Would The World Be A Better Place If Religion Did Not Exist

[bkroc915]

lol guess no one saw the family guy where stewie visits a world without Christianity

 

[freshbottoms]

It gives people hope so I'm gonna say its better with it.

 

[ravagebx]

Originally Posted by kix4kix

And for the last time, the problem is people not religion.

 

[kicks off]

no. it will be even crazier.

 

[callhimar]

In essence, when human beings get their hands on the words of a "prophet" religion boils down to nothing more than a "my prophet is better thanyour prophet" pissing contest. While Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad may have actually existed at one time or another, the miracles that are usually attributedto them are more than likely no more than what I've just described.

 

[stoneyjax]

Originally Posted by eye see soles

No.

Nothing controls a population like the unknown. And what's a greater controlling mechanism than religion?

Without that control it's arguable that we'd be worse off than we are now.

preach... no pun intended

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Originally Posted by eghckk

Originally Posted by NostrandAve68

A world without people who take religion and bastardize it to fit into their own ideology and spew their own hateful message would be better.

Yeah I think thats the main problem I have with organized religion, not necessarily the message but the messengers who manipulate it and people blindly following.

Exactly.

History is filled with examples of how people have taken religion and manipulated it to further their own agendas. The problem with organized religion is that most people who follow it do so blindly and just take what they're being taught at face value without questing it. Organized religion is a tool for oppression and it's used to brainwash and condition weak minded people to follow blindly, not think for themselves and just do as their told. This is the reason why people were able to get away with using religion as a justification for slavery. This is why most wars have been holy wars or were fought because of conflicting religious ideologies. People can literally get away with murder if they say they did it in the name of religion/"God". Personally I think the world would benefit if organized religion didn't exist because people wouldn't be able to use religion as the easy way out and would actually have to take personal accountability for their hateful actions and bigotry.

Wouldn't the world benefit more if instead of abolishing organized religion, we further the education of people that claim to be religious?According to you (and I agree) the main fault of organized religion is the ignorance it allows people to envelop. If religious people studied religion at adeeper level, than just saying a couple of prayers and reading a passage once every five years you can wipe away the wrong that's caused by ignorantfollowers.

In essence, when human beings get their hands on the words of a "prophet" religion boils down to nothing more than a "my prophet is better than your prophet" pissing contest. While Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad may have actually existed at one time or another, the miracles that are usually attributed to them are more than likely no more than what I've just described.

I said that to one of my friend's the other day. The way the Bible is written in metaphors, hyperbole, as a piece of LITERATURE, itwouldn't surprise me if the miracles weren't anything more than ordinary actions that the father's of the church spruced up to make religion (andJesus) more exciting. I always like to think of that Family Guy skit where Jesus is performing that magic trick where you pretend to pull off yourthumb

 

[dirtylicious]

Originally Posted by PrurientSole

Religion is a scapegoat.

Indeed.
you'll never get rid of the concept of religion... since there will always be followers and leaders who will seek to take advantage of that....
if it's not belief in "god" that's being misused by evil people......it will be a belief in another thing.

 

[servechilled81]

It'd be complete chaos.
I don't consider my to be really religious at all but
I think that you need the belief that there is something beyond this life, and that to get there, there are certain rules that must be obeyed to achieve it.
I think that laws must stem from the belief in some kind of omnipotence or something.

Without that belief, what stops any of us from being complete savages?

 

[new york yanks]

not going to read any of the replies because it makes no difference to me, but the answer is an emphatic "hell" yes.

 

[scotthallwithapick]

Originally Posted by Dirtylicious

if it's not belief in "god" that's being misused by evil people......it will be a belief in another thing.

This. Humans will find something else to seperate us. Race, hair color, eye color, musical preference, ways to teach chemistry. Something nomatter what it is will divide us.

 

[antonlavey]

Originally Posted by ServeChilled81

It'd be complete chaos.
I don't consider my to be really religious at all but
I think that you need the belief that there is something beyond this life, and that to get there, there are certain rules that must be obeyed to achieve it.
I think that laws must stem from the belief in some kind of omnipotence or something.

Without that belief, what stops any of us from being complete savages?

This is a common misconception about religion. Religion isn't what keeps man from anarchy, the laws created for the greater good of society iswhat keeps the "peace". More savage human acts (war, genocide, terrorism) have been committed as a result of religious allegiances.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Originally Posted by new york yanks

not going to read any of the replies because it makes no difference to me, but the answer is an emphatic "hell" yes.

Stop being an ignorant fool, read the posts and actually contribute. Tell us why it's an emphatic "hell" yes. You not explainingyour claims is the same as you not posting.

This is a common misconception about religion. Religion isn't what keeps man from anarchy, the laws created for the greater good of society is what keeps the "peace". More savage human acts (war, genocide, terrorism) have been committed as a result of religious allegiances.

But what's one of the oldest pieces of law?

 

[dirtylicious]

Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

Wouldn't the world benefit more if instead of abolishing organized religion, we further the education of people that claim to be religious? According to you (and I agree) the main fault of organized religion is the ignorance it allows people to envelop. If religious people studied religion at a deeper level, than just saying a couple of prayers and reading a passage once every five years you can wipe away the wrong that's caused by ignorant followers.

It is not the facts of religion that are in question though.
It is the interpretation of the religious teachings.

Christianity tells us that it is a sin to murder... yet there are abortion foes who opposed it on religious grounds, yet will murder others in order to protectthe unborn.
These people are not ignorant of the religious teachings... understanding it a "deeper level" would not change their view.... in the end....it'show they interpret the teachings
...No amount of education on religion would help.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

But isn't their ignorance revealed through their interpretations?

 

[airmaxpenny1]

Religion forces people to accept things as facts...the world would be better if there weren't isms and these preset ideologies.

 

[ninjahood]

hell F'in yeah we'd be better off...or have we forgotten about European colonization of da world.

granted i probably would've never existed since imma human mut, but da way europe screwed everyone over

messed everyone up.

 

[Master Zik]

Didn't think that that many NTers believed humans are fundamentally evil.

With the way this thread is going the answer is to get rid of humans not religion? Right? Or do we not really care about the world being a better place andthis is just a bunch of convolution since most people can't accept their own nature?

For what it's worth I would like to see a world void of belief. I'm curious to see a world dealing with certainty and that alone.

 

[servechilled81]

Originally Posted by Nike Star Jay

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

Originally Posted by ServeChilled81

It'd be complete chaos.
I don't consider my to be really religious at all but
I think that you need the belief that there is something beyond this life, and that to get there, there are certain rules that must be obeyed to achieve it.
I think that laws must stem from the belief in some kind of omnipotence or something.

Without that belief, what stops any of us from being complete savages?

This is a common misconception about religion. Religion isn't what keeps man from anarchy, the laws created for the greater good of society is what keeps the "peace". More savage human acts (war, genocide, terrorism) have been committed as a result of religious allegiances.

exactly.
religion is growing weaker and weaker with each generation, so if you really believed that religion is what kept us under control, we'd be savages before long anyway. if anything, religion is just something extra to keep a psychological barrier on people's minds so that they're easily manipulated.

my thing is, where does the need for law come from?
where does the initial determining of right and wrong originate?

no to challenge you guys but i'd like to understand
can either of you shed more light on that for me?

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Originally Posted by Master Zik

Didn't think that that many NTers believed humans are fundamentally evil.

With the way this thread is going the answer is to get rid of humans not religion? Right? Or do we not really care about the world being a better place and this is just a bunch of convolution since most people can't accept their own nature?

For what it's worth I would like to see a world void of belief. I'm curious to see a world dealing with certainty and that alone.

There will always be people in denial.

 

[dathbgboy]

Originally Posted by enlightenedespot

Originally Posted by Dathbgboy

No, I know a lot of ppl, includin myself who refrain from cruel acts because of religion. Had not been for religion I would have been offed somebody

What about adultery, if it wasn't against religion and law in the U.S. would you do it?

I think society as well as religion, can create social precepts.

Yea I would if it was just a man made law. When I take my vows, under GOD, that's bond I wouldn't dream about breakin that law.

 

[s2kray]

there is nothing inherently wrong with religion. it's human nature to wonder what happens when we die. one can't deny that religion has helped manypeople, but on the other hand it has also been responsible for the death of many people throughout the centuries.

the problem with religion is that it tries to provide a definite answer for life's complicated questions, leaving people little room to exercise their ownmorality. for example... i am catholic, but will my gay bestfriend go to hell if he doesn't repent? i refuse to believe that.

i believe the world would be a better place NOT if religion didn't exist, but if people actually took the time to think before passing judgement. faithwithout self reflection is dangerous and i know many who paid with their lives on 9/11 to prove that point.

 

[eaalto]

Religion does different things for different people. I think the big flaw is that people take it way too seriously. I'm sure that if we had no religion,people would find another reason to be prejudiced against others. Human nature is peculiar.

 

[Master Zik]

Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

Originally Posted by Master Zik

Didn't think that that many NTers believed humans are fundamentally evil.

With the way this thread is going the answer is to get rid of humans not religion? Right? Or do we not really care about the world being a better place and this is just a bunch of convolution since most people can't accept their own nature?

For what it's worth I would like to see a world void of belief. I'm curious to see a world dealing with certainty and that alone.

There will always be people in denial.

In this rational world I figure a strict caste system would be set to wipe them out and make them meaningless.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Originally Posted by Master Zik

Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

Originally Posted by Master Zik

Didn't think that that many NTers believed humans are fundamentally evil.

With the way this thread is going the answer is to get rid of humans not religion? Right? Or do we not really care about the world being a better place and this is just a bunch of convolution since most people can't accept their own nature?

For what it's worth I would like to see a world void of belief. I'm curious to see a world dealing with certainty and that alone.

There will always be people in denial.

In this rational world I figure a strict caste system would be set to wipe them out and make them meaningless.

Hmm, that would be interesting to see if people would rebel against the caste system. This would be a really interesting world. I might have tocreate it, word to 1984.