How did people fall for the stuff that religion (the three major religions today) spewed out?
817260
I think it all stems to the origins of religion and the mentality of primitive people. Before the advancement of science it was easier to believe in a Sun God and now people face Centuries of refinement of old superstitions they are taught from birth. Plus, people are by their very nature gullible.\nAlso, it takes more effort to against tradition - i takes a person willing to question things that make no logical sense. It's much easier to just toe-the-line and believe.
1010284
One thing you might want to check out about the Wikapedia is that the answers can be edited by users, so I would recommend that if you are looking into a topic that you don't use this encyclopaedia all by itself, because as you can see from this forum, people often disagree on what is "fact". \n\nI think when it comes to the burning, torture and death sentences that had occurred there were several things to consider, as each age had different ideas of what was "wrong". Usually it all came down to the fact that they would kill or torture someone with different views then what the current accepted monarchy approved at the time. If you believed something else, or a different variation of the common belief, you were considered a "heretic" and that was believed to come from Satan, and so, Christian, Pagan, Atheist or whatever, you were "wrong" and needed to be publicly punished so that the rest of the people living around you would be afraid to change their beliefs or even question them. \n\nIn early days, people were not allowed to have their own Bibles, for fear that they would interpret them differently then others. People were told to believe what the church told them, and if you didn't then you could be jailed or killed. So although it is possible that the majority of people burned were Christians, ( because saying you were anything else could get you killed) they were people who differed in their personal beliefs from what the crown and religious leaders shoved down their throats, or were unlucky enough to make an enemy of someone who could accuse them of being a heretic even if they weren't. Claiming to be a good Christian could possibly nullify the charge, so it's not surprising  that reports say that most burned were "Christians".\n\nI've included some more links below if you would like to research this topic some more, but would recomend looking into a local library:
903771
I think it's a combination of both politics and religion. This is especially the case when certain people in power use religion as a means for furthering their political goals.
868320
Yes, religion encourages reason relied on authority. Consequently clouding objectivity.
545336
agreed.\n\nhowever, it's not the guys who are being followed as such, it's the mass-marketing done by the early followers that the religions have lasted so long. It's engrained in the culture and the fear of being the non-conformist, the guy who questions and doesn't blindly follow with the rest of the herd and becoming therefore an outcast was strong enough to ensure that entire nations have gone on to revere one person or the other without thinking too hard about it - and passed it on to their children of course.
199787
obviosly many people around the world go on yahoo answers and the arab used to be one of the biggest religions
1075309
That happened to me.  I guess at first I felt totally betrayed, mad, I didn't know what to do or what to think.  Then I started trying to educate myself to "make sure" that I was correct that my belief system was based on lies.  The whole process has taken several years, but then I started researching many other beliefs and religions and found out that most of them were also.  So I am no longer a part of organized religion and I have discovered my own beliefs.  I'm still on my spiritual quest but my current beliefs probably lean toward New Thought.
277385
Well, it certainly scared a lot of people and made them pray more. I suppose it made them consider whether their faith was just a cultural thing or a religious exercise, or whether they were going to trust God with things that really mattered to them in their lives. That's what interesting times are made for.
734439
It actually occured over time.  I was raised a Methodist, but by the time i was in Sixth Grade (now 27 years ago), I began to see there was more out there, at least from the scientific side.  I began to be pretty heavy into science in high school, then began to study religions in the last two years I was in high school.  I had an English teacher than encouraged me to continue to study about them (as a comparative-type study, not a theological path).  \n\nWhen I went to college, I took a major in religion.  I mainly wanted to study world religions, but wound up taking a lot of classes in the Bible.  By the time I had left college, I had read quite a few of the sacred texts of the world's religions (including most of the Bible).  I had even read some of the apocryphal Bible (Old and New Testaments).  I began to believe in Deism during college, but didn't really have a name for it.  \n\nI am a firm believer in Deism today and I really can say I have no nagging questions.  It is a very logical, reasoned religion without a sacred text.  For me, it works.
309319
There were rumors, but I haven't heard anything definite.  Isn't it strange that when alot of people do something wrong in public opinion they convert to Islam.  Why is that?  Do they not have laws or morals at all?  Not being sarcastic, it's just odd.
607249
religion or family believes.
608063
Given the following:\n\nA) Non-Catholics were not only seen as heretics, but because church and state were so intertwined, they were also traitors, and\n\nB) People tend to be as harsh and hostile as their environment, and\n\nC) the lack of any real technology made theirs a harsh environment with high mortality rates, and\n\nD) being basically ignorant of any realistic concept of how the universe works, and\n\nE) fearing that divine displeasure would result in the destruction of the realm,\n\nit therefore followed that anyone who rocked the boat was a definite threat to the "natural" order of life.\n\nSo, one removes the threat. It's a matter of survival.\n\nLook at it from THEIR viewpoint. Given what I said, they were actually being rather kind. They gave those accused a chance to recant and save their souls at least. By their lights that was Christian.\n\nDo not judge the past by the mores of the present.\n\nWere it to happen today we would be incensed. I know this because the Muslim fundamentalists are busy doing the same thing, with one exception. They kill you without a trial. And look how we responded to the news that a perfectly nice young man was to be killed for becoming a Christian. We're NOT medievals anymore. Muslim fundamentalists may be, but we're not. We've grown up beyond being scared of the dark.\n\nBTW, it wasn't, strictly speaking, merely Catholic involvement. It was Catholic inspired and Crown ordered. The Inquisition was carried out by members of the clergy, but always under orders from the king.
1146932
I think you've opened a *huge* can of worms here! But never being one to avoid discussion, I'll dive in......\n\nI agree.\nI think that religion was a device created by early mankind to explain the unexplainable, to create some social order and it was exploited by some people who had various socio-political agendas. \nI'm not denying that many, many people find their religion a source of comfort and I would not deny them their faith. I feel that religion has evolved with time, although some of the dogma has remained in the past.\nI'm sure lots will disagree, but that's just my own tuppenth worth.
652223
The more eccentric a religion is the more they need to "push" it onto others.  If you feel that you are constantly being "convinced" about religion, maybe it is time to revisit your faith.
292846
Religious fanaticism.
664680
religious ppl of all natures can be like that. but lately its christians that seem to be the biggest pains. because they so firmly feel they're right, and everyone else is wrong. to them, its as if you're arguing that 1+1 is 3. they view religion as though its not a personal choice, theres only 1 answer, and if you dont agree, you're wrong. which is interesting because Jesus Christ was a JEW. how do we know he meant to change people from judaism to another religion? maybe he just wanted them to be better jews and we took it the wrong way.
458034
i am catholic but i believe most of what you said especially the end part. people trust catholicism for the same reason they trust any other religion (i don't know why i follow the religion i am just guided) people use religion because they have weak minds and hearts. there is nothing wrong with this but religion gives them somethin to hold onto. someone in history i believe it was Marx or Stalin said the church was the "opiate of the masses"