Human Side of Religion

@randis1 (112)
United States
November 28, 2008 2:31pm CST
How do you think we can best explain the human side of religion. By asking this, I am not asking how do we explain religion away. We can't. In fact, I am a deeply religious person. But how can we explain the human side of it. Why does man embrace religion? There have been several options that have emerged: 1) Sociologically (Marx, Stark) 2) Psychology (Kirkpatrick, Freud) 3) Phenomenologically (Durkheim)
2 responses
@Uroborus (908)
• Canada
28 Nov 08
I think there are many reasons that human embrace religion. The three you mention are valid, but I would add a few more. 1) Existential. People start to look for spiritual belief seystems when they are comfronted with their own mortality. When people realize that there will come a time when we don't exist (at least not in the sense we do now), they ask questions and seek meaning that sometimes leads them to religion. 2) The wielding of political power. I'm specifically refering here to religious leaders who use religion to exert control over people. 3) Wanting to marrie that person you fell in love with who is religious. This is often overlooked, but there are many people who would otherwise not have been religious, that convert or join a religion because they meet someone they want to marry, and that person is religious. 4) Desperation. This one is self-explanatory, and I think would apply to some people.
@randis1 (112)
• United States
29 Nov 08
I think 1 and 4 (that you mentioned) would fall under the psychological explanations. 2 and 3 fall under a sociological explanation called Rational Choice Theory (obviously taken from economics)--Rodney Stark and Roger Finke, "Acts of Faith"
@kerriannc (4279)
• Jamaica
28 Nov 08
You explain the Human Side of Religion by being compassionate, loving, caring, sharing, forgiving and doing all the works that the bible tells you to do. We tends to preach religion but Jesus Christ display the Human side while he was on earth and as christian one should always try to eliminate this. If you have the Heart of Flesh i.e. truly repent and baptize doing everything else that the bible told us to do will be so easy. In my opinion the Human side is to Forgive and Love. This is what Jesus Christ asked us to do. In His word he said how can you Love God and don't Love your neighbour and you never see God. You see this is also the Human side. No Professionals don't have to study and tell you what the Word of God has being saying all along.