Re: Islam promoting thought and false accusations: Att. Ummm
[QUOTE]
On the other hand however, death is part of life. What I mean is no one has escaped death or those who live long it is fairly certain that they will soon die. Now the assertion by you is that people have developed ‘religion’ to combat a fear of death. On the other side of the equation the people who have developed science are trying to combat death itself. Based on reasoning alone what is the better option? To try to combat death or try to combat the fear of it? The reasoning in the latter is of a higher rational calibre because past experience tells us that no one can cheat death. Not that we have yet substantiated that the reason for religions development is about death, we are merely entertaining the notion raised by you at this stage.
[/QUOTE]
You say science was developed to combat death itself. this staement is not completely true. science deveoped because of the natural human curiosity( which is one of the things that makes a human being what he is BTW). Scientists ask themselves certain questions and try to get the answers. but it should be clearly understood that though the final answer s the primary motivation, the bigger motivation is the joy of the whole process. It gives them a sense of satisfaction and complteness( why is an irrelevant question)
So is this science superior to religion which gives absurd answers to a person and makes him live in an ivory world? my answer is an emphatic YES.
[QUOTE]
Now let’s argue the position of the said claim which is humans have developed religion to combat the fear of death. Is this true? The reasoning provided is based on a possible truth that we do ‘fear’ death. This is like saying bananas exist because they are edible.
[/QUOTE]
I am not an expert in Biology, but I think the primary function of a fruit is to disseminate seeds? animals usually eat the fruit and throw away the seeds, thus helpng in seed dissemination. So YES, bananas are sweet because we need sweet(food) and the plant needs us for seed dissemination. If someone more learned in bio could shed more light on this...?
[QUOTE]
There may be a connection between the fact that religion does indeed provide hope and peace and a better way to handle the unknown of death. But it does not mean that religion was devised for that reason, just because we can see that our fear of death is reduced by religion. Rather we need to come up with direct evidence to support that view. If it can be found that in the past the fear of death led to a demise of humanity so by creating religion somehow the people survived or prospered over those people who had no religion then your argument can fit in with your claims.
[/QUOTE]
Human beings FEAR THE UNKNOWN. When you fear death, the sight of dead bodies, etcc... you are merely scared about how ignorant you are of death, and you are scared of what horrors it may hold. The fear of death is not just the fear of unknown, it is the fear of pain that may be involved too. similarly, Fear of unknown is not all about fear of death too.
religion, by proviing you with answers( false answers, yet answers), takes away atleast a part of the fear of death.
[QUOTE]
In fact I can just easily say that religion increases our fear of death so we can be better people because it emphasises that we have only one chance to make a good life. So your argument is half-baked and that is that. In fact it is not only half-baked it actually requires a lot more belief in my part to accept your version than mine, which is that the One who created us, has indeed created our religion for us too.
[/QUOTE]
Saying that "we have only one chance to make a good life" turns the focus away from death itself. It actually buries the fear of death, doesn't increase it. it makes ppl concentrate more on how to lead life happily and tellls them not to worry about death. it doesn't increase the fear of death.
