[Attalus]

Originally posted by *\Conan/*: 1.What is religion? 1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance 2.Why do rational, practical people still buy into it? I feel that it shows us what purpose that our lives have, preparing for eternity 3.Why do religions of humankind, at times, show striking similarities with each other? Because people are aware of forces outside themselves, preferring the good to evil, and struggle to understand them. 4.Why do genetically unrelated myths and rituals have similar narrative plots or ritual sequences? Is religion a autonomus system or heteronomous? And for the so inclined--->Do you beleive the soul preexists the body vs. the soul does not preexist the body; Because, according to Frederick Jung and Joseph Campbell, human experience requires answers to the same questions, hence, since all human experience in the great transitions of life: birth, maturity, marriage, and death, are similar, the human mind recognizes these grand themes and responds in similiar ways, regardless of culture. And, yes, I believe the soul to be a created spiritual entiety, preexisting the body. IIs the soul created vs. the soul uncreated? Created, as is the entire universe.