Karl Marx had it right when he said Religion is opium (drug) for the people
Think about it, when a person is on drugs they feel wonderful, they would appear happy if you asked them how they feel they would say on top of the world very Happy……..but the reality is they may have lost their home, bank accounts, family and have nothing tangible to show for there lives
Does this sound familiar?
You can make yourself feel happy right now by just changing your mental state with a thought
Example: If I was to say to myself that I will win $20,000,000 SOON, I start to feel happy, I think of all the things I will do with that money, now if I
- Attend 5 meetings a week with others who also feel they will win a lot of money we all feel it is possible
- I think of what I will one day be able to buy with all that money ( cars,homes, dream vacation etc) THE HOPE…some day soon
- I feel happy by just going to these meetings where others too feel they will get their prize SOON, just attending these meetings brings me joy that I feel I have already won the prize
( Do I have anything tangible to feel happy about? No, I don’t have the money, my life style hasn’t changed but I have the hope that SOON I will get my prize so I am happy
Now one day after sometime, I am told by someone that “ you very likely will not every get that prize” ..How would I feel? Perhaps they even show me “proof” Will I accept it?
I am so happy going to these meetings where others have the same hope of mine of getting that big prize…and I have hoped in that for so long that I can taste it
This illustrates well I think why it is so hard to leave “the Hope”
religion sells hope
by Omegaman 17 Replies latest jw friends
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Omegaman
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purplesofa
i understand what you are saying completely.
but I do think it is human nature.
its like being on a desert with no water......thirsting...can't go on.......can't take another step......and you see an oasis. You regain energy......and can make it.
I agree.........Religion sells hope.
purps
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poppers
Hope is always, Always, ALWAYS about the future. And as long as hope rules, the future trumps this very moment, the only moment that exists - right now. Isn't it ironic that people would rather "hope" than live fully in the present moment, the only place life takes place.
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Omegaman
that's true, but alot of people don't like their "now" so they live for a tommorow, a tommorow that may never come,
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purplesofa
I would like to add..........I live for today, the moment. Its much better
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Omegaman
would like to add..........I live for today, the moment. Its much better
"the moment " we can be sure of 100% exisits and is real, the tommorow is anyone's guess
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choosing life
Religion does basically peddle hope. But we are also taught from a very early age to always be looking forward to the future, as if the present doesn't really matter. It is built into the achievement oriented society we live in. It is good to have goals, but if we are always chasing after something to make us happy or fullfilled, then we miss out on today. As much as we like to push it out of our mind, today or right now is all we really have for sure.
The longer one has been alive, hopefully, the more they realize the importance of the present moment.
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garybuss
I don't have a problem with hope or even religion for that matter, what I think is really wrong is enforcement of the hope with social sanctions. In my book, hope quits being hope when it becomes law.
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bikerchic
One might as well believe in the tooth fairy, magic wands and Santa Clause.
Hey everyone needs something to believe in as long as it causes no harm.....can't say that about the WTS.
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Omegaman
as one of the songs from Poison go: " give me something to believe in"