Is belief in an afterlife a crutch?

Is belief in an afterlife simply a crutch? Eons of superstition and ritual passed along through our ancestors? Is it a humanistic flaw that extends in ritual through the pomp and circumstance of burial.I believe it is the thinking creatures escape of the finality of death. Are there examples where religious ritual serve purposes other than the escape from the finality death?Note to all; This is intentionally controversial. It will spark heated debate that I believe is healthy.{Title modified from "Is belief a crutch?" to "Is belief in an afterlife a crutch?". - Adminnemooseus}[This message has been edited by Adminnemooseus, 04-23-2004]

Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.My personal preference would have been to put this in the "Faith and Belief" forum, however, I am assuming that Rocket wanted it in the "Free For All".Adminnemooseus[This message has been edited by Adminnemooseus, 04-23-2004]

I thought if you did a "propose new topic" it would kick it over to the suggestions thread under "proposed new topic", but you really have to propose the new topic on the thread you desire it to go on....got it. you can move it to the Faith/belief thread if you like.

Thread copied to the Is belief in an afterlife a crutch? thread in the Faith and Belief forum, this copy of the thread has been closed.