by Arlos » Tue Dec 25, 2007 6:29 pm
I think there is an inherent human need for some kind of spiritual side, as well as the need to have some kind of heroic figures to follow the examples of. For the Greeks, they invented people like Hercules, Odysseus, etc, along with Zeus, Aphrodite, Athena, etc.
Modern day, most people follow monotheistic belief patterns, and we've turned sports stars and actors into the hero types.
Since they spring from a basic human desire and need, I don't at all believe that religions in and of themselves were invented to control the masses. HOWEVER, organized institutional CHURCHES on the other hand, in the past have been. Just look at the Catholic Church in the middle ages, and how it controlled just about every aspect of public life, including stunting scientific thought and persecution of anyone with differing beliefs.
I realize that's a difficult gradation to grasp, but I see a vast difference between the personal quest for spiritual growth, through whatever religious or spiritual focus one chooses to follow (which I respect immensely), and the dogmatic power-seeking of organized Churches, with their bureaucracies, laws and interpretations passed down from on high, etc. etc. etc. (which I have zero respect for at all).
Partly, that's why I ended up where I did, faith-wise. There's basically no such thing as pagan dogma, unless you want to consider "there are no dogmas" to be itself a dogma... One of the fundamental belief is that there is no one right true way, and as long as what you do doesn't hurt anyone else and it works for you, then more power to you.
-Arlos