What makes religion so powerful that a majority of parishoners or followers do whatever the religious leader(s) say often without question regardless of the level of nonsense or evil? It comes down to one simple thing. This is the inability or the refusal to except that there is possibly an end to life, or, ideally there is a path to life eternal.
Every modern religious organization was started by a person or a group of people seeking to determine the path to this eternal existence. Somewhere along the way others began to follow and the religion was born. All religions have a common control factor in that they teach or profess in one way or another that they are the one true religion and it is through them and their teachings that one will find the path to eternal life. All religious leaders know that the parishoners will likely simply follow. The possiblity that they will question is nearly non-existent. They also know if they can't control someone directly, they can likely do it through someone that person is close to.
Every religious organization has the same empty answer for what they can't explain utilizing one or more of the following statements, "It's not for you to question. Everything happens for a reason. It's all a part of God's plan." With such empty justification it's no wonder a majority of people succumb to an agnostic way of thinking. Why not just answer with the truth? If the preacherman don't have the answer, or don't know the answer, then say so! There is a good reason they don't! If they don't give an answer no matter how rediculous it may sound, then they look dumber than their ignorant answer. The motivation of every religious leader is exactly the same. If they can control the people, then they control the money! It is just that simple. Every religious organization preaches a bible, prays to a God, and worships the money.
These same organizations use a bible as a tool to control their parishoners. They convince their followers that the bible is inspired by God, and it's prophetic, and they have the devine ability to interpret it. They also know that although the Bible is the most common book in the world, it is also the book that is least actually read. Although the Bible is chronologic, these same religious leaders use the Bible in a completely random and out of context way to control the beliefs or the actions of their parishoners. And... with that, they now control the money!
Are you having difficulties understanding why, when there is supposed to be a God, the level of evil in the world knows no bounds? How can any loving God let all this evil continue?
Don't worry, you're not alone. It is this normal, thoughtful questioning which is typically answered by organized religious leaders where they tell their parishioners that it is not for them to question the will of God. That it is all a part of God's plan. Sadly, this empty teaching often drives otherwise believers to Agnostic thinking, or even Atheism.
Who can blame anyone for not believing such rediculous direction from religious leaders? It simply doesn't make any sense, and you shouldn't believe it when such statements are made. They say these things because they don't know either. Instead of being honest with people, they state the rediculous.
The leaders of every major organized religious group use the Bible, one version or the other, widely interpreted to varying degrees, to influence or control the behavior of their parishioners to some degree.
Was the Ark crowded?
No, it was not! Nor shall the next place be either! Don't be like a fish on a farm pond willing to bite an empty hook! As you listen to any religious leader, do it with question and I mean question everything. Don't simply buy what he or she is selling because they are good pitchpeople which is exactly what the vast majority of religious leaders are. Do your own reading and interpretion, obey your own conscience. You and you alone are accountable for your actions on judgement day, no one else stands in your stead!
Be wary of false prophets, they are many!
There are countless preachers, ministers, religious leaders or whatever you want to call them, from as many different churches, synagogues, mosques etc. The vast majority preach hate and intolerance to one degree or another. They need to control you! That should be your first sign that there is something wrong going on in that house! If your leader isn't teaching good things, and the need to appreciate the life we have been given, you need to seek another house of worship for you are currently in the house of hypocrisy lead by a false prophet.
How and What we believe
We believe in true freedom of religion, where one does not look upon another as their particular religious belief being superior. This as opposed to every major organized religion whereby they believe that their religion is superior and often times preached as the gateway to heaven and other religions are "false," the false prophet concept.
We believe in a devine power or supreme being. A God if you will, in one form or another. We believe that we as individuals are accountable in our own right to the God in which we believe. Your God may be different than mine, and that is okay. At the end of the day, we know that we have instilled in us, a conscience. That is what differentiates us from other inhabitants of this planet, such as animals, fishes and birds for example. We believe that our conscience is our ultimate guide.
We believe that we have a duty to do right of ourselves and by others regardless of whether or not we agree with the way they themselves believe as long as they are not trying to dictate to us how we should believe. We also believe that we should not be uppity and self-righteous toward others as they are accountable themselves to their God. We believe that we do not have a right to dictate morality to others, their morality is their own personal decision for which they are accountable.
We believe that neither our method of belief nor that of any other is some majical gateway to a heaven of one kind or the other. Each individual is accountalbe in their own right and belief in what will get them to the golden gates that they envision whether it is the vision that we have or not.
The Bible is clear
You are responsible for your own reading. A preacher justifying evil conduct by jumping back and forth picking and choosing verses to support their interpretation is just that, evil. You should think about what is being said, it is you who will be held accountable for your own actions, not an evil preacher you want to believe is superior and righteous.