their own personal relationship with God; not to avoid hell. 

Jay520 said:
The1, the fact is you don't know the motives behind peoples actions. I keep telling you that people practice religion for joy & not for entrance into heaven, but you keep saying "but that's the only thing that makes sense". So I'm just going to leave you with this:

People practice religion because they want to, not because they feel they need to in order to get into heaven. Whether you believe it or not is up to you.

They want to do it because they want to go to heaven once they die. They don't want 'nothing' to happen once they die, because then they would fell that life was pointless, and they don't want to reach hell once they die.

p.s. do you honestly think people believe they NEED to speak out against gay marriage or else they won't get into heaven?

No. But they wanted to do it to increase their chances of entering heaven once they die. From their point of view, God would call those unwilling to act 'lazy', or 'mislead by modern society.'