From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: God etc
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 00:36:48 GMT

emery@tc.fluke.COM (John Emery) writes:
: In article <uX4qVB1w165w@momad.li.ny.us> siphon@Momad.LI.NY.US (Stimpson J. Katz) writes:
: 
: >    Then enlighten us, O sage, what precisely is relgion about?
: 
: The observed fact that humankind has always searched for something 
: outside of himself points to the conclusion that we are incomplete in
: ourselves.

So, how do you come to this conclusion? All it demonstrates is that some
people are uncomfortable with what they cannot understand, and often invent
ways of explaining the unknown. Some people invent a religion, others may
invent a philosophy. Even others may invent a science.

Even those who invent a religion do not necessarily feel they are
"incomplete". This is true, even within Christianity.

:             Some might say it is a learned behavior, nevertheless if
: we really didn't need something beside ourself and outside of ourself
: then there wouldn't be such searching as is evident cross-culturally
: throughout the ages.

Not necessarily true - see above. I have an idea that much of the, so
called, searching is simply a matter of curiosity.

: There seems to be an inbred need for meaning, significance, and to
: be loved.  I have observed that it is through relationships that
: we seek this: in marriage, in friendship, in partnership, in 
: child-parental bonds, etc.

Some people feel a need for some, or even all, of these. So what? How
much of this is cultural - forced on people by the dominant religion
of the area?

: Religion has been people trying to fulfill their deepest need of
: having a relationship with the greatest person of all: God.

This is certainly true, for some people of any religion that believes
in "God". Other religions have their own deity(ies) - with his/her/their
own attributes. Many people have no deity, at all.

: Oft times, it takes the form of rituals which seek to please this
: Almighty One.  Other times it is forms of service and good works
: to accomplish the same.

And then, there are the many religions that feel it is unnecessary to
attempt to please a fickle and spiteful god. 

Other times, people perform services and good works just because they
enjoy doing so. That should be why you do something anyway, not to
attempt to please some god that may, or may not, exist.

: My greatest fulfillment in life has been in this area: Being in a
: love relationship with God.  I, personally, have found my greatest
: peace and joy in surrendering my life to Jesus and learning more
: and more of how much He loves me and how much He has accomplished
: on my behalf.  Looking over my 32 years of life, this for me is the
: sole area I can look at and be convinced that I have found the answer.
: He has met by deepest need.

Too bad you cannot rely on yourself. Too bad you cannot accept full
credit for your accomplishments, and full blame for your failures.

: I realize that many people have many different ways to try and fill
: this need.  The fact of the presence of religion testifies to this.

I am uncertain what you mean by "this need". If it is a religious need,
certainly - there are those who practice one religion, or another. If
it is a need to satisfy or gain recognition from others, then there are
many who do this, often without any thought of a deity.

: Merry Christmas with love,

And, happy mid-winter to you. 

Bill
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc