A Simple Question

[nonbeliever_92]

The world would still contain irrational, unreasonable people so how would ridding the world of religion improve it?

Most people really don't need excuses such as religion to be irrational or unreasonable.

This is true

Meaning I don't think that ridding the world of religion, no matter what some people think, would improve the world much if at all.

but may I ask you this: Do you think that the world would be a better place without guns, cigarettes, cyanide?

 

[Anti-thesisofreason]

but may I ask you this: Do you think that the world would be a better place without guns, cigarettes, cyanide?

People found ways of killing each other and themselves long before there were guns so no a world without guns would not be much different from the one we have. People would still find ways of killing each other.

 

[AlsoAnima]

Taking out anything in the world, and something will come to replace it. If there wasn't religion, we would invent it.

 

[nonbeliever_92]

This is true




but may I ask you this: Do you think that the world would be a better place without guns, cigarettes, cyanide?

Sorry, I specified down to much.
Do you think that the world would be a better place if we got rid of weapons or addictive drugs not being used for medicinal reasons?

People found ways of killing each other and themselves long before there were guns so no a world without guns would not be much different from the one we have. People would still find ways of killing each other.

Yes, but the issue I brought up is not about the people so much as it is the tool used for justification, as I said to Stranger.

Taking out anything in the world, and something will come to replace it. If there wasn't religion, we would invent it.

I thought i asked if the world would be better if we got rid of religion, maybe not, let me check...

 

[nonbeliever_92]

But does religion make the world a better place?

 

[Anti-thesisofreason]

But does religion make the world a better place?

I'm not convinced that making the world a better place is religions main purpose, but it could be a side effect if the religion is accessed properly.

Edit: making the world a better place is not religions main purpose.

 

[Anti-thesisofreason]

Sorry, I specified down to much.
Do you think that the world would be a better place if we got rid of weapons or addictive drugs not being used for medicinal reasons?

People would still find ways to abuse themselves and life in general even without weapons. As for addictive drugs, we would have to get rid of a lot of house hold items in order to rid the world of such abuse.

 

[nonbeliever_92]

I'm not convinced that making the world a better place is religions main purpose, but it could be a side effect if the religion is accessed properly.

But do you think religion can make the world a better place? And how do you believe that religion can be properly accessed as to make the world a better place?

People would still find ways to abuse themselves and life in general even without weapons. As for addictive drugs, we would have to get rid of a lot of house hold items in order to rid the world of such abuse.

I asked if you believed if the world would be a better place without weapons? You can honestly say that you don't think that the death rate would go down? That there would be less injuries due to weapons?

It is not the matter of the people, as I have said, but the instrument.

 

[nonbeliever_92]

I think that many of you are missing the point. Yes people will still rape, murder, steal, etc... but there are not many things in this country that, like religion, can justify and protect those people who commit such crimes.

 

[Anti-thesisofreason]

But do you think religion can make the world a better place? And how do you believe that religion can be properly accessed as to make the world a better place?

I believe that religion has the potential of making life better for the individual person if that person follows that religion in an honest, rational, thought out way.

I've heard enough stories about/from people who lived destructive lives that, with the help of religion, have turned their lives around and they now live healthy productive lives.

I asked if you believed if the world would be a better place without weapons? You can honestly say that you don't think that the death rate would go down? That there would be less injuries due to weapons?

It is not the matter of the people, as I have said, but the instrument.

No I do not believe the world would be a better place without weapons, I honestly do not believe that the death rate will go down if weapons are removed from this world.

If you truly want to rid the world of injuries due to weapons then you must remove the concept of violence in the world.

The very idea of doing harm to others in any manner, the word or any word associated with violence, war, greed and harm needs to be removed from our vocabulary.

Until that happens removing weapons or any harmful object from someones possession will not decrease the murder rate because, without any doubt in my mind, people will find other ways of doing harm to each other.

 

[Riverwolf]

Do you believe that the world be would be better, worse, or the same without religion?

The same.

If we aren't fighting about religion, we're fighting over political affiliation.

 

[Riverwolf]

but may I ask you this: Do you think that the world would be a better place without guns, cigarettes, cyanide?

Wasn't much better when you had to worry about sword and bow-wielding bandits on the road.

Tobacco will grow until it becomes extinct, and until then, cigarettes, whether legal or not, will exist.

Cyanide... without that, there'd be something else.

 

[Anti-thesisofreason]

I think that many of you are missing the point. Yes people will still rape, murder, steal, etc... but there are not many things in this country that, like religion, can justify and protect those people who commit such crimes.

So do you not think that gangs protect members who carry out violent acts in the name of the gang?
Those gangs do not justify and protect their members and their violent acts?

Is the rate of religious crimes (crimes carried out in the name of a god or some religious movement) higher than say murder due to gang violence, or drugs, or rape by a psychopath or domestic violence or racial violence?

 

[Riverwolf]

Sorry, I specified down to much.
Do you think that the world would be a better place if we got rid of weapons or addictive drugs not being used for medicinal reasons?

Nope. If we couldn't kill with tools designed for killing, we'd go back to killing each other with sticks and stones.

Yes, but the issue I brought up is not about the people so much as it is the tool used for justification, as I said to Stranger.

We'd find something. It's in our nature.

 

[Riverwolf]

But does religion make the world a better place?

Now... THAT is a good question. :yes:

 

[Sunstone]

Do you believe that the world be would be better, worse, or the same without religion?

I would expect a world without religion to impress me with how similar it was to a world with religion. It seems to me that religion for the most part is a facilitator, an enabler, an encourager. It doesn't create new goods or new evils. But it does help people to do more good or more evil than they might do without religion.

 

[nonbeliever_92]

So do you not think that gangs protect members who carry out violent acts in the name of the gang?
Those gangs do not justify and protect their members and their violent acts?

Is the rate of religious crimes (crimes carried out in the name of a god or some religious movement) higher than say murder due to gang violence, or drugs, or rape by a psychopath or domestic violence or racial violence?

Religion is a gang of sorts. People with similar tastes and beliefs, rites of initiation, obligations to the group, irrational thinking, blind following...

Now... THAT is a good question. :yes:

how so?

I would expect a world without religion to impress me with how similar it was to a world with religion. It seems to me that religion for the most part is a facilitator, an enabler, an encourager. It doesn't create new goods or new evils. But it does help people to do more good or more evil than they might do without religion.

Yes, this is true, but religion also causes problems.

 

[Riverwolf]

how so?

Because it cannot be answered right away. You have to think about it first.

My answer is: "look at Gandhi."

 

[nonbeliever_92]

Because it cannot be answered right away. You have to think about it first.

My answer is: "look at Gandhi."

but what would your answer be?

 

[Riverwolf]

but what would your answer be?

Gandhi is the answer, for he based his entire spiritual life around a book that takes place during a time of war.