To Athiests out there: Why would someone make up a religion?

And how would they do it and convince other people?To Athiests out there: Why would someone make up a religion?
Well without religion I believe the world would be far worse and completely different. If there is no reason to be good why not be bad, its so much more fun. This is a question that has challenged my faith for the last few years now. How can I fully believe something passed down through the generations similar to a tall tale. Is it not possible to have been twisted over time. Everyone does have very legitimate answers, but I believe in a higher power. This does not come from my childhood or from traditional church, it comes from what I have witnessed with my own eyes. There have been many times that I have prayed and GOD responded to my prayers. While I was raised baptist over time the realities of this world and my ideas have challenged my faith. Just because traditional religion does have faults and corruption this does not eliminate a sense of a higher being. We are only throw into this world and regardless of science or any other facts we think we know we still know absolutely nothing. How do we know what has come before this existence or afterward for that matter. I live off this basis, believe half of what you see and none of what you hear. If you lived by this what do you really know? I believe in a GOD because of what I have witnessed that is not only coincidence.To Athiests out there: Why would someone make up a religion?
Why did Hitler make up the Jewish plot?





To control people. And the need to control comes from two things - ignorance, and an inferiority complex.





People back in the Bronze Age were very ignorant. Most of them had no education at all and couldn't explain the workings of the world. At the same time, they were power-hungry.





Modern religions, like Scientology and Mormonism have also preyed upon the gullible and poorly educated. Also the young. Children are easier to manipulate.





So, since everyone was ignorant, it wasn't that hard to invent something that people would believe. People would believe anything. And religion has slowly been dying as the average person has become better educated.
To take immediate advantage over the gullible, back in the past people quickly picked up on the fact that the Shaman of the day were the ones holding the keys to power as they came up with creative tales to explain the then unknown world of nature (they had the ears of the rich, the powerful, the rulers, and the low man)...why wouldn't someone create religion?





A list of those who are all recognized the advantage of religion: ';Paul The Apostle';, Muhammad, Joseph Smith, Ellen G. White, Herbert Armstrong, and the Founder of the JWs. As you can see each one (a plagiarization of previous works) are all quite successful!
People wanted answers. During the time in which these religions were made up, people didn't have the technology or knowledge to explain why things are the way they are, so they turned to making up stories and since they had no other answers, people believed these stories and the religion was formed. Religion was also used for power. Honestly, look at our world to day and the influence religion has on people all over the world, whether it be good or bad. Also people want to believe in something greater than themselves. For example,like how everyone wants to believe in sea monsters or ghosts, or anything out of the ordinary. But these things dont actually exist.
the reason religion was made is because back in the dark ages people didnt have laws or goverment.thats were religion came in.religion was the only way they can control each other.and what better way to get somebody to do what you want them to do then scare the s**t out of them with 'HELL' best explination
Why wouldn't someone make up a religion!?


Money, power, respect, admiration, obedience. You can convince children of anything, and you can convince uneducated adults of anything also!





Oh yeah, Henry the VIII invented his religion so he could do anne boleyn!
...to explain something they don't understand. For instance, if a group of closely-knit people doesn't understand where lightning comes from (and assuming they don't have the resources to figure it out), it doesn't seem too crazy to believe that a big guy in the sky is throwing lighting bolts at you because you made him angry.





In this day and age, there's immense social pressure to be religious - at least where I live, in the back-hills of the midwest. You might as well be a cold blooded murderer if you're not Catholic. So I suspect much of the ';convincing'; is more of a ';Gee, I never see you in church, what kind of person are you...?';
Actually, christianity is a bastardization of Judaism, drawn up to delude insurgent Judeans of 1st century, Roman occupied Israel, into believing thier messiah had arrived; though not the one they were hoping for to lead them in the rebellion against Rome, but a peaceful one with a sympathy toward the Roman taxation of Judea. It was drawn up in Rome after the fall of Jerusalem by people of a similar agenda...
Control and/or to explain the unknown.How? Christianity borrowed from Babylonian, Sumerian, Egyptian, Greek philosophies/religions...the very start that we 'know' about was built on through the ages. I think Hinduism was/is the oldest...but animism might have been before that...someone observes something and tells or teaches others...it's all a product of communication (and miscommunication ;-)
Well to get power. You get a bunch of people to follow you and you can do anything.





Also people were willing to actually believe that there is god because they did not know how the world was made and what happens after you die. Also using the threat of hell helped alot.





Answer this; Why would someone make up a religion.
Someone would make up a religion to control other people.





They would make up a religion by writing a fake book detailing miracles and then tell people that if they don't believe in god, they're going to burn in hell. It works like a charm.
ALL religions are made-up.





Which isn't to say they don't have valid ideas, or touch on the truth in some way. Hell, MY religion was invented within my mother's lifetime - but that doesn't make its philosophies untrue.
To govern.





Now we have prisons instead of hell or bad second lives.





And it's obvious that some people will believe anything - see Scientology - especially if it promises to give them the answers that nobody else has.
a bit like this, I guess:





http://www.spaink.net/cos/rmiller/index.鈥?/a>
Power; or they honestly believe that some god spoke to them and told them to spread a religion. Sometimes it just grew over time in a particular ethnic group.
because they are deluded. Persuasion is the key factor in convincing other people or mutual benefit like any leader who wants to lead.
Wealth and Power.





Attribute it to something supernatural and play with guilt and fear.
Two modern examples are scientology and Mormonism. Early religions evolved over time from superstitions and fear.
To gain either political influence or monetary wealth. The medieval catholic church is a perfect example of both.
I think religion is an innate part of our being and that atheists are going against nature and evolution itself by trying to force secularism on the world
they start as either a sect or a cult and gradually gain followers; typically an off shoot of another faith
Power.





Example: Scientology





Scientology *is* a cult, but serves as an example that people will believe in *anything*.
power is the easy answer, but I'm sure there are many who've founded religions that have been ';true believers';.
For power and an ';ideal'; society
Same reason someone would start a business.
To explain things


Power
Power?





People are sheep.


They WANT to believe in something, no matter how ridiculous that something is.
Power, mostly.
To give the Light to the blind.
Money, power.
2 reasons





1the billz


2 the lolz