Do modern people need religion? Is religion really necessary in society? Science has proven that there is no God

From the very beginning, since the formation of mankind, religion has been a means of crowd control. Ancient people were herd animals, they united in tribes and chose a leader with unquestioned authority, like a leader in a pack. Such a device public life was the only possible one. In a situation where the world around is extremely hostile, only a firm one-man leadership could allow the tribe to survive in a difficult and hostile environment. The danger came from everywhere - from weather conditions, predatory animals, other tribes. Morals were wild, every effort was made to survive at any cost.


But as soon as the first tools of labor were mastered, and there was enough food, a more powerful motivation was required to force the members of the pack to perform certain actions. It was then that people needed faith in something that has huge force, but it would be impossible to verify the existence of which. The introduction of the idea of ​​the existence of gods into the consciousness of the masses turned out to be a brilliant move. Moreover, the evidence of the manifestation of their will was natural factors - the sun, rain, wind, thunder and lightning.
And off we go. Crop failure, drought, flood - anything meant the wrath of the gods, who sent heavenly punishments on people for not fulfilling their will. To announce the will of the gods, a special caste of people was formed - first priests, then clergymen. Only they could communicate with the gods and decide what needs to be done to please them. It is clear that such people had enormous power over the crowd and occupied no less high places in the ruling hierarchy than the reigning persons.


It's interesting that ancient religion preferred to invent its own god for every aspect of life. The sun, Earth, war, love, winemaking, and so on had their heavenly patron. Temples were built for each of them, gifts and sacrifices were made. The servants of the gods grew rich beyond measure. Moreover, the matter was staged in such a way that even kings came to them for advice, generously rewarding them for it.
But apparently the centralization of power also affected the heavenly office. The numerous pantheon of various gods was replaced by the doctrine of a single god. Many scattered temples were replaced by a single church. Now it was not necessary to bring gifts to the temples for each type of activity. But parishioners were obliged to pray in the church and donate donations. The new church, meanwhile, took no responsibility for the fact that the prayers of the people were not heard. So it became much easier, no need to justify why, despite the gifts and sacrifices made, the drought burned all the crops or something like that. But for uncomplaining obedience, the flock was promised eternal life in the Gardens of Eden, those who disobey were threatened with no less eternal torment in hellfire. But all this will happen only after death. It's impossible to check. You can only blindly believe.


Thus, the church has become that universal means that allows the authorities to keep in subjection, lead and direct huge masses of people in the right direction. In addition, the church does not require any investment, the believers themselves are happy to give her everything that she requires. This is the most cunning and mega-profitable enterprise that has ever existed on Earth.

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In the USSR there was a phrase: "Religion is the opium of the people." Karl Marx, thanks to whom this phrase became so widespread, saw religion as an institution of social slavery. But this is his vision.

Indeed, in a certain sense. After all, why do we need religion? It helps to relieve the pain faced by a person as an individual, and humanity as a whole. She helps to live.

Let's talk in detail about why a person needs religion.

What is the purpose?

Let's talk about Christian religion. Most of the population in Russia are Christians. And many would be interested to understand why and what they believe?

Why do people need religion? To answer this question, another question must be asked: Why do I believe? What is my goal?

The most savvy will answer: in order to be saved and end up in Paradise. Let's assume we are saved. What's next?

We want to be with God in eternal life. We stood next to Him, and then? Why do we want to be saved and go to heaven?

"To praise God," would be the answer. Does He need our praise? Only God is waiting for us to come to Paradise and begin to sing psalms to him. Yes, and a whole eternity for singing psalms - is this normal? Doesn't God get tired of listening to them endlessly, and the saved - to sing?

Then why do we yearn to be saved? Let's think: what can be done indefinitely?

While we're thinking about this question, let's talk about some possible answers.

For love?

Why is it needed in modern world religion? What do we find in the Christian faith? Love is one of the answers. And love. But is it only her? Is it possible to love endlessly? It is possible, but in the eternal life of love, as we understand it, there is no. We do not love our parents, children and spouses there. Moreover, we forget about them in eternal life.

Then it turns out that love is needed only here on earth? There exists only the love of God for us.

Religion for fear?

Why does a person need religion? Some believe out of fear. It would seem that it even sounds strange, to say the least. How is this possible?

For example, a person is afraid to die. It's okay, death is scary. Dying is not scary, the unknown is terrible: what will death be like? And what awaits us after it?

A person begins to seek protection from his fears. But who can protect from the fear of death? Only the Lord. Thanks to him, there is hope for salvation, because the Lord does not lie. And if he said that there is heaven and hell, that everyone can be saved, then it means that it is so.

Faith from sinful pain

Why is religion needed? modern society? Because it hurts. It hurts with their sins. And the only way to get healed is through religion.

The purpose of religion is the salvation of the human soul. The first people, Adam and Eve, were sinless. Until they transgressed the commandment given to them by the Creator. They, as we remember, were taught by the serpent to taste the fruit of the forbidden tree. And when the Lord denounced the forefather and foremother of mankind, they did not repent of their deed. On the contrary, they began to make excuses and shift the blame on each other (and on the snake).

This is how the fall of Adam and Eve happened. Their sin fell on the whole human race. And people, in their coarsened state, are simply not able to save themselves. How to save fallen humanity? That is why Jesus Christ came into the world, incarnated from of the Blessed Virgin Mary and God. The Son of God became the very sacrifice necessary to restore the broken harmony between God and man. Jesus Christ accepted death on the cross, shameful in those days and painful. Humanity has a chance to be saved.

But that was over 2000 years ago. What now? Have people stopped sinning? Hardly. Modern society is mired in such sins that our ancestors never dreamed of. But sooner or later a moment arises when an individual understands that it is impossible to live like this. He is fed up with sin, although he himself does not yet understand this. It just becomes "somehow lousy at heart". And where to go with a heavy, tormented soul? Only to the temple, where you can purify it. So a person comes to religion through sinful pain.

State: why does he need it?

Why does the state need religion? Many believe that with its help you can control a stupid herd of people. But do people believe in the state? People believe in God, and many modern Christians are quite educated. As well as the fathers are already a little different. Previously, it was enough for a priest to say that this looks like this and that. WITH modern people it won't pass. They will start asking: what, how and why? You have to explain, and if the priest cannot explain what he himself said, it is unlikely that the flock will be imbued with such confidence.

Religion and modernity

Why is religion needed in the 21st century? The age of the latest technology, the standard of living is completely different. And suddenly - some wildness in the form of religion.

Wildness? Hardly. Just in our crazy age, when technology rules the world, religion is needed. Concepts are perverted and replaced, values ​​are collapsing. What used to be shameful is now considered the norm. And what was in the order of things is ridiculous for modern society.

What is honored now? Power and wealth. Everyone wants to live well: full and rich. Most of us seek power. albeit not in the global sense of the word, because it is clear that one cannot get through to the “cream”, places there have long been firmly occupied. But take the leadership chair, please. It is no longer held in high esteem to be an ordinary hard worker, those who have not become rich and have not sat in the easy chair of the head are treated with disdain.

And where to find shelter in this crazy world with warped values? Where else is there something real? In religion. God does not change his commandments, they are relevant at all times. Nor does His teaching change. God is waiting for when the lost children will turn to Him?

He has been waiting for two thousand years,

And with him - the apostles, the Forerunner.

And Ever-Virgin - God's light.

When is he the moment of the cherished meeting?

The lines from the poem of the nun Maria (Mernova) perfectly reflect the true values ​​of Christ. It does not matter to him how much money this or that person has earned, and what position he held during his lifetime. For God, the main thing is the human soul. In pursuit of imaginary values, people forget about their most important treasure. And religion is needed in order to find time for one's own soul in the bustle of rapidly running days.

Why do people need religion? How do they even come to her? As mentioned above, everyone's path is different. Someone begins to believe out of fear, someone is tormented by conscience and seeks consolation in the church, while others simply love God. And this is quite possible, no one has yet canceled love for the Lord. Another thing is that such love is instilled from childhood. If the parents didn’t have a question why religion was needed, they didn’t think about it and showed the child with their lives what faith is, then the child will follow in their footsteps.

Finding it in adulthood is much more difficult. But this is possible with a great desire and striving for Him.

The right to choose

Why do we need religion if God doesn't care about people? From such a question arises a stupor. You begin to gently ask: what does it mean anyway? And you get a heated monologue on the topic that God allows tragedies, deaths, wars and the like.

Sorry, but God is not a puppeteer. And we are not puppets to control us, pulling the strings. God gave us freedom of action and the right to choose. This does not mean that He left us on the principle of "do what you want." Not at all. God controls people through the events in their lives, speaks to us like this. But if we are blind and continue to bend our line, what does God have to do with it? If we are not willing to stop and think, turn and ask Him, whose fault is it? Clearly not God, but man.

“Knock and it will be opened to you, ask and it will be given to you,” the Lord said. He did not say that as soon as you ask, you will immediately receive. He says "ask and knock". Annoy with requests, show that you really need it. That your desire to get something is hot. And when you asked once and that's all, is what you ask for really necessary? If a child wants something, he will constantly pester the parent with a request. We must also act.

If not given?

And when you ask, you ask, but nothing is given? The question arises: then why do we need religion?

It's simple: if children ask us for something, from their point of view, very necessary, and we have prepared the best gift for them, will they get what they ask for? Last resort, if it will be useful. We will try to persuade the baby to be patient.

And if a son or daughter asks for something that will not benefit them at all? Will we fulfill such a request, knowing in advance that we will harm our little blood?

Also God, will He fulfill our requests, knowing that this is harmful? He is Our father, and not one loving father would want to harm his child.

So is opium?

Why is religion needed? It helps to find healing. Heals spiritual wounds and twisted our souls. Religion helps to relieve pain both for a particular individual and for humanity as a whole. And if a person aspires to God, seeks Him with all his soul, then he will receive healing. That's the whole opium in it.

And yet - why?

Remember what we talked about at the very beginning? What is the purpose of our faith? Why does modern man need religion? The answers to the question may vary. We have already reviewed them. Basically, the most savvy answer that the goal is to save their souls.

Why should we be saved? Well, they were saved and went to heaven, what's next? To glorify God for eternity? This will bother Him and the saved.

Why then be saved? And why is religion necessary? What is its meaning? In knowledge. We come to know God through the world He created.

If you tell an African that it is winter in Russia, he will believe it. But if you say that in summer it is hot and green, in autumn the trees begin to lose their leaves, and in winter the temperature drops much below zero, the trees are bare, and the ground is covered with solid snow, this will cause bewilderment. Is it possible? Everything is green, and then - it's cold and there are no leaves on the trees, the grass does not grow? The African will not believe the stories. Especially if you add that in spring the snow melts, the earth and the first grass appear, the leaves on the trees hatch.

But if he sees the seasons with his own eyes, knows them, then he will believe. So are we, like that African: we do not believe until we are convinced, we do not know. True, knowledge is sometimes given too hard and through the sorrows of life. But this is a separate issue.

So what is the purpose of salvation? What can you do forever? Self-improvement and knowledge, these things can be done forever. In this life we ​​are learning to know God, we are just starting to do it. And in that life we ​​will have eternity to know Him.

Summarizing

The purpose of the review was to tell the reader why religion is needed in civilization, in society and for an individual person. Main aspects:

The meaning of faith and religion is in the salvation of the human soul.

Faith helps spiritual healing.

In today's world with its inverted values, religion is the only stronghold where truth is still preserved.

God gave people the right to choose. He is not a puppeteer, and we are not puppets in His hands.

If something doesn’t work out, maybe it’s time to stop acting according to the usual strategies and turn to God?

When we are not given what we ask for, it is worth considering: is the fulfillment of this request useful for us?

Before blaming God for everything, it is worth remembering the point "the right to choose."

Conclusion

To be religious or not is a personal choice. As mentioned above, God provided it to us. Only if a person does not seek God and does not want to be with Him, then you should not blame Him for everything. We ourselves are to blame for the fact that we are moving away from the Lord and do not want to be with Him.

Knowledge and healing - that is the meaning of religion. It helps to know God here, in this life. And heal the sinfulness of our souls. If we are striving for it.

The generation that grew up in a country where the church is separated from the state and the school from the church does not know the answer to the question "does a person need religion?" Not ancient man, who himself gave birth to it, and not to any specific one (the Pope or the Patriarch of All Russia), but to someone like you yourself - often secretly baptized by a grandmother in the village from his parents, who happily eats colored eggs in childhood with a strict ban not to speak about this at school, clinging to the TV, on the night before Easter showing the coveted “Melodies and Rhythms of Foreign Variety Art”, galloping through halls with iconography in museums and growing up with a clear ideology, expressed in the castrated phrase “religion is the opium of the people”. If not needed, then why, after many years of destruction of churches, did they begin to restore them? If you need it, then why is it not in the souls of people true faith? Or do you need only the ceremonial side? These and many other questions gave rise to a religious renaissance, modern God-seeking, which became a feature of the 20th century, and do not have an answer today.

Little Natasha spent the summer months with her grandmother in the village. As she lay down to sleep, she heard her grandmother whisper something, kneeling in the corner of her bedroom, separated from the front by a curtain hung between the Dutchwoman and the sideboard. This nook both frightened and beckoned her, like everything mysterious, since she saw there on the wall in the corner pictures with gloomy faces looking, it seemed, straight at her. She vaguely remembered that she had seen the same pictures, which seemed terrible to her, in her deep childhood. Then for some reason it was winter, not summer, and she was sent to the village, and she and her grandmother went “to the church”, where the grandmother talked for a long time with these pictures, repeating “Help, Lord”, and forced her to be baptized, and on the contrary cried along the way. Then her mother came for her, alone, without her father, and she also cried, and said that her father had left for a long time. Then she again saw the same pictures (she already knew that they were icons), blurry because of tears, when her grandmother was buried.
The next time she went to church many years later, when she was already a tenth grader. Mom said:
-Let's go to church, put a candle to God, ask him to help him enter the institute.
“Come on, mom, I’ll do it myself, I don’t believe in any god, he won’t help anything,” Natasha laughed.
-But what if? Mom insisted.
Nevertheless, they went to church, and my mother, so unlike herself in a headscarf, bowed awkwardly and crossed herself before the entrance.
Natasha entered the institute. There she met her future husband. Mom met the young after the registry office at home, as expected, with bread and salt. And with an icon.
- I bless you, live happily ever after. May God help you! she said, embarrassed.
It didn't last long and it was unfortunate. There were many reasons - they did not get along in character, marriage could not stand life, they were not ready for family life In short, there was no love between them. Dispersed. And the birth of a son did not stop (together they still managed to christen him, having gone to a village near my grandmother's village), and God did not help.
“Go to church, daughter,” my mother said.
-For what?
-It will get easier. While you are standing in front of the icons, you will think about why this happened, you will understand what you want from life.
Mom, I don't believe in God. And you can think at home before the photos. You don't believe yourself...
I want to believe, but I can't. They didn’t teach me ... Take it, - my mother said in a suddenly hoarse voice, holding out a piece of paper, - I wrote “The Virgin” here. Read when you want.
Natasha didn’t go to church, she didn’t throw away the prayer carefully written by her mother, but she didn’t read it either - she put it in some kind of box.

***
After the divorce, Natasha lived, realizing that a person in life needs to realize himself in three ways - firstly, as a person, secondly, as a mother (father) and, thirdly, as a woman (man), admitting that, if you are a genius in one area, then the other two hypostases can be ignored. Natasha did not become a great writer or artist, did not discover a new law of nature, and did not engage in political activities for the benefit of mankind. But she defended her Ph. While I was a little son, I took him in sections, grew up - I tried to be not only a mother to him, but also an interesting companion. And although he had not yet become an independent adult, it was clear that he had both a vital core and a good heart. It could be considered that as a person and as a mother she took place.
But the woman in her never opened up - she did not meet her love: neither the love-passion that she dreamed of in her youth, nor the love-friendship that she still hoped to find and which develops into love-help, without which one cannot overcome old age.
I didn’t take the men I knew home, and if a romance was planned, then it didn’t come to living together. “There is someone to fall asleep with, no one to wake up with”, “that wash is sad in which there is no men's shirt” - sad thoughts were spinning in my head.
On Maslenitsa she regularly baked pancakes, on Easter she dyed eggs, on big holidays she tried not to do laundry and not clean up. But she didn’t keep the fasts, didn’t go to church, didn’t read the Mother of God, and didn’t ask God for anything.

Not so long ago, a new teacher came to the neighboring department at the institute where she worked. She immediately drew attention to him, and she liked everything about him - both his modern and at the same time classical manner of dressing, and some kind of elusive peculiarity of behavior, and non-standard thinking that showed through in every uttered word, and that special intelligence that can only be congenital. The opportunity to get to know each other better, or at least to learn more about him, did not appear. And Natasha dreamed - that he was lonely ( suitable reason she had not yet imagined his loneliness), that they would get to know each other and he would become interested in her, that they would fall in love with each other, and she would assume the responsibility of taking care of him, and he would gratefully accept her care.
She began to think about him, falling asleep and waking up - how nice it would be to live together, talk, travel. In her dreams, she has already reached a joint house in the village with her grandchildren. Natasha even got prettier, as women in love get prettier.
Now she both desired and was afraid to know at least something about him; so in childhood she both wanted and was shy to enter her grandmother's nook with icons. I was afraid to part with my dreams and at the same time did not lose hope. Then again doubts prevailed - why did she get the idea that he was lonely, that she would be interesting for him, that he generally needed someone's care. From such thoughts it became scary, as it had never been scary in his youth from the upcoming exam or an unscheduled date. Once, while doing a general cleaning at home before Easter and sorting through the drawers, she came across the Mother of God written by her mother and did not clean it, as always, neatly folding it together with old, dear postcards, but read it. The words written by her mother were remembered by themselves, and Natasha began to often repeat the prayer to herself, not realizing why she was doing it.
On the weekend after Easter, she helped her mother move to the village - from spring to autumn she lived in the house left by her grandmother. Together they ventilated the hut after the winter, washed the floors and windows, put poplar twigs in a vase so that they would release sticky leaves in the warmth. The next day, which was especially serene, Natasha went out for a walk outside the village. It was very pleasant to walk along the road between the fields with the remnants of snow in the lowlands, listening to the cheerful chirping of birds and indulging in my habitual dreams. She walked and thought that in the coming days she still needed to find some kind of pretext for acquaintance, so that her dreams would finally pass into some other quality - or turn into pleasant memories, or - God forbid! - clothed in reality.
Ahead appeared a village located very close to their village. There was a church on the very outskirts of the village. Natasha saw its domes against the piercing blue sky. I immediately remembered how they went with their grandmother to this “church” in winter, how later they buried their grandmother here. Another church appeared before my eyes, in which my mother put a candle before Natasha entered the institute. I remembered my mother's blessing with an icon on the wedding day and the baptism of her son. So it turned out, thought Natasha, that all the significant moments of her life were connected with the church. She lifted her head, taking a fresh look at open door temple, on the people crowding at the entrance. She stopped, stood in indecision, looked around, as if thinking which way to go - forward or turn back to the village. She whispered something to herself, frowned, smiled, frowned again, fiddled with the handkerchief tied around her neck, and went...

September 18, 2012 Edit Post

Atheists are often "extreme" romantics and idealists who imagine an ideal world and society without any religion. Often they do not see any sense in the existence of religion as such, do not recognize its value and wonder how "in our enlightened age" religion can exist at all. Moreover, they revere the followers of world religions almost as second-class people, outcasts, mob and savages. These are the atheists we have, ready to take everyone into their arms and introduce harmony into the world without any God, with stable laws of evolution and faith in a colossal explosion from nothing that gave birth to everything. Well, many believers really give reason to be horrified by the bloody fruits of religious fanaticism. Here atheists and atheists are another matter, bright and intelligent beings filled with softness, intellect and spiritual warmth, leading peoples to the success of scientific progress. It is they, who have risen to the top of the evolutionary process, ...

[b]Kott68[

Taxation of religious organizations

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1. Land tax

Federal Law No. 141-FZ of November 29, 2004 “On Amendments to Part Two of the Tax Code…” supplemented the Tax Code of the Russian Federation with Section X “Local Taxes” and Chapter 31 “Land Tax”, which provides for the following tax benefits for religious organizations.

In accordance with paragraph 4 of Article 395 of the Tax Code Russian Federation religious organizations are exempt from paying land tax in respect of their land plots, on which buildings, structures and structures of religious and charitable purpose are located.

In December 2004, the President of the Russian Federation instructed the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation "to ensure the provision of methodological assistance to religious organizations on the application of the provisions of the legislation of the Russian Federation on taxes and fees" (instruction of the President of the Russian Federation of December 31, 2004 Pr-2128).

The Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation issued...

All international conflicts, financial crises, can be resolved without religion. To individual members of society, yes. But a new worldview would not hurt, where all the dissonance from countless scientific, religious, philosophical ideologies would be resolved, where everyone would be accepted regardless of race, social status, citizenship, and so on. This idea could constructively unite people in a new worldview of the Future. Blavatsky tried to "form the nucleus of a Universal Brotherhood without distinction of race, colour, sex, caste or creed". It did not work, but work on this is still ongoing. Apparently in a hurry, people were not yet ready for this, the colonial system reigned. Of course, religion is needed, but without coercion, religion helps to take a deeper look at our daily life and learn to live in unity with everything. And there has always been a large percentage of non-religious people, it’s not bad, it’s not good, it’s just…

Is it true that science and religion contradict each other? Can scientists prove the non-existence of God? Are there moral but non-religious people? 10 answers to "uncomfortable" questions in the material "Thomas".

Science has proven that there is no God. Why are there still so many believers in the modern world?

Science has never set itself such a task, since it is engaged in the study of facts and phenomena observed in this world. Everything transcendent (that is, beyond its limits) is not the object of scientific research. Therefore, the basic religious truth - the existence of God - in principle cannot be the subject of scientific refutation.

Christianity is a religion that preaches slavery, because every believer must consider himself a servant of God, and this is humiliating for a free person. How can a man of the 21st century consider himself someone's slave?

Slaves (workers) of God are people who voluntarily decide to build their lives according to ...

What is the role of religion and church in modern society? Can a society be considered modern at all if it is dominated by religion? To these questions and more, we give obvious answers that will upset your pious grandmother.

It's very hard to shoot cartoonists, blow up skyscrapers, hang gay teenagers on cranes, and jail young singers if you don't believe you're doing it for God. But if you do it for the Almighty, then everything is wonderful. God is generally the best way in the world to escape responsibility.

A seven-year-old Gallup poll showed that about 70% of the world's population consider themselves believers, which is 15% higher than according to 1990 data. And a large part of this religious increase came from the countries of the former USSR. All this cannot but disturb the enlightened liberals who are teeming with the editors of MAXIM. Therefore, we have decided to publish our humanist manifesto, and if it will help even one reader to refrain from friendship with ...

On the one hand, in the age of information technology, as many may say, there is no place for religion, it has long lost its relevance - this is the point of view of atheistically minded people. In many ways, they are right, but is it worth so categorically writing off what has been an integral part of hundreds of millions of people for centuries? It would seem that there is nothing easier than to clearly follow the development of science and simultaneously reject experience. previous generations, is not it?

It is worth looking at religion from the point of view of an atheist, finding the cons and voicing them. In fact, these disadvantages have long been identified:

1) active obstruction of the development of science, but it is worth noting that this state of affairs did not last long by historical standards and was not an obligatory attribute of all world religions;

2) persecution of dissidents, but, again, specific cases are strongly tied to geography and historical periods;

3) religious wars, which are still relevant today, however, it is worth paying attention ...

Question:

I communicate on some youth forums, or rather, look there from time to time. And more and more often I see a question for which I have neither knowledge nor, perhaps, faith to answer: why do people need religion? Help find the answer. With respect and love in Christ,

The goal of religion is salvation, which is possible only when a person unites with God. At creation man was pure and innocent. Thanks to this moral dispensation, he was in direct communion with God. With such harmony in the relationship of the ancestors with their Creator, there was no need for religion. However, by transgressing the test commandment, man violated the first covenant established by God in paradise. The crime of the ancestors had a profound impact on human nature, which determined the entire subsequent life of mankind, because the man created by God wished consciously and freely, instead of the will of God, to establish his own will as the main vital ...

What is religion based on? Of course, on faith. Take it away from a person - and then what? It will collapse to the very “bottom” of life, get drunk and die.

Especially in the event that he does not have a life core, a formed worldview, but there was only hope for a miracle or for a Russian “maybe”.

After all, while we are in demand and successful, we use these privileges, as they say, to the fullest. And as soon as the situation becomes more complicated, as soon as the soil leaves from under the feet - that's where it is, a real test of strength.

When does a person need prayer? In cases where he admits that he himself cannot cope with a particular problem.

And M. Luther, the founder of Protestantism, was deeply right when he argued that there should be no mediators between man and God in the person of a priest or church.

Just retire to a room and turn to God with a prayer - albeit clumsily and clumsily, but completely sincerely. And by faith you will be rewarded ...

In the documentary The Power...

At all stages of the development of human civilization, religion has been and remains one of the most important factors influencing the worldview and way of life of each believer, as well as relations in society as a whole. Every religion is based on belief in supernatural powers, organized worship of God or gods, and the need to observe a certain set of rules and regulations prescribed by believers. Religion in the modern world plays almost the same important role as it did millennia ago, since according to polls conducted by the American Gallup Institute, at the beginning of the 21st century, more than 90% of people believed in the existence of God or higher powers, and the number of believers is approximately the same in highly developed countries, and in the countries of the "third world".

The fact that the role of religion in the modern world is still great refutes the secularization theory popular in the 20th century, according to which the role of religion is inversely proportional to the development of progress. Proponents of this theory were sure that scientific and technical ...

Today we have to consider religion as a means of controlling the masses.
First of all, I note that the author himself is more of an atheist, so I ask the representatives of any denominations for forgiveness if the article suddenly hurts someone's feelings related to religion.

First of all, it is necessary to understand why people need religion at all? There are practically no objective reasons for the need for religion for any particular person; faith as such will not bring you absolutely any tangible benefit, and on the contrary, it can harm you. Think about it, by itself, faith in God or in anyone else has not brought shelter to anyone, a hearty dinner, Good work or happiness with a loved one. On the contrary, faith greatly hinders people in achieving their desired goals, because in absolutely all religions people not only believe in something specific, but are also forced to follow a set of fairly strict rules, regulations and guidelines for all occasions, whether it be the Bible, the Karan, ...

Posted by norumuru Posted by nelson USSR A beautiful illustration, probably the first thing that comes to everyone's mind. I dare say that up to a certain point it was quite a good project. And, what is important, in principle, long-playing, if not... No, this is not a very good illustration.

The USSR was predominantly a Christian country, including the leadership.
Baptized were Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Yeltsin and their assistants.
Although, of course, many were forced to hide their affiliation with Christianity during the time of atheistic terror.

And by the way, the atheistic terror itself was unleashed and carried out by people who also believed in God, but in their own way. The most prominent atheists of the USSR - Ginzburg, Yaroslavsky, Zinoviev - were Jews.

Therefore, there is no way to call the USSR an atheistic state ...

This article is devoted to a rather sensitive issue - the issue of religion. And, more precisely, the benefits and harms of religion for the development of personality. I hasten to immediately outline my position on this issue. I am not an adherent of any of the religions, but at the same time, I do not have enough grounds to categorically deny the existence of a higher mind, God.

In general, I am an agnostic, not an atheist. At the same time, I do not rank myself among the opponents of religion, I believe that there are both pluses and minuses in following a religion. In this matter it is difficult to completely avoid a subjective view of things, but still I will try to be as impartial as possible and try to consider both the disadvantages and advantages of believing in a god in the context of personality development.

Religion is a subject of controversy

The question of faith is a bone of contention, an arena in which militant atheists and convinced believers clash. It is difficult to see objectivity and agreement here. Neither side wants...

Dostoevsky warned of the danger: the god-man is being replaced by the man-god! I was invited to discuss this topic at the Russian Thought seminar at the Russian Christian Academy for the Humanities. The discussion "Humanism and Christianity" was dedicated to the memory of a permanent participant of the seminar, a priest and humanist father Veniamin, who untimely passed away from us.
Presentations were made by Konstantin Konstantinovich Ivanov, Andrey Mikhailovich Stolyarov and Sergey Nestorovich Egorov.
I will cite the most interesting points of the discussion.

The very word "humanist" has theological roots and comes from an exaggerated emphasis on the humanity of Jesus Christ.

Secular humanism is derived from Christian theology.

The mystery of God is so deep that it can be revealed.

Truth comes out of mystery.

According to Socrates, truth is only then Truth when it is born in the human soul.

To comprehend the universe, a person must find the foundation in himself.

An objective picture of the world is based on a person, on his subjectivity.

Mathematicians speculatively create abstract mathematical models, and then it turns out that reality fits perfectly into them.

Scientism is the basis of our godlessness.

The revelation about God is the revelation about man.

Christianity teaches to understand a person what he really wants in the depths of his soul.

In Orthodoxy, the emphasis on the humanity of Jesus Christ is less than in Catholicism.

The laws that biologists know do not answer the question of why man still exists.

Human survival was facilitated by culture and the emergence of world religions.

Secular humanism separates morality from religion and makes it independent. For a person to be free.

Liberalism and socialism come from Christianity. Liberalism is based on human soul. Socialism is based on the equality of all people.

Faith should not be replaced by "ceremonial faith".

Compliance with humanistic rules often occurs in the absence of humanism itself.

What are the fundamental differences between humanism and Christianity?
Humanism is a system of principles for the organization of man in society.
Humanism is a hierarchical system of values. At the top is the individual, then freedom, then equality, then democracy.

In humanism main value is a person - every person.
In Christianity, the main value is the Supreme Being. For it lowers moral principles to a person.

Is humanism the opposite of Christianity?

The main difference between humanism and Christianity is the definition of authority, what is good and evil.

Christianity says that God is the source of truth.

Humanism offers not to believe, but to understand.

Christianity denies understanding. I believe because it's absurd!

Can man himself determine what is good and what is evil?

If there is no absolute good, only facts remain - that is, power.

Humanism offers to negotiate. Freedom, yes, but it must be limited.
What is not forbidden is allowed! is a well-known humanistic principle.
Humanism teaches that the freedom of an individual can be limited in the interests of the freedom of others.

In Christianity, there is no prohibition against prohibitions.

According to Christianity, man is a sinful receptacle of duties.

Christianity is hostile to equality.
Inequality and inequality are inherent in Christianity.
The structure of the Christian church is anti-democratic.

Does Christianity help the development of democracy? No.

Christianity teaches that all power comes from God.

Humanism works with a real, existing person.

The Christian faith should promote humanism.

The spiritual level of man is religion. The spiritual level is culture (the ideology of humanism).

The main law of nature is its constant complication.

Knowledge needs a leap. And this requires faith.

Truth is connected with infinity.

One must not be a reasoner, but resonate.

Maximus the Confessor believed that it was more important to believe than to know!

The Russian philosopher Vladimir Solovyov believed that a person alone can live without religion, but society is unlikely.

IN MY OPINION, if we admit that human life and human rights are most important, then you can sacrifice everything for the sake of saving your life, and no idea is worth dying for.
Father Veniamin (Novik) was contradictory in his views. On the one hand, he was an ardent opponent of Darwin's evolutionary theory, and on the other hand, a champion of humanism.
Father Benjamin was a man of deep faith, he confessed Jesus Christ and the value of self-sacrifice for the sake of saving people.
For a believer, the highest value is not life, but an idea, faith!
Great holy ascetics sacrificed their lives in the name of faith. Faith is placed above all else, and human life itself is only a preparation for eternal life.
He who wants to save his soul will destroy it.
For the sake of faith, you can sacrifice your life.
But if for the sake of faith one can sacrifice one's own life, then why one cannot sacrifice the life of another, as, for example, the biblical Abraham was ready to sacrifice his son Isaac.
Millions of people died for faith in a brighter future. Millions of lives are sacrificed in the name of an idea.

Humanists are those who value life most of all, for whom no idea can be more precious than life, even the idea of ​​human rights. And then, for the sake of saving his life, a person can justify any meanness.
But even for the sake of an idea, people committed the most incredible meanness.
How to resolve this contradiction?

I support the humanistic activities of the church to provide material assistance to those in need. At the age of 33, he himself was involved in charity work and led the Association of Organizations for Social Assistance to the Population.
Perhaps it is the church that should become the transmission link of consent and mutual assistance, the engine of the creation of love and kindness. For faith without works is dead.

I am a believer, but not religious.
Faith is not a religion, and religion is not a church.
Faith is from God, religion is from man.
Faith is a deeply personal path of a person, his personal experience, only personal.

For many, faith turns into a ritual, just like visiting a temple - into the so-called ritual belief.
But if there is no faith in the soul, then all ritual actions have no meaning.
A person believes in God, and not in the church and not in the clergy.

Does the strength of your prayer depend on the size of the candle and its price?

- It's a sin, of course, to judge. Well, let's not judge us, but us. Here's the story I heard. A woman worked in the church for twenty years; but in the church one must work very prudently. And she sees, therefore, a dream. Some kind of holy guide leads her, leads her to the door, which is like a large window, and a man sits there, writes. He asks the woman: where, they say, do you work, how, and what. And she answers that, they say, I work in the church. He says: ok, I'll take a look now. He took out a book, looked and said: not a single day was recorded. So here it is! Everyone writes about us, everything! After all, we live for a reason, son. Both good deeds and bad deeds are written. And that woman returned to the church and said: "I'm leaving the church today!" My mother asks her: "why?" And she replies: “I worked in the church for twenty years and didn’t earn a single day.
(from my true-life novel "The Wanderer" (mystery) on the site New Russian Literature