If America went without religion...

[Laika]

About 20% of the USA's population have no religious affiliation whereas 80% do affiliate with a religion.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion_in_the_United_States

For the sake of argument What do you think America would be like if this figure was reversed and 80% of Americans did not have a religion?

What would change (if anything)?

 

[Kemosloby]

About 20% of the USA's population have no religious affiliation whereas 80% do affiliate with a religion.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion_in_the_United_States

For the sake of argument What do you think America would be like if this figure was reversed and 80% of Americans did not have a religion?

What would change (if anything)?

About 20% of the USA's population have no religious affiliation whereas 80% do affiliate with a religion.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion_in_the_United_States

For the sake of argument What do you think America would be like if this figure was reversed and 80% of Americans did not have a religion?

What would change (if anything)?

You serve one master or another, so wickedness would increase. Someone would paint the highways in rainbow colors, people would doing acid and texting down the rainbow highway to hell.

 

[Timothy Bryce]

About 20% of the USA's population have no religious affiliation whereas 80% do affiliate with a religion.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion_in_the_United_States

For the sake of argument What do you think America would be like if this figure was reversed and 80% of Americans did not have a religion?

What would change (if anything)?

I honestly couldn't foresee any negative consequences. People gon' do what they gon' do. If anything I would imagine, obnoxious self-righteousness would decline significantly.

This feels so retro; ten years ago, I hated organized religion with a particular emphasis on the destructive legacy of Christianity. Now I'm more or less indifferent to it - a couple of ******** preaching garbage isn't really that offensive to me anymore.

Personally I think the world as a whole would be significantly improved in all aspects if religion were reverted to a historical passing.

 

[Timothy Bryce]

You serve one master or another, so wickedness would increase. Someone would paint the highways in rainbow colors, people would doing acid and texting down the rainbow highway to hell.

That sounds like paradise.

 

[Neo Deist]

Just wait until aliens make contact. The world's religions will come crumbling down...except deism.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

For the sake of argument What do you think America would be like if this figure was reversed and 80% of Americans did not have a religion?
What would change (if anything)?

Would the 80% look to government for guidance and following what the government wants its teachers to teach ?
So, would the political realm fit into the 20% figure, or the 80% not affiliated ?

 

[Deathbydefault]

About 20% of the USA's population have no religious affiliation whereas 80% do affiliate with a religion.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion_in_the_United_States

For the sake of argument What do you think America would be like if this figure was reversed and 80% of Americans did not have a religion?

What would change (if anything)?

Probably a lot.
The constitution would be more strictly followed, for one.
Tax exempt churches wouldn't be a thing.
The religious folk would be a lot less quick to get haughty when they don't get their way.
The war we are in would already be over.
Those Danish cartoons would have been on every news station.
The tolerance we have for theocratic and non freedom respecting countries would be non-existent.

The list goes on.
I'm sure there would be a few bad things, too, but I'm having trouble grasping what they are.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Just wait until aliens make contact. The world's religions will come crumbling down...except deism.

Since the United Nations already sees a hauntingly dangerous religious climate brewing in today's world, would we need aliens to make contact, or with backing the U.N. can be strengthened to surprisingly turn on the world's troublesome religious groups.

 

[Kemosloby]

Somehow the Vatican would take over the world as the first non-religious religion.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Probably a lot.
The constitution would be more strictly followed, for one.
Tax exempt churches wouldn't be a thing.
The religious folk would be a lot less quick to get haughty when they don't get their way.
The war we are in would already be over.
Those Danish cartoons would have been on every news station.
The tolerance we have for theocratic and non freedom respecting countries would be non-existent.
The list goes on.
I'm sure there would be a few bad things, too, but I'm having trouble grasping what they are.

Would the non-religious political keep the peace or go after land, oil, wealth,etc. for more political power ?

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Somehow the Vatican would take over the world as the first non-religious religion.

What if first the political sees the Vatican's wealth as easy for their taking and deprived the Vatican of its gold, etc. ?

 

[BSM1]

About 20% of the USA's population have no religious affiliation whereas 80% do affiliate with a religion.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion_in_the_United_States

For the sake of argument What do you think America would be like if this figure was reversed and 80% of Americans did not have a religion?

What would change (if anything)?

It would free up a lot of Sunday mornings for many.

 

[Deathbydefault]

Would the non-religious political keep the peace or go after land, oil, wealth,etc. for more political power ?

Of course people can be poisoned by wealth and power, that isn't inclusive of only the religious.
But a non-religious gov. is one that is held much more accountable by the those that power it.
The gov. that is held accountable by it's people is the one that will commit the least crimes, at least if they don't want to repeat history.

So stealing oil and violating human rights would still be a thing, but it would be a much smaller project with a lot less profit.

 

[Shrew]

In Europe religion isn't as near as important as in the USA, but social conditions are better here.
I think in the year from 1940-1960 religion wasn't as important in the USA as it is today but I may be wrong here.
It seems when social conditions are bad, people turn to God.

 

[Kirran]

You serve one master or another, so wickedness would increase. Someone would paint the highways in rainbow colors, people would doing acid and texting down the rainbow highway to hell.

Do we have any evidence the irreligious are more wicked than the religious?

 

[Kemosloby]

Do we have any evidence the irreligious are more wicked than the religious?

One less reason to try to be good.

 

[Kirran]

One less reason to try to be good.

This is conjecture - does it hold out in the real world? Are the irreligious more involved in antisocial activities? I don't know if I am religious or not, it depends how you define religion really.

 

[Kemosloby]

This is conjecture - does it hold out in the real world? Are the irreligious more involved in antisocial activities? I don't know if I am religious or not, it depends how you define religion really.

Well if it flipped from 80% to 20% the religious would become the non-religious and lose their reason to be good.

 

[Kirran]

Well if it flipped from 80% to 20% the religious would become the non-religious and lose their reason to be good.

If we look at populations where the majority are irreligious, we don't see that they "lose their reason to be good". It's a deeper thing than religion. Estonia is over 70% irreligious! My own country is in theory about 50%, I suspect it is higher in practice.

 

[bobhikes]

About 20% of the USA's population have no religious affiliation whereas 80% do affiliate with a religion.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion_in_the_United_States

For the sake of argument What do you think America would be like if this figure was reversed and 80% of Americans did not have a religion?

What would change (if anything)?

It really depends on what fills the void. Religion creates things to do for people, alternate govern ship, provides for charity and gives hope to many people will still have to live and how they fill the void will determine how the world will be.