From where does religion derive it's authority?

[IronWing]

I didn't have my very own religion thread so here it is.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

As there's not a preacher in the world that has power over an intelligent person the answer should be obvious.

 

[JS80]

Which religion? If we're talking Christianity, Catholics believe authority comes from the church. Protestants disagree.

 

[Kirby]

Authority comes from within.

/moonbeam

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Human frailty.

 

[Crono]

Where do governments derive their authority from?

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: Crono
Where do governments derive their authority from?

51% who voted them in because they were promised free shit from the 49%.

 

[BoomerD]

Churches derive their authority from the people..the members of that church.

If the people believe the church is abusing its authority, THEY have the power to correct it.

(except for the "Holy Catholic Church" which is above all earthly rules) :roll:

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
Churches derive their authority from the people..the members of that church.

:thumbsup:

 

[Mr. Lennon]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
Churches derive their authority from the people..the members of that church.

If the people believe the church is abusing its authority, THEY have the power to correct it.

(except for the "Holy Catholic Church" which is above all earthly rules) :roll:

Yeah, and those Christian super churches ran by closet gay, self loathing meth heads *cough* Tom Haggard *cough* are any better?

Me: You better keep paying your tidings or else Mr. Reverend Slapdick wont be able to buy his third house!

Religious nut: Oh no Zeppelin2282, that money is going to build us a church so that we can move out of this shitty high school gym!

Reverend Slapdick: *Laughs maniacally to the bank.*

 

[Kadarin]

They derive their authority from old men wearing funny hats, who get off on telling people what to do.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

You've quite a catch!

Consider entering a fishing tournament

 

[RESmonkey]

Originally posted by: Kadarin
They derive their authority from old men wearing funny hats, who get off on telling people what to do.

THIS. This. OMG, Kadarin, you are my new hero.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Every institution, including but not limited to every religion, derives its power from a group of people's willingness to follow it and behave according to its tenets.

 

[Jeff7]

They get it from people who hear voices that aren't there - in a rational world, these people would be called "insane."
Religion says that they're hearing god.

 

[JulesMaximus]

The authority comes from the masses who are willing to be led.

It's kind of like hearding sheep, some beasts just need to feel like they are protected from the wolves and then led to slaughter when the time comes.

 

[Adam8281]

This is a dumb question because it's a loaded question insofar as it appears to ask for an objective answer to a question that can only be answered perspectivally. Most of the responses in this thread have answered from an external perspective - that is, as religious outsiders opining on the (obviously) ludicrous phenomenon that some people in the world subscribe to authoritative religions. However, from the internal perspective of a Christian, or most followers of other theistic religions, religion, that is true religion, obviously derives its authority from the fact that it is true. But, of course, if the question "from where does religion derive it's [sic] authority?" presupposes the answer is NOT from God, that is, it presupposes religion's falsity, then it is asking for an answer exclusively from the people who have the least first-hand knowledge of the topic. A religious believer is like a Copernican. If you asked Copernicus "from where does heliocentrism derive its authority?" he would struggle for an answer - for its "authority" derives from its truthfulness. He could show you EVIDENCE in support of its truthfulness, but it's odd to speak of this evidence as being what heliocentrism "derives" its authority from, as if its truthfulness is not an independent fact. It is the anti-copernicans who can spout myriad answers to the question "from where does heliocentrism derives its authority?": from Copernicus, from the stupidity of man, from the psychological desire to believe what is novel, from aliens which jiggle with our brains. Because the anti-copernicans believe heliocentrism is false, they can give you no end of answers; the Copernican can give only one: from its truthfulness. The question of religious authority is similar. The believer can give only one answer to the question "from where does religion derive its authority?": from its truthfulness. It's the non-religious who are able to pile up answers. But if you want those answers, the most honest way to ask the question is, "From where do you think religion derives its authority given that it is false."

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: Zeppelin2282

Originally posted by: BoomerD
Churches derive their authority from the people..the members of that church.

If the people believe the church is abusing its authority, THEY have the power to correct it.

(except for the "Holy Catholic Church" which is above all earthly rules) :roll:

Yeah, and those Christian super churches ran by closet gay, self loathing meth heads *cough* Tom Haggard *cough* are any better?

Me: You better keep paying your tidings or else Mr. Reverend Slapdick wont be able to buy his third house!

Religious nut: Oh no Zeppelin2282, that money is going to build us a church so that we can move out of this shitty high school gym!

Reverend Slapdick: *Laughs maniacally to the bank.*

Nope...none of them are any better. They're all run by humans...by men who are fallible and according to the Bible...are all sinners...and most are very hypocritical in the difference between what they say...and what they do.
"Do what I say, not what I do?"

I personally don't have much use or "faith" in any of the organized religions or churches. While many do good works, they all exist to wrench the almighty dollar from the pockets of their members.

 

[IronWing]

Originally posted by: Adam8281
This is a dumb question because it's a loaded question insofar as it appears to ask for an objective answer to a question that can only be answered perspectivally. Most of the responses in this thread have answered from an external perspective - that is, as religious outsiders opining on the (obviously) ludicrous phenomenon that some people in the world subscribe to authoritative religions. However, from the internal perspective of a Christian, or most followers of other theistic religions, religion, that is true religion, obviously derives its authority from the fact that it is true. But, of course, if the question "from where does religion derive it's [sic] authority?" presupposes the answer is NOT from God, that is, it presupposes religion's falsity, then it is asking for an answer exclusively from the people who have the least first-hand knowledge of the topic. A religious believer is like a Copernican. If you asked Copernicus "from where does heliocentrism derive its authority?" he would struggle for an answer - for its "authority" derives from its truthfulness. He could show you EVIDENCE in support of its truthfulness, but it's odd to speak of this evidence as being what heliocentrism "derives" its authority from, as if its truthfulness is not an independent fact. It is the anti-copernicans who can spout myriad answers to the question "from where does heliocentrism derives its authority?": from Copernicus, from the stupidity of man, from the psychological desire to believe what is novel, from aliens which jiggle with our brains. Because the anti-copernicans believe heliocentrism is false, they can give you no end of answers; the Copernican can give only one: from its truthfulness. The question of religious authority is similar. The believer can give only one answer to the question "from where does religion derive its authority?": from its truthfulness. It's the non-religious who are able to pile up answers. But if you want those answers, the most honest way to ask the question is, "From where do you think religion derives its authority given that it is false."

Good answer! Seriously.