The Psychology of Religious Beliefs | Luke Galen 

True. But I also have observed that early religions tend to lie about the God they are centered around to make God an ideal and beyond human whereas old religions had their deities flawed, they could be greedy, angry, jealous etc. the bad and the evil had a clear and thin barrier (think of Greek gods, Egyptian gods, Mayan Gods etc).

Yes in the image he created you

@@juliorivera870 what is the evidence that supports that claim?

@@MrMattSax The evidence speaks for itself: Can you hear the silence?

@@ichsehsandersthe burden of proof falls on the one who makes the claim

Obviously. How could it be otherwise?

Well said!

Your religion is the one true religion. Praise be to ... well, you know.

​@ceb3275 But it is. And I am tired of pretending it's not to please people like you

Humanisim is stupid

And prayer sometimes boils down to "I need to know now. Will you love me again?" (John Newman - _Love Me Again_ )

You are projecting

@@Tarantula-hawk You are wishing. You've posted wish-fulfilment fantasies on many comments here. They all boil down to an insistence that your magical fantasy fairy tale is real and that you're not going to present any evidence to show that it's real. If you want to convince a non-believer that your Holy Storybook is more than just fairy tales, you need to come with evidence, not just stories, or stories about stories and DEFINITELY not just insisting that it's true!

Humanisim is stupid

😂😂😂😂😂 seriously!

Bingo

You're right! Again.

Humanisim is stupid

Amen brother

Amen❤

I've been secretly thinking that my whole life

Tbh, as a non-religious theist, even if a particular God existed, it wouldn't have anything in common with us as, or any species as we know ourselves.

⁠@@InsertYTHandleHereas an atheist, i have a similar line of thought. people just kind of assume that a god must be like us because “us” is what we know. we understand our world in terms of personification & human hierarchies. so in a setting where humans have power in nature, the ‘thing’ in control of it all must exist in a human-like form/dynamic! if there were a god, people are probably wrong anyways when they apply human ideas/structure onto a higher power. idk if my yapping is coherent

Yeah. Theists will sometimes accuse atheists of "thinking themselves Gods," but the reality is that just about everyone who worships a God is worshipping themselves, just not their current self.

It sounds like it worked for you. If you were able to find self love, in your practice.

Every”faith “? Every theist.

So a mythical spirit outside the massive universe has a mind? Perhaps it would be good if this "god" revealed him/her self in todays world of science

@@TheMargarita1948 yes. One can have “faith” (in reality) without having a definition of “God.”

@@DM-zq8qy The fact that every theist describes the character of “God” differently and to resemble them self is one of my main reasons for believing “he” does not exist.

@@DM-zq8qy I have a deep faith in reality. I identify as “religious naturalist.” My religious (ecstatic) experiences come from contemplation of the interconnected web of life: constantly changing, always in balance.

I have often thought and said that religions grow up from the needs of the soil.

Indeed. Christianity for example is extremely narcissistic.

Can you honestly tell me you have never tried to escape? Tv? Alcohol? Drugs? Overwork? Please be honest

@@james0805 what dies that have to do with the narcissistic need for being special in the eyes of an all-powerful being?

Fear of Hell is massive driver!

@Grandpa_Boxer Yes and this sick fantasy is fed to children before they reach any age of reason.

For every human discovery “god did it” was never the answer, so we can be quite sure it won’t be the answer for phenomena we haven’t found one for (yet).

They proclaimed themselves to be wise then they became fuuls.

@@kellydalstok8900😂😂 it amazing how unscientific your statement is but okay

@@wangobadankas4038 ‘imagine “ being the key word.

But Donald Trump does. This shows you exactly what kind of men wrote the bible.

@@kellydalstok8900 Trump and his MAGA-minions, with the FOX propaganda machine cheering them on.

@@kellydalstok8900 That's exactly who came to mind for me as well. I agree with you and me 100%. 😃You are so right with your second sentence. The Bible was written by ignorant, petty, and vengeful men.

Not to offend, but that sounds made up... Like these drawnout Atheist becomes Theist kinda storys. Maybe its just me

🤣🤣🤣🇮🇪

If God thinks like me, we’re going to be OK. And soon.

We already are.

Kind of like a "crazy" person hearing voices? Just sayin!

@@esarge66 no, just an over imaginative person’s inner monologue.

Rorschach.

Excellent!

Might require a little evidence for that claim!

@@Grandpa_Boxer You first.

Maybe?

It will take a while to get past the conditioned fear of hellfire but once on the other side you’ll look back at and see it for what it was : a conditioned mindset…and you’ll be finally set free . Love will be more genuine , more wholesome

*Why Jesus?* Jesus has been held in high regard by Christians and non-Christians alike. Regardless of whether he existed in history, or whether he was divine, many have asserted that the New Testament Christ character was the highest example of moral living. Many believe that his teachings, if truly understood and followed, would make this a better world. Is this true? Does Jesus merit the widespread adoration he has received? Let's look at what he said and did. *Was Jesus Peaceable And Compassionate?* The birth of Jesus was heralded with "Peace on Earth," yet Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to send peace: I came not to send peace but a sword." (Matthew 10:34) "He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one." (Luke 22:36) "But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me." (Luke 19:27. In a parable, but spoken of favorably.) The burning of unbelievers during the Inquisition was based on the words of Jesus: "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." (John 15:6) Jesus looked at his critics "with anger" (Mark 3:5), and attacked merchants with a whip (John 2:15). He showed his respect for life by drowning innocent animals (Matthew 8:32). He refused to heal a sick child until he was pressured by the mother (Matthew 15:22-28). *The most revealing aspect of his character was his promotion of eternal torment.* "The Son of man [Jesus himself] shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:41-42) "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched." (Mark 9:43) ***Is this nice? Is it exemplary to make your point with threats of violence? Is hell a kind, peaceful idea?*** *Did Jesus Promote "Family Values"?* "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26) "I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household." (Matthew 10:35-36) When one of his disciples requested time off for his father's funeral, Jesus rebuked him: "Let the dead bury their dead." (Matthew 8:22) Jesus never used the word "family." He never married or fathered children. To his own mother, he said, "Woman, what have I to do with thee?" (John 2:4) *What Were His Views On Equality And Social Justice?* Jesus encouraged the beating of slaves: "And that servant [slave], which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes." (Luke 12:47) He never denounced servitude, incorporating the master-slave relationship into many of his parables. He did nothing to alleviate poverty. Rather than sell some expensive ointment to help the poor, Jesus wasted it on himself, saying, "Ye have the poor with you always." (Mark 14:3-7) No women were chosen as disciples or invited to the Last Supper. *What Moral Advice Did Jesus Give?* "There be eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it." (Matthew 19:12) Some believers, including church father Origen, took this verse literally and castrated themselves. Even metaphorically, this advice is in poor taste. If you do something wrong with your eye or hand, cut/pluck it off (Matthew 5:29-30, in a sexual context). Marrying a divorced woman is adultery. (Matthew 5:32) Don't plan for the future. (Matthew 6:34) Don't save money. (Matthew 6:19-20) Don't become wealthy. (Mark 10:21-25) Sell everything and give it to the poor. (Luke 12:33) Don't work to obtain food. (John 6:27) Don't have sexual urges. (Matthew 5:28) Make people want to persecute you. (Matthew 5:11) Let everyone know you are better than the rest. (Matthew 5:13-16) Take money from those who have no savings and give it to rich investors. (Luke 19:23-26) If someone steals from you, don't try to get it back. (Luke 6:30) If someone hits you, invite them to do it again. (Matthew 5:39) If you lose a lawsuit, give more than the judgment. (Matthew 5:40) If someone forces you to walk a mile, walk two miles. (Matthew 5:41) If anyone asks you for anything, give it to them without question. (Matthew 5:42) Is this wise? Is this what you would teach your children? *Was Jesus Reliable?* Jesus told his disciples that they would not die before his second coming: "There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom" (Matthew 16:28). "Behold, I come quickly." (Revelation 3:11) It's been 2,000 years, and believers are still waiting for his "quick" return. He mistakenly claimed that the mustard seed is "the least of all seeds" (Matt. 13:32), and that salt could "lose its savour" (Matthew 5:13). Jesus said that whoever calls somebody a "fool" shall be in danger of hell fire (Matthew 5:22), yet he called people "fools" himself (Matthew 23:17). Regarding his own truthfulness, Jesus gave two conflicting opinions: "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true" (John 5:31), and "Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true" (John 8:14). *Was Jesus A Good Example?* He irrationally cursed a fig tree for being fruitless out of season (Matthew 21:18-19, and Mark 11:13-14). He broke the law by stealing corn on the Sabbath (Mark 2:23), and he encouraged his disciples to take a horse without asking permission (Matthew 21). The "humble" Jesus said that he was "greater than the temple" (Matt 12:6), "greater than Jonah" (Matthew 12:41), and "greater than Solomon" (Matthew 12:42). He appeared to suffer from a dictator's "paranoia" when he said, "He that is not with me is against me" (Matthew 12:30). *Why Jesus?* Although other verses can be cited that portray Jesus in a different light, *they do not erase the disturbing side of his character.* The conflicting passages, however, prove that the New Testament is contradictory. The "Golden Rule" had been said many times by earlier religious leaders. (Confucius: "Do not unto others that you would not have them do unto you.") "Turn the other cheek" encourages victims to invite further violence. "Love thy neighbor" applied only to fellow believers. (Neither the Jews nor Jesus showed much love to foreign religions). A few of the Beatitudes ("Blessed are the peacemakers") are acceptable, but they are all conditions of future reward, not based on respect for human life or values. *On the whole, Jesus said little that was worthwhile. He introduced nothing new to ethics (except hell). He instituted no social programs.* Being "omniscient," he could have shared some useful science or medicine, but he appeared ignorant of such things (as if his character were merely the invention of writers stuck in the first century). *Why is Jesus so special? It would be more reasonable and productive to emulate real, flesh-and-blood human beings who have contributed to humanity--mothers who have given birth, scientists who have alleviated suffering, social reformers who have fought injustice--than to worship a character of such dubious qualities as Jesus.*

@@chrissurcey1311 I think you missed the point of Trinitarianism.

@@epicofgilgamesh9964 wow what a hateful man you are …… go find something that makes you happy and do that…..:-)

And how did you find out about Jesus? You read a book that was written by MAN. Men, as ordinary as I am, wrote that book. So would you believe my book? Galen's book? Think about it.

@@epicofgilgamesh9964 Excellent summary.

@camwhiteastro

@@itsROMPERS... god has been described, often in fine detail, by every theistic religion. In the case of Abrahamism, god has been described in excruciating detail, hundreds of times in hundreds of fantastical and mutually inconsistent ways. The only constants in these hundreds of different descriptions are (1) it is not corporeal (has no physical body) and (2) is male. Figure that one out.

@@TheMargarita1948 I meant the descriptions offered are clearly nothing like what any god would ever be like. Many have TRIED to describe what he would be like, but the descriptions are all obviously and laughably insufficient. And most descriptions DO suggest a corporeal presence. Some interpret that as ethereal, but that's not everybody.

@@itsROMPERS... curiouser and curiouser

@@TheMargarita1948 how so?

@@itsROMPERS... My point is that the character of the Abrahamic deity is described so divergently from one sect to another that they could not possibly be describing the same entity. The Calvinist version and the Catholic version are utterly irreconcilable, just to mention two. I could mention 20, all mutually exclusive as a single “person.” One could also cite the three “persons” of the trinitarian god: the “Holy Spirit” is so anodyne that no one has even tried to describe its “character.” Or perhaps they have and I missed it. I don’t have a lot of time for the descriptions of “god,” since I prefer to concentrate on the various wondrous aspects of reality. This diversity of characteristics said to be present in any one entity is all the evidence I need to conclude that there is no such entity at all. Quite possibly you are making a different point altogether. In which case, this is not a conversation and should end.

As many as there are humans who create them.

I know. Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behavior in a given context. Which is worse, a lighthouse or a raging sea? Light vs darkness.

Only God knows...

They all started out like that, and now they’re trying to rationalise why they did.

It's interesting how people view spiritual experience as something outside natural law. If that is true, then how does it interact with natural law, us, our senses?

@@themangospy8288 I love your handle, Mango Spy, I'm still chuckling. I fully agree with your comment. The points you raise are those I had. But back to the subject, this new belief is apparently widespread. For me it is a good thought experiment. It doesn't hold water but could be used to explain God's lack of presence. I once spun Genesis into a video game the Cherubim gave to God called Genesis ... haha.

@@themangospy8288 If by “spiritual experience,” you mean the mental-emotional state that goes by many terms (“oceanic experience” and “mystic state” among them), there is no reason I know if to think of it as “outside of nature.” It is, in fact, a fairly common human experience. I have had these since childhood and have one now and again as an elder. They have been studied scientifically (and pseudoscientifically) for centuries. It is as natural as nostalgia or wonder or other kinds of mental-emotional intensity. I am aware of no evidence for the existence of anything at all outside of natural law. Matter and energy is all there is, apparently.

Please explain or describe what you mean by soul.

@@cht2162 The supernatural essence of man. The life force. That which defines a man. The eternal spirit.

@@edwardvan5808prove the supernatural exists.

You shouldn't be watching videos while you're high

If you have a certain time limit to do a presentation, you can’t expect him to know every word people know or not. You can use the dictionary or Google to help you with that