Does the world really need the religions?

I'll go for another question as an answer: Does the Universe need Humans(mankind)? For if mankind needs religion then the Universe needs religion. Let's Hope the Sun, or Vega, or Regulus, or another star may register and post a reply on this topic.

[QUOTE=Maju]

"We are reaching the limits of the speakable at this point."

That's the Absolute Truth in its best interpretation, Maju! Thank you for your arguments! I'll restrain myself from continuing this dispute

(Even if I still can't agree with your mixing up objective and subjective things.)

 as it's likely to fall into sophistry and clinging to words; it would be pity if it did. There are things that are not to be perceived in such way. (I'll cite one old soviet movie: "There are things person must do himself: he is born himself and dies - himself. Noone should help him here.")

As for the Absolute Truth I'll quote M. Bulgakov; in his novel "Master and Margarita" there is a notorious dialoge (sorry for poor translation):

 "- Why did you speak about the Truth, the thing YOU can have no idea about?! What is Truth?! Do you know it?!

 - First of all the Truth is that you have a headache, igemon, and it's difficult for you not only to speak to me but even see me..."

The first phrase belongs to Pontius Pilat; the second - to Jesus Christ (in the book he is called Jeshua Ga Notsri by the way). Curious, isn't it?

Jhangora wrote:

"I believe society should grant each individual freedom to practise the religion of his choice/birth n should tolerate even those individuals who don't believe in a religion/God.

I believe religion n God r two different things.Religion or organized religion has more to do with forms of worhip,different prophets or incarnations,different places of worship,different days of fasting,etc.What I mean is when I say that a person belongs to a certain religion what I actually mean is that the person concerned goes to a temple/mosque/church to pray.He considers friday/saturday/sunday to be a day fixed for special weekly prayers.He believes in a certain book as being holy.Do I really know what that person believes in.Do I know anything firsthand about the book/books he has faith in.

I have read a little bit from scriptures of different faiths n I think if we scratch the surface truth is the same.All the religions try to better the society as a whole.

I do not believe in a particular prophet or God.I am not even certain about existence of God.My view is that all the prophets/incarnations were good people who tried to improve humanity.Whether the inspiration was divine or human,I'm not sure. Until I'm sure i prefer to consider them human beings,good human beings.

As I said earlier organized religion does pose problems but my view is a society with relgion is much more likely to come out of adverse situations than a society where majority of individuals r atheists {or skeptics or whatever}.Religion gives us moral guidelines.Religion teaches us to be good to others,religion teaches us sacrifice.It might be true that poorer people/nations r more religious n with financial affluence people tend to be less religious but money is no substitute for religion.

I want to say many more things but difficult to put them into words right now."

I agree with you 100%.

Religion tells us how to act?Thats surely against our own free will,even though free will is an imaginative prospect created by the human psyche to act upon things that are against our opinions...Every human doesn't have to believe in something,I don't see Animals getting on their knees and begging in their tongue for a God to come and save them,and this is before a predator is going to make them dinner.I think a better question is does the world need Humans,surely identical to Cezar's question,but this narrrows it to Earth,because I'm sure this other life in the vast Universe that believe in a God of their own,or are too intelligient and open-minded to believe in such rubbish.

Does God act and save those who call to him?I haven't seen it.But God and Religion are two different things,its just God is incorporated to any Religion to satisfy the weak needs of human beings.So does the world need Religion?The answer is there are those who need it and those who scorn it or don't need it,so its impossible to answer it.

Ok now, stop as we all see there are two groups of people in this thread

Secular and Religious

Religion is good as long as it is not the major part of a political entity

Over Blow, thats it, simple....