Some of my ideas - how do you feel about them?

[blue giraffe]

A lot of people tell me I am sophisticated in my ideas and I've given a lot of thought to them. I'd like to hear feedback.

I'll start with god. My belief is that there is a god, but not a supernatural being that created us humans. God is just a psychological part of our mind and when we feel sad we can use to concept of god to comfort us, give us motivation, and give us hope. Because I feel that God is just a concept, I like to think of god as an "it" rather than "He". I hope that doesn't offend anyone.

So then who created us? You guessed it. Evolution. Yes, a common ancestor for all organisms. Why does life only exist (as far as we know) on Earth? It is because of chance. The molecules that were on Earth just happened to come together in a way that created DNA and the thing we call "biological life".

Then how were these molecules created, how did the Earth form.... how did the universe start? These questions I can't answer, but I do believe that in time, scientists will create technology to figure these things out. Maybe they will even figure out a way to create matter. The earth was created billions of years ago, and it may take more billions of years ago to find the answers - if we still are around - but that is irrelevant.

Now I will take my focus on to religion. I believe that the Bible and all other holy books were written by people and none of it is "God's word". The stories are also all fiction. They were written only to keep fools from doing bad things since they had morals, and somehow all people became brainwashed fools to believe these stories. (I know that may offend some, but this is my honest opinion and for all we know I may be the one fool). The stories are no different than the boy who cried wolf.

Why do people then believe in this supernatural being they call God, believe in these stories, saints, etc.? It is actually very simple. Once you plant an idea into a vulnerable person's mind, the idea grows and grows to a point where it becomes their reality. An example of this is Hitler. The people were facing bad times, so Hitler was able to convince people to kill people. Now parents are the biggest influence on their kids. And kids will believe in anything. When parents impose these religious ideas on their kids, of course they will believe in it. They will grow up to see that everyone else also believes in similar things. The idea will keep growing and then they will impose the ideas on their kids. It's a cycle that keeps going on. If Hitler can convince so many adults to kill a certain type of people in such a short amount of time, then there is no doubt that a parent can plant ideas in their kids.

Personally, I don't believe in a heaven/hell, reincarnation, or really any after life except that you get a "trip" like you would from taking the drug mushrooms because your brain produces DMT. There is no such things either as a spiritual soul either. If people honestly think they have communicated or talked to such things, they are delusional. When a person believes in an idea so strongly, it becomes their reality. They start perceiving the world in that way.

I do like to learn about religions though. All religions are corrupt in some way to me. Actually, just about everything humans have created are corrupt in some way. It may not be that way for you but it depends on your interpretation of the world "corruption". Why do I like to learn about these religions then? It is because they have ideas they I like. I like to take positive things from every religion and sort of create my own mind in religion.

And that brings me to the last idea I will share. I want people to do what I have done and take the good things out of every religion and leave the corrupt things out. By doing this, everyone will create their "own religion" inside their mind. Of course parents will need to guide their children. But these religions won't contain anything "spiritual"... or even better - the word "spiritual" will be given a new meaning.

Anyways, those are my ideas. I am only 16 and my thinking is always changing. How do you all feel about this?

p.s. Yes I understand that it is almost impossible to turn my fantasy (of everyone creating their own personal religion) into reality. I just don't like the idea of people growing up on a religion then following that set of ideas and principles. Kids that grow up on a religion don't always get a chance to consider anything else because their parents and society may put pressure on them. Also, with these religions, everyone sort of believes in similar things and I like individuality better.

[OnceConvinced]

I'll start with god. My belief is that there is a god, but not a supernatural being that created us humans. God is just a psychological part of our mind and when we feel sad we can use to concept of god to comfort us, give us motivation, and give us hope. Because I feel that God is just a concept, I like to think of god as an "it" rather than "He". I hope that doesn't offend anyone.

Seems to me it is just part of your mind. Why call it God?

Now I will take my focus on to religion. I believe that the Bible and all other holy books were written by people and none of it is "God's word". The stories are also all fiction. They were written only to keep fools from doing bad things since they had morals, and somehow all people became brainwashed fools to believe these stories. (I know that may offend some, but this is my honest opinion and for all we know I may be the one fool). The stories are no different than the boy who cried wolf.

You're posting in the A Room. I don't think you'll offend too many of us in here by saying that bible believers are brainwashed fools.

Personally, I don't believe in a heaven/hell, reincarnation, or really any after life except that you get a "trip" like you would from taking the drug mushrooms because your brain produces DMT. There is no such things either as a spiritual soul either. If people honestly think they have communicated or talked to such things, they are delusional. When a person believes in an idea so strongly, it becomes their reality. They start perceiving the world in that way.

I can kind of agree with that. I was brought up in a Christian home and taught Christianity to be truth from an early age. I was taught it along with every other fact that you learn as a child, so you know no difference, really. Because I was already convinced of the reality of it, thanks to my indoctronation as a child, it became a reality to me. It wasn't until many years later when I realised that the bible and God just weren't all they were cracked up to be that I started to realise I had been living in a delusion and that my beliefs were wrong.

I do like to learn about religions though. All religions are corrupt in some way to me. Actually, just about everything humans have created are corrupt in some way. It may not be that way for you but it depends on your interpretation of the world "corruption". Why do I like to learn about these religions then? It is because they have ideas they I like. I like to take positive things from every religion and sort of create my own mind in religion.

Just as long as you don't put yourself up as the one to be worshiped.

And that brings me to the last idea I will share. I want people to do what I have done and take the good things out of every religion and leave the corrupt things out. By doing this, everyone will create their "own religion" inside their mind. Of course parents will need to guide their children. But these religions won't contain anything "spiritual"... or even better - the word "spiritual" will be given a new meaning.

Having wasted many years of my life on religion, I have no desire to be part of any new ones, not even my own made up ones!

[TD101]

By the age of 16, you've already figured out what it took me 38 years to realize. Good job! Now focus on the important things in life: school, chicks, sports, driving, and getting a job.

Now parents are the biggest influence on their kids. And kids will believe in anything. When parents impose these religious ideas on their kids, of course they will believe in it. They will grow up to see that everyone else also believes in similar things. The idea will keep growing and then they will impose the ideas on their kids. It's a cycle that keeps going on.

Pretty much how it went in my family. I was raised going to church as did the generations before me. I've only recently had a change in faith, so I also contributed to the brainwashing of my child. But, parents have the right to raise their children as they see fit, and I'm not a fan of telling others how to raise their kids. And I'm sure not a fan of someone else trying to tell me how to raise my kid.

Personally, I don't believe in a heaven/hell, reincarnation, or really any after life except that you get a "trip" like you would from taking the drug mushrooms because your brain produces DMT. There is no such things either as a spiritual soul either. If people honestly think they have communicated or talked to such things, they are delusional. When a person believes in an idea so strongly, it becomes their reality. They start perceiving the world in that way.

I have a friend that overdosed when he was 18 and says he went to hell. My sister-in-law works with geriatrics and talks about numerous incidents of patients with near death experiences seeing Jesus and all that. There's also a soldier that was dead for 15 minutes before being revived. What did he see? Nothing. So, I'll agree with you, it's all in your head and people with these experiences tend to see what they want to see. My friend was the son of a preacher and wasn't living a very good Christian life, drugs and sex, so naturally he had it in his head that he was going to hell.

Just like OnceConvinced, I'm done with religion. I have much better things to do with my time.