Do we still need religion?

[IndigoChild5559]

Well, if you only sum up the positives, of course you come to a net positive.

What about all the wars fought in the name of religion or where religion was used as excuse and a rally cry? The crusades, the thirty year war, ISIS? They weren't exactly healthy.

Most wars are not fought over religion. They are fought over land and resources. Are you going to say that property should be eliminated?

Again, there are those times when religion is abused. But you don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.

 

[Heyo]

Most wars are not fought over religion. They are fought over land and resources.

I agree, that's why I listed 3 that were heavily influenced by religion. And for the others, how much influence did religion have in them? Would the support for them have been the same without the religious excuses and motivations? I think it is very hard, if not impossible, to calculate that.

Are you going to say that property should be eliminated?

Yes, but that is a whole other discussion.

Again, there are those times when religion is abused. But you don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.

No. Maybe just make religion a private issue without any influence on politics? Or maybe keep the community alive that is so beneficial and dunk the religious aspect?

 

[night912]

Right. If you go by science, which says that religion is very beneficial, then you cannot be for the elimination of religion.

If you actually read my entire post, then you would've noticed that I addressed that. Science says that some things in religion are beneficial to the individual, religious rituals to be specific. Science also demonstrates that all those beneficial things are not exclusive to religion, in other words, religion is not necessary. So like I said in my initial post, getting rid of religion will remove all the negative things that comes with religion while retaining the beneficial things.

I'm curious, what's your position on drugs? Should we legalized drugs because it has the same benefits that religion has?

 

[IndigoChild5559]

If you actually read my entire post, then you would've noticed that I addressed that.

Well, you tried to at least. Be well.

 

[night912]

Well, you tried to at least. Be well.

If you can't handle the science then perhaps it's best for you to not post scientific articles thinking that it's going to support your argument. Another good tip that apparently you are in need of is, read the whole article and avoid selected reading. Doing this will help you understand the context of what it's about, whether it's actually in support of your argument or not. The same goes for people's comments, like how you did with what I initially posted. And you are the only one who is to blame when you take things out of context in to make it appear as if it's supporting your argument.

And you didn't answer my question regarding your position on drugs. You avoiding this would issue pretty much means that you are dismissing the scientific findings from the article that you yourself provided.

Here it is again just incase you missed it.

Part of the reason people are attracted to religion is that its rituals – the standing, sitting and kneeling in unison, the singing, the listening to emotionally rousing sermons – trigger the brain’s endorphin system. This is the mechanism that underpins social bonding in all primates, including humans. Like opiates, endorphins produce a sense of bliss bordering on ecstasy, calmness and warmth, relaxation and trust, while elevating pain thresholds. In addition to these hedonic benefits, endorphins trigger the release of natural killer cells (part of the body’s immune system).

Endorphins also underpin the bonding of friendships and, through that, allow us to create supportive groups of like-minded individuals. This effect seems to be especially strong in the context of rituals, as has been shown experimentally in religious services in the UK and Brazil. It seems, therefore, that religions evolved to reinforce a sense of community cohesion, something that’s extremely important to our wellbeing and survival.
Source

 

[PearlSeeker]

The big idea: do we still need religion?

"There are at least two reasons, however, why religions persist. One is the fact that, on average, religious people are generally happier, healthier and live longer. For better or for worse, they also have easier deaths when the time comes. The other is that religious people are more likely to feel that they belong to a community. In a survey I ran, those who reported attending religious services were depressed less frequently, felt their lives were more worthwhile, were more engaged with their local community, and felt greater trust towards others. These enormous benefits mean not only that religion has enduring appeal, but that religious practices make you “fit” in the evolutionary sense – and thus they tend to stick around."

Yes. Religion at its best. It sure gives comfort, hope, meaning... But is it truth or placebo?