depends on the individuals practicing the religion. Just as
there is a law on the books for lawyers to use to justify almost
anything in court, each religion has its loopholes that cultish
factions use to justify their criminal behavior. BUT - if used
properly, it helps ease troubled minds - it was psychology
before we had a name for it. It was ''community'' even without
have a geographical home (look at the Moses and the jews in the
desert) . It was a system of law and punishment in the days
before police. It changes a person's perspective so they WANT to
be good. iT CAN ELIM8INATE HOPELESSNESS. BUT - not everybody
needs it. Or wants it. And that's fine. I tend to edge towards
science, philosophy, psychology. I suspect we probably cease to
exist when we die - YET its possible (if we are indeed in an
infinite universe - that it doesn't stop at the furthest we can
see (because light is too slow) ) that our mental patterns are
repeated in a nebula somewhere (quantumly entangled) - and our
consciousness continues. As wacked out as that sound, its enough
for me to think, ''Just maybe our ''selves'' continue'' - and if
they do, it explains the need to ''be at peace'' internally. For
imagine you have an itch - the itch of greed, the itch of anger,
or even a physical itch - craving for a scratch. Now, you can
reach out your hand and scratch. but what if (like people with
phantom limbs who feel an itch on a foot that's no longer there)
- the itch continues after you have no body? That would definite
HELL to me. At peace with yourself? HEAVEN.
