Quote:
Originally Posted by ruchase
Speaking strictly to the OP poll, I'd say satan/hell plays an even greater role than heaven/god for almost all religions to work. Without satan/hell, people would be free to live without any religious boundaries, since there is no risk to offend their spiritual diety. Without hell, people have no incentive to 'do the right thing'.
Without new money in, they face extinction.
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The purpose of religion is to scare people into compliance. Plain and simple. Screw up and you will be punished doesn't work as well. Why? Crimes happen and many are unsolved regardless of what the CSI and others tell you. This means, if you outwit your fellow man, you are home free. But wait! Even if you do, you will pay for it in the next life. That you cannot get way from. This means that if you steal, you will get punished in the next life AT THE VERY LEAST. If you don't, you will be punished in BOTH lives. Although, I do question this. IF you believe that your deity will punish you and you behave, are you really a good person? Isn't that like saying that if we keep you in a medically induced coma, you don't do bad things and are therefore good?
Or a bunch of new suckers to the faith, they will. That could explain why they are against homosexuality. It means no kids. No kids, smaller flock. Smaller flock means more vulnerable to other groups.