Exorcise any pejorative or "insulting" connotation....isn't it true?

I mean do "strong" (emotionally/philosophically/i­ntellectually) people typically need religion?

That depends, what is the truest and oldest definition of religion ?

But, I know what you mean. In most cases I would say yes but with reservations.

Not sure, WL...what is it? And wouldn't it involve SOME concept of "a moral universe" or "rewarded life and/or afterlife" to qualify?

And if so...again, would a "strong" person need that? Or be somewhat agnostic about the matter?

Like white said, how do you define 'religion' ? Insofar as its just a parent-figure designed to look after YOUR interests and fix the things YOU can't and guarantee you a nice and happy afterlife -- yes it is.

Not all religions share that feature. Buddhism, for example, provides no such 'easy candy' for comfort.

Neither, if I understand it even somewhat properly, does Judaism.

There's no "comfort" or "moral order to the universe" in Buddhism, konark???

Hmmmmm. One religion, Christianity, specifically tells it adherents to pick up their crosses, love your enemies, and generally live a life of self-sacrifice (leaving aside how successfully its adherents actually do so). If I recall correctly, there is some Hindu philosophy/proverb along the lines of the sufferings of the many lives are like a mountain, and the joys of lives like a speck of dust. Not sure that is for the weak, emotionally, philosophically, or intellectually.

:) define moral universe etc

. What takes strength sometimes, is being true to oneself, but then how can we not be ? And then does it matter which path we go down to find ourselves, our truths ? I would say, for myself, yes it does matter but I would not judge another for not following my path 'cos it is my path alone.

I have gone back before Christianity, to look at what we had and it is truly amazing, sophisticated allowing something for every single person, I wish other people could see it, it has been so freeing but hey I cannot force you all to read Freke and Gandy :) lol can I ?

As for strength :) I heard someone talking about that on radio 4 today, he likes amongst others, the Arch Bishop of Canterbury but feels he tip toes a bit and wished that he would be more daring ........ makes one think .... There he is, the ABC, at the top of his profession within Christianity, its a doddle really, but he is still true to himself in his funny way.......... What ever we believe Rep, it is just ourselves that we must be true too, and no matter how we get there, it does at times take strength, especially when sometimes it either makes us unpopular or even more difficult, we have to be hard on those we love, and when sometimes we are racked with doubt, guilt, remorse, depression ad im..... too push through all, to be on the outside of the majority listening only to a tiny weeny voice etc..... we are all strong if we listen to ourselves,but that is also what makes us weak and vulnerable to others :)

I have been too much of a shit face in my life to judge another's strength, my little love :)

Weak people like Martin Luther King Jr.?

There is darned little comfort, and no shortcuts (no "just believe in Buddha" etc).

There is a 'moral order' to the universe (I suppose you could call it 'moral' in a sense), but all it really implies is that you will be returning over and over and suffering till you figure it all out. That's LESS comforting IMO than "just muddle thru this one life as best as you can, then you'll die and it'll be like a really deep sleep forever" path that atheism offers.

Nanotech:

Weak people like Martin Luther King Jr.?

Though I guess the question would be "would King have done what he did had he NOT believed in a Higher Power" ?

There have been plenty of atheist 'revolutionaries'. Though it is interesting to note that they usually believed in violent revolution (the Che Gueveras of the world). There have been 'believers' who are also violent revolutionaries, but off top of my head, I cannot think of a NON-violent revolutionary who had no religious belief. Certainly King, and his inspiration, Gandhi, both were very religious.

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We are all religious. What you mean needs redefining :)

The comfort, if you can call it that, is that if you follow the practice and work really, really hard at it, you might (in this life, or in a future life) escape from the wheel of life and rebirth into... something else.

David Garrow's, if you're curious. As he tells it, Christianity gave him strength to do what he did. The answer to your question is, "Maybe, maybe not."

Nanotech:

Weak people like Martin Luther King Jr.?

Isn't that paradoxical, Nano? A basic tenet of Christianity is that humans are "weak, prone to temptation, and imperfect"...so how do you then turn around and say "Christians (like King) are strong and righteous"?

Well, there is an old line from George Carlin I always found interesting. "Religion is like a lift in your shoe, if you want it or need it fine just don't ask me to wear your shoes if I don't want to and please let's not go around nailing lifts on the native's feet."