Would a world without religion...

[Wiccan_Child]

... be a better place?

 

[Eudaimonist]

I voted no, but my more precise reply is "No, not necessarily". It all depends on what replaces religion.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[awitch]

I agree with not necessarily.

People would just find some substitute reason to hate each other.

 

[b&wpac7]

People would just find some substitute reason to hate each other.

This.

I just figure if we never had religion, we'd be fighting over hair color, shoe size, or some other arbitrary reason, just like fighting over religion is arbitrary. Religion should be a person's personal choice, they should never be fought or fight others for that reason. If your religion commands you to fight people who aren't you, it is quite simply wrong.

 

[jcslao]

Religion that requires submission is awful but believing is beautiful.

When you began to make your belief a fact or truth and indoctrinate it to others that do not agree, well that's when I or others stand up in defense and disagree.

 

[Gardenia]

People would just find some substitute reason to hate each other.

Also agree. Look around and it's not hard to see that religion is not the only thing people fight and kill over. If there was no religion, there would be something else in it's place, another excuse for people to use to hate each other.

 

[ChavaK]

It would not be a better place. The vast majority of wars and atrocities have not been started by religous people. They have been started by secular people, usually for
secular reasons-economy, land, power hungry nuts.

 

[Eudaimonist]

It would not be a better place. The vast majority of wars and atrocities have not been started by religous people.

I'm not certain where you are getting your statistics from, but it should be admitted that not all wars are religiously-motivated.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Crusader05]

I agree with not necessarily.

People would just find some substitute reason to hate each other.

While I am inclined to agree but I think there is something about religion that is different than political, economic, ethnic or racial differences.

Supernatural claims, the promises on eternal bliss and threat of eternal damnation hold such power of the human mind; much more then the power of ideology or racism in my opinion.

 

[Dark_Lite]

Humans are violent, hateful creatures with an inclination towards conquest and destruction. Wars, death, violence, and hatred would still exist. At the same time, humans are compassionate, loving creatures with the ability to rise above their selfish, conquesting nature. Selfless and caring people would still exist, even in a world without religion.

 

[Zoness]

"Not necessarily" -- Theist

 

[leftrightleftrightleft]

While I am inclined to agree but I think there is something about religion that is different than political, economic, ethnic or racial differences.

Supernatural claims, the promises on eternal bliss and threat of eternal damnation hold such power of the human mind; much more then the power of ideology or racism in my opinion.

Also, a political leader or figurehead invoking the idea that "God told me to do it" or "God says its just" is just great ammunition to manipulate the masses who believe in the same deity.

I think religion is often used as the motivator to get people behind the idea of war but I think the reason is not usually religiously motivated. I think most war is still driven by things such as economics, conquest, greed, power, and tribalism. As such, I think a world without religion would still have these things and cause problems.

Would the world be "better"? As long as people still had a conscience, a sense of community, and a belief in "something more" than just our little, selfish lives then I don't think much would change to be honest.

 

[Crusader05]

Also, a political leader or figurehead invoking the idea that "God told me to do it" or "God says its just" is just great ammunition to manipulate the masses who believe in the same deity.

I think religion is often used as the motivator to get people behind the idea of war but I think the reason is not usually religiously motivated. I think most war is still driven by things such as economics, conquest, greed, power, and tribalism. As such, I think a world without religion would still have these things and cause problems.

Would the world be "better"? As long as people still had a conscience, a sense of community, and a belief in "something more" than just our little, selfish lives then I don't think much would change to be honest.

Yes, I agree. That was the point I was trying to get across, that religion is not often the sole justification for violence but is often used to give cover for it.

As an atheist I think the world would be better off becaus we would not have religion serving as such a powerful barrier to reason.

 

[leftrightleftrightleft]

As an atheist I think the world would be better off becaus we would not have religion serving as such a powerful barrier to reason.

Which is of course assuming human reason is the highest virtue.

 

[Montalban]

... be a better place?

I can't Imagine

 

[Montalban]

Which is of course assuming human reason is the highest virtue.

Well ants didn't invent pizza

 

[HarryCovert]

It's hard to imagine a world without religion. Religion has been around since the beginning, and I doubt we would have gotten too far from the cave without religion. If all current religions were to disappear they would probably be replaced with all new religions. It's in the nature of man to wonder about his own being and place in the universe, and it's also in the nature of man to put that wonder in a box.

 

[Montalban]

It's hard to imagine a world without religion. Religion has been around since the beginning, and I doubt we would have gotten too far from the cave without religion. If all current religions were to disappear they would probably be replaced with all new religions. It's in the nature of man to wonder about his own being and place in the universe, and it's also in the nature of man to put that wonder in a box.

Some may look to science

"Scientism is the idea that natural science is the most authoritative worldview or aspect of human education, and that it is superior to all other interpretations of life"

Of course this can't be proved through science so it is therefore self-refuting

 

[Eudaimonist]

Which is of course assuming human reason is the highest virtue.

It's more like the base of the pillar. Without reason, all the other virtues risk toppling down.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[HarryCovert]

Some may look to science

"Scientism is the idea that natural science is the most authoritative worldview or aspect of human education, and that it is superior to all other interpretations of life"

Of course this can't be proved through science so it is therefore self-refuting

Phew, when I clicked on the link I was thinking you were on about Scientology. What a relief. Positivism rankles my theistic bones, maybe because I don't know if we will ever learn enough about the physical universe to develope a comprehensive ethic based on our observations before our impatience to dogmatize consumes us; hence ideas like Scientism (or Scientology for that matter).

I don't know if future generations would be any better at sorting out the basic mysteries of existence than our ancestors, inspite of all the new, complicating knowlege. To me, one of the best things about modern religions is that they are so deeply rooted in our past, with all the bones already picked out for the most part. They connect us to each other in a way that appeals to our mystical and sentimental natures; something a new priesthood in lab coats might have difficulty selling with a purely intellectual approach.