: You've obviously missed the point. What you've commented on; "Religion is its nature a very personal state of mind of a person. It represents the most fundemental concepts of how a person percieves the world around him," is essentially your definition of religion. However, Philosofir speaks of organized religion, how religion has become a bureaucracy. The levels and rankings in organized religion (which is quite prevalent in the vatican), are comparable to bureaucracy observed in government. It's ridiculously naive to think that organized religions don't wield enormous power. Every time the pope produces and encyclical or travels to other countries to speak to the masses, that's a great demonstration of manipulation. You confuse organized religion, and one's personal set of ideas as being synonymous terms. As for your question (intended to be rhetorical one)

"have you ever seen person in history whom could manipulate and control the masses without the physical force to control the masses?"

What, you haven't? I seem to recall a certain... Jesus the messiah persuading and controling huge multitudes of people without force. The thing is, when it comes to the promise of an after-life, theist relax their skepticisms. They want to believe, and thus aren't hard to convince. Many religious and influential leaders have persuaded and manipulated people without any kind of force.

• Re: Science=Religion or Gerwin - comet61 - September 30, 1999 - 02:44 UTC
  • Re: Science=Religion or Gerwin - Its even stamped - November 30, 1999 - 00:00 UTC
  • Re: Science=Religion or Gerwin - Science=Religion? - October 4, 1999 - 07:24 UTC
    • Re: Answer (reply to bzrd) - Beelzebub - October 11, 1999 - 10:52 UTC