Our Egos and Religion
 

The only reason why people are so decisive in their religious beliefs is to feed their own ego.

"We are humans. We are important. We need a meaning to life. We can't accept the fact that we don't know. We have to figure it out for ourselves."

Whether it's Jesus, Allah, Buddha, or none of the above. We all think we got it figured out.




Well how about this religion. I don't know, and neither do you. I STRONGLY believe in agnosticism. Anybody with me?

Re: Our Egos and Religion
 

[ QUOTE ]
The only reason why people are so decisive in their religious beliefs is to feed their own ego.

"We are humans. We are important. We need a meaning to life. We can't accept the fact that we don't know. We have to figure it out for ourselves."

Whether it's Jesus, Allah, Buddha, or none of the above. We all think we got it figured out.




Well how about this religion. I don't know, and neither do you. I STRONGLY believe in agnosticism. Anybody with me?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sure. Most of the atheists here probably are.

Then again, most of the atheists here (myself certainly and obviously included) get their egos mixed up in their opposition to religion.

Re: Our Egos and Religion
 

[ QUOTE ]
The only reason why people are so decisive in their religious beliefs is to feed their own ego.

"We are humans. We are important. We need a meaning to life. We can't accept the fact that we don't know. We have to figure it out for ourselves."

Whether it's Jesus, Allah, Buddha, or none of the above. We all think we got it figured out.




Well how about this religion. I don't know, and neither do you. I STRONGLY believe in agnosticism. Anybody with me?


[/ QUOTE ] I would mostly agree with you that the adherence to silly religious beliefs are somehow tied to ego. However, you mentioned Buddhism. Buddhism is a philosophy that trys to distance us from our ego.

Re: Our Egos and Religion
 

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I don't know, and neither do you. Anybody with me?

[/ QUOTE ]
I know that specific claims of many religions are false. As for the big questions, I don't know either. But I always like linking agnostics to this:

http://www.abarnett.demon.co.uk/athe...ic_prayer.html

Re: Our Egos and Religion
 

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The only reason why people are so decisive in their religious beliefs is to feed their own ego.

[/ QUOTE ]

The fact is that fear is the emotion that drives fervent religious beliefs not ego. Excuse me, that is not really a fact, It's my opinion, which probably should be considered a fact but really isn't.

pokervintage

Re: Our Egos and Religion
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The only reason why people are so decisive in their religious beliefs is to feed their own ego.

[/ QUOTE ]

The fact is that fear is the emotion that drives fervent religious beliefs not ego. Excuse me, that is not really a fact, It's my opinion, which probably should be considered a fact but really isn't.

pokervintage

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Agreed. A better hypothesis still is that people tend to apply reasons to things that has no reason, since that is the way we are geared to think (it makes sense from an evolutionary standpoint).

Since we are on a pokerforum we could use for an example the classic gambler's fallacy example: 'I hit the flush because I haven't hit a flush in a long time, I was due.'

Re: Our Egos and Religion
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The only reason why people are so decisive in their religious beliefs is to feed their own ego.

[/ QUOTE ]

The fact is that fear is the emotion that drives fervent religious beliefs not ego. Excuse me, that is not really a fact, It's my opinion, which probably should be considered a fact but really isn't.

pokervintage

[/ QUOTE ]

I've always seen the ego as self-protective, so I think fear relates to it.

Re: Our Egos and Religion
 

[ QUOTE ]
The only reason why people are so decisive in their religious beliefs is to feed their own ego.

"We are humans. We are important. We need a meaning to life. We can't accept the fact that we don't know. We have to figure it out for ourselves."

Whether it's Jesus, Allah, Buddha, or none of the above. We all think we got it figured out.




Well how about this religion. I don't know, and neither do you. I STRONGLY believe in agnosticism. Anybody with me?

[/ QUOTE ]

Is my disbelief in purple flying buffalo an ego trip? Seems common sense to me.

Re: Our Egos and Religion
 

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'I hit the flush because I haven't hit a flush in a long time, I was due.'

[/ QUOTE ]

OMG! What are you saying? You mean that's not true? I know for certain it's true at Bellagio's poker room.

Pokervintage

Re: Our Egos and Religion
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The only reason why people are so decisive in their religious beliefs is to feed their own ego.

[/ QUOTE ]

The fact is that fear is the emotion that drives fervent religious beliefs not ego. Excuse me, that is not really a fact, It's my opinion, which probably should be considered a fact but really isn't.

pokervintage

[/ QUOTE ]

I've always seen the ego as self-protective, so I think fear relates to it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think ego as a term is so hazy it is rarely usable for much.