Would this world be a better place without religion?

[Donut Hole]

Probably pretty much the same.

Lots of violence. Lots of death. Lots of sex. Lots of life.

On the bright side though, so many people wouldn't be so hung up about the twin terrors of E-Vo-looshin and homosexuality.

 

[]RiSeN[]

If we were to live in an atheistic world there would be NO accountability to anyone but ourselves. There would be no consequence to any action, because there would be no one to judge. We would lack all sense of personal responsability and morality and be disposed to act only on what could be discribed as instinct. Which would leave us somewhere between acting like animals and the medical definition of a psychopath. Enjoy!

 

[Angel4Truth]

And let's hear from some of the people who lived long before Christianity was even heard of:

Confucius: "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."

Buddha: "Believe nothing. No matter where you read it, or who said it, even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."

Lao-Tse: "A tree that can fill the span of a man's arms grows from a downy tip; A terrace nine stories high rises from hodfuls of earth; A journey of a thousand miles starts from beneath one's feet."

Socrates: "The unexamined life is not worth living."

Plato: "Justice in the life and conduct of the State is possible only as first it resides in the hearts and souls of the citizens."

Aristotle: "Humor is the only test of gravity, and gravity of humor; for a subject which will not bear raillery is suspicious, and a jest which will not bear serious examination is false wit."

Meaningless? Hardly. If anything, the idea of life having meaning--if Christianity does indeed believe such a thing-- could only have been borrowed by Christianity, not from it.

Just wanted to point out that all the people you have quoted were AFTER JUDAISM which is what Christianity comes from so perhaps those people borrowed from the OT prophets and patriarchs

 

[eptatorata]

Morality and social order... would it be better or worse without religion?

Morality - zero difference. Social order - without the collusion of or rivalry between Church and State, I suspect we'd have to reinvent religion.

Is the empathy we feel for each other enough?

Our empathy is innate; it works well enough on a tribal level, but we'll probably forever fall short of making all of humankind our tribe.

Does fear of the unknown influence us at all? What I mean by that is... fear of some great equalization recognized in life(karma) or in afterlife that perhaps serves as motivation for some..

Not me. If you need fear of punishment or the hope for a reward as a motivator.....

 

[jgarden]

Morality and social order... would it be better or worse without religion?
Is the empathy we feel for each other enough?
Does fear of the unknown influence us at all? What I mean by that is... fear of some great equalization recognized in life(karma) or in afterlife that perhaps serves as motivation for some..

I guess this hypothetical should be if religion was magically gone today...
And not what would the world be if there never was religion.

Hard to get off topic on this one unless you start throwing out bible versus.

Abolish all of the world's religion today, and you would have a fresh new set of replacements in place a year from now. With the exception of modernity, there are no agnostics and atheists in primitive societies. There appears to be a void in the lives of mankind that only religion can fill.

Most religions are somewhat similar in terms of morals and ethical behavior. Its not the religions that are to blame, its those who reinvent religion in their own image to legitimize their personal agendas. For much of the world, religion gives meaning to life. A world without hope or a belief in an afterlife would be potentially much more dangerous than what's happened in the past.

 

[Donut Hole]

If we were to live in an atheistic world there would be NO accountability to anyone but ourselves.

OK. I don't think I'll murder anyone though.

There would be no consequence to any action, because there would be no one to judge.

They're called judges.

We would lack all sense of personal responsability and morality and be disposed to act only on what could be discribed as instinct.

I behave as responsibly, if not more so, than your average person. I don't just act on instinct. You see, I have a brain, and I use it to think.

Which would leave us somewhere between acting like animals and the medical definition of a psychopath. Enjoy!

We do act like animals (hint - we are animals).

 

[jesusfreak3786]

If we were to live in an atheistic world there would be NO accountability to anyone but ourselves. There would be no consequence to any action, because there would be no one to judge. We would lack all sense of personal responsability and morality and be disposed to act only on what could be discribed as instinct. Which would leave us somewhere between acting like animals and the medical definition of a psychopath. Enjoy!

lol, That doesn't sound very good to me.

 

[Eudaimonist]

I think to be a _consistent_ atheist, may must choose suicide. You say "life is worth something." If all there is in the world is time + chance + matter, then _nothing_ has value.

How reductionistic!

You have atheism confused with reductive materialism. An atheist need not view reality as merely "time + chance + matter". Since my metaphysics is not so reductionistic, I do not fall into this philosophical trap.

 

[Ninja Turtles]

The world without religion is definitely better. How many times do you have people proclaiming that they are the True Christians™? Even with one unifying faith, the religions rear their ugly heads and try to kill each oter.

But I think there's one thing to note, I would consider a faith and a religion two different things.

 

[]RiSeN[]

Donut hole,

Thats great that YOU are a swell guy , and that YOU wouldnt kill. But the discussion topic is about the possibility of removing religion from mankind as a whole, and its effects. There could not be judges, because there could be no such thing as accountability, therefor, no "right" and "wrong". And true that we are "animals", but we are the only "animals" in existance who know from a young age that they will die. I think that sets us apart on a conscientious level.

con-sci-en-tious adj. 1. careful to do what one knows is right; controlled by conscience.2. done carefully and properly: conscientious work is carefull and exact.

How exactly is this conscience developed in a world without principles, morality, or accountability?

 

[sanaa]

personally i think a world without religion would be a much poorer place . no teachings of Buddha ? no lessons from the Gita ? no turn ur other cheek when ur slapped and love ur neighbour ? now if people actually followed these teachings . yes i know every religion has its bad points, but to eliminate all that good for a few wrongs would be sad . religion brings warmth , content , hope , strength , satisfaction to around 2 / 3rd of the worlds population . not that am saying the other 1 /3rd cant have these things but i wouldnt want everything to be mechanical , stark , scientific

 

[Ninja Turtles]

personally i think a world without religion would be a much poorer place . no teachings of Buddha ? no lessons from the Gita ? no turn ur other cheek when ur slapped and love ur neighbour ? now if people actually followed these teachings . yes i know every religion has its bad points, but to eliminate all that good for a few wrongs would be sad . religion brings warmth , content , hope , strength , satisfaction to around 2 / 3rd of the worlds population . not that am saying the other 1 /3rd cant have these things but i wouldnt want everything to be mechanical , stark , scientific

Well see I look at those teachings more as the philosophy and faith. The religion are all the ritualistic things like churches and temples and things like that. The religion involves being ready for rapture and being overly concerned with the afterlife instead of adhering to the principles of the faith.

 

[sanaa]

Well see I look at those teachings more as the philosophy and faith. The religion are all the ritualistic things like churches and temples and things like that. The religion involves being ready for rapture and being overly concerned with the afterlife instead of adhering to the principles of the faith.

some rituals are beautiful if done with ur heart in the right place and not all religions concentrate excessively on the after life like hinduism and buddhism

 

[Eudaimonist]

[QUOTE=']How exactly is this conscience developed in a world without principles, morality, or accountability?[/QUOTE]

If we lived in such a world that could be a problem, however I don't believe we live in such a world. A world without religion isn't necessarily a world without principles, morality, or accountability.

 

[Eudaimonist]

personally i think a world without religion would be a much poorer place . no teachings of Buddha ? no lessons from the Gita ? no turn ur other cheek when ur slapped and love ur neighbour ?

A world without religion isn't necessarily a world without philosophy or moral advice.

i wouldnt want everything to be mechanical , stark , scientific

Neither would I, but a world without religion would not necessarily be "mechanical, stark, scientific". Okay, maybe scientific, but that's not all there is to life.

 

[HazyRigby]

Just wanted to point out that all the people you have quoted were AFTER JUDAISM which is what Christianity comes from so perhaps those people borrowed from the OT prophets and patriarchs

Confucius, Buddha, and Lao-Tsu were after Judaism? You could've fooled me.

 

[sanaa]

A world without religion isn't necessarily a world without philosophy or moral advice.

But the Gita , the Buddhist writings are religious literature ( scriptures ) . its not non religious philosophy

Neither would I, but a world without religion would not necessarily be "mechanical, stark, scientific". Okay, maybe scientific, but that's not all there is to life.

i would hate it if everything was scientific . i suck at science .

 

[ChristianCenturion]

Just got a Christian spam mail and thought it fitting:


Now I sit me down in school

Where praying is against the rule

For this great nation under God

Finds mention of Him very odd.


If Scripture now the class recites,

It violates the Bill of Rights.

And anytime my head I bow

Becomes a Federal matter now.


Our hair can be purple, orange or green,

That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.

The law is specific, the law is precise.

Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.


For praying in a public hall

Might offend someone with no faith at all.

In silence alone we must meditate,

God's name is prohibited by the state.


We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,

And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.

They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.

To quote the Good Book makes me liable.


We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,

And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.

It's "inappropriate" to teach right from wrong,

We're taught that such "judgments" do not belong.


We can get our condoms and birth controls,

Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.

But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,

No word of God must reach this crowd.


It's scary here I must confess,

When chaos reigns the school's a mess.

So, Lord, this silent plea I make:

Should I be shot; My soul please take!

Amen

 

[kedaman]

I think its safe to say everybody believes in something or they are not alive.

 

[Randall McNally]

Just got a Christian spam mail and thought it fitting:

Unfortunately, you were wrong.