I am been thinking about those chinese /taoist religion where
they house dead people tablets in temples(I think its not call
temple). Each tablet cost few thousands dollars. What the heck. I
go there to pray my deceased kins and damn, they have quite many
tablets there. anyway, its quite nosensical stuff.
Due to lack of space, they have to used the tablet because it is
simply just a piece of wood which allow them to put many pieces in
the hall where people offer incense. Then they have the priest
chanting stuff to transfer the spirit from one place to another and
as usual these services cost money.
We still have to pay annual memberships, though not alot. Maybe
those premium one need to pay more. ANyway, during chinese
festivals, the hall will be filled with people and families payin
respect.
I certainly commend people for their virtue of respect. However,
I think all these things is really stupid. People are believing all
these wooden tablets housing souls and such.
On one hand, government is pushing for the development of
science and technology, and asking its people to be intelligent. On
the other hands, we are promoting respect for religions, giving
people freedom to choose religions. When people burn all the papers
in the furnace, those money papers, those that have gone to these
chinese 'temples' will know. Its so full of smoke.
Poor trees and humans suffering from the total smoke out. Not to
mention heat stress. I really hope that people can pay respect to
dead in another way. Like starbucks can organise a pay a respect to
your dead kins day where relatives all gather in starbucks and
drink coffee in aircon room. The dead will then join the gathering
and see the families again. Oh my gosh, am i really living in what
they called an intellectual age??
don't compare religion with other aspects of life. Religion,
real or fake, it's there to cultivate good emotional well being of
people. to instill fear and deter people from doing wrongs. So
Religion has always been subjective to whoever and whatever beliefs
you hold.
the living cannot let go of their loved ones after death, so in
order to keep their minds at peace, they could only do is offer
things, burn incense, in the hope that it helps in one way or
another. In some religion, the dead will not require such offerings
but they will pray for their loved ones in heavens.
It's not a matter of can prove or cannot. You're talking about
the hope and the beliefs of mankind. the truth will shatter
believers or non believers be it positive or negative. so if you
proved there is hell, or 18 levels of torture or whatever, those
people who have done bad things before would be too guilty to even
repent or change for the better. IF you prove otherwise, people
will have no fear of any higher beings and crimes and such will
escalate.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a freethinker. I respect everybody's
religion. If people based on their religion, will say freethinkers
go to hell etc.. I won't take it personal because it is their
beliefs. Whatever it is, since you know life goes on with or
without such supernaturals, why bother? have you got nothing better
to do?
