If religion was a human intellectual self deception why should we assume humans would replace it with something better.
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Why will our lives be better if there was no Religion.
- Thread starter bobhikes
- Start date
If religion was a human intellectual self deception why should we assume humans would replace it with something better.
A belief in nothing is still next-of-kin to religion, which is a firm belief in "something."
I would rather die worshipping God who loves me, than live worshipping Satan who hates me.
The very term "Religious" is a reference to a belief system that inspires one to act upon a belief.
Otherwise, it is just a "belief" and not a religion. A religion requires some form of activity related to service to others based upon that belief.
mfrunyan
New Member
illykitty
RF's pet cat
No I think it's too simple of an answer to think that everything will be fixed.
It wouldn't make everything better, people would still fight over things, there would still be wars over resources, there would still be discrimination but religion preserves ancient ways of thinking and can give a reason for discrimination. It doesn't update very fast and in some denominations not much at all. Maybe some things would be better, maybe there would be a reduction of violence in some cases and there wouldn't be so many road blocks for certain areas of scientific progress. And maybe some people hold discriminatory views because that's what they think their god demands and they wouldn't otherwise (or perhaps it's the other way around). Who knows?
I often wonder though if the problem is religion in itself or if it's the belief that a certain text is sacred and unchangeable and/or that there's specific god(s) that ordered discrimination and ancient laws which can't be changed. If people still kept their religions, but without thinking all of this is written in stone by supernatural beings, maybe religion could still have a place - that of community, traditions, rituals, charity, holidays, celebrations, support and so on without the dogma.
I guess what I'm trying to say it is dogmatic unchallenged views and "my god is better and real, yours isn't" that fuels so much problems. I tend to prefer non-theistic religions through a secular lens though, so maybe I'm biased.
It wouldn't make everything better, people would still fight over things, there would still be wars over resources, there would still be discrimination but religion preserves ancient ways of thinking and can give a reason for discrimination. It doesn't update very fast and in some denominations not much at all. Maybe some things would be better, maybe there would be a reduction of violence in some cases and there wouldn't be so many road blocks for certain areas of scientific progress. And maybe some people hold discriminatory views because that's what they think their god demands and they wouldn't otherwise (or perhaps it's the other way around). Who knows?
I often wonder though if the problem is religion in itself or if it's the belief that a certain text is sacred and unchangeable and/or that there's specific god(s) that ordered discrimination and ancient laws which can't be changed. If people still kept their religions, but without thinking all of this is written in stone by supernatural beings, maybe religion could still have a place - that of community, traditions, rituals, charity, holidays, celebrations, support and so on without the dogma.
I guess what I'm trying to say it is dogmatic unchallenged views and "my god is better and real, yours isn't" that fuels so much problems. I tend to prefer non-theistic religions through a secular lens though, so maybe I'm biased.
Why will our lives be better if there was no Religion.
The best answer to this is obvious to me. This farce known as "Religious Forums" would have no reason to exist for all the atheists, agnostics and cultists who rule here. If religion had no benefit otherwise, that would certainly be the best reason to do away with religion.
The best answer to this is obvious to me. This farce known as "Religious Forums" would have no reason to exist for all the atheists, agnostics and cultists who rule here. If religion had no benefit otherwise, that would certainly be the best reason to do away with religion.
stevevw
Member
The thread reminds me of John Lennon's song Imagine in the 2nd verse it says,
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace... You...
If there were no religion it would not make much difference as to people having a belief in God. Religion is a man made idea that came into effect well after Christ. Up until around mid 4th century, there was only one church for Christians at least and it was not until 1000 years after Christ that the catholic church split and we started getting all these different denominations. that split came from people having different interpretations of what they thought was the correct way to follow their belief in God. Interestingly most had moved well away from the teachings of Christ.
During the time of Christ, there were no religions or even churches really. Paul was writing to cities where the followers lived and as far as the bible says people met in smaller rooms to share a meal with other followers of Christ. The added trappings of the type of clothes worn, and the rituals that go along with it, as well as the added interpretations of what to wear, things like purgatory, the meaning of hell, age of the earth, punishment ect were man's interpretation and not biblical or from Christ's teachings. Religion is like a club such as in sports or like political parties and we see the same disagreements and different ideas where people form groups opposing each other.
In some ways, I think we would be worse off without some form of religious belief. Even though it causes conflicts it also does a lot of good. It unites people and it supports a lot of good work that is motivated by that religious belief. Religions have been behind many of the movements to help people throughout history. It is said to be the opium of the people. I believe now that some societies are rejecting religion and God they are beginning to fall into chaos and the social structure is beginning to suffer.
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Yes, how would the global world be better without religion since many people are already ignoring religion.
Even if affiliated, or not affiliated, religion plays either no part, or a small part in their overall lives.
To me, that indicates the behavior of the world in general is giving us a growing picture of what the world would be like without religion, so I agree, I too would like to know how one feels the world would get better without religion.
neologist
Member
Bob the Unbeliever
Well-Known Member
The world would be a better place without religion-- absolutely.
The ancient Greeks were on the cusp of discovering the Scientific Method, and may well have had it-- but christianity intervened, and set Europe back 1000 years, and held it there for 1000 more; bronze-age morality; slaves, women-as-property, the whole ugly works.
Anything new as immediately suppressed, and innovation had to be done on the sly (unless, of course, it generated great piles of money for the church).
It took until the Renaissance before humanity began to separate religion from government, and thereby improving both.
Think how much progress humanity would have made, had not the Dark Ages (fueled by religious stagnation) happened? Humans colonizing the Solar System, and likely probes to and back from Alpha Centuri.
Cancer wiped out. Age extended into 200+. No more poverty. Slavery, gone. Essential equality of all genders, etc, etc, etc.
Why? Because religion **destroys** all quests for New Knowledge; new knowledge tends to undermine religion's strangle-hold on What Is and What Is Permissible.
The ancient Greeks were on the cusp of discovering the Scientific Method, and may well have had it-- but christianity intervened, and set Europe back 1000 years, and held it there for 1000 more; bronze-age morality; slaves, women-as-property, the whole ugly works.
Anything new as immediately suppressed, and innovation had to be done on the sly (unless, of course, it generated great piles of money for the church).
It took until the Renaissance before humanity began to separate religion from government, and thereby improving both.
Think how much progress humanity would have made, had not the Dark Ages (fueled by religious stagnation) happened? Humans colonizing the Solar System, and likely probes to and back from Alpha Centuri.
Cancer wiped out. Age extended into 200+. No more poverty. Slavery, gone. Essential equality of all genders, etc, etc, etc.
Why? Because religion **destroys** all quests for New Knowledge; new knowledge tends to undermine religion's strangle-hold on What Is and What Is Permissible.
neologist
Member
Would it surprise you that God shares your view?
The destruction of religion is described at Revelation, ch 17 and 18.
A good read.
Vancouversailor
Member
For one thing, genocidal maniacs like former president George W. Bush would no longer have a justification for attacking an innocent country and in the process murdering over 100,000 civilians. (The 2003 attack on Iraq: "An angel woke me up in the middle of the night with a message from God. The message was, attack Iraq and kill Saddam Hussein!
For a second thing, the millions of men who abuse their wives, daughters and sons with a bible in one hand and a whip in the other, could no longer threaten their victims with eternal damnation if they don't continue obeying him.
For a third thing, the thousands and thousands of pedophile homosexuals abusing children all around the world while hiding behind the black robe of a Catholic priest, would be out of a job and out of luck.
Fourth, that clown Donald Trump would never have been elected without the support of the millions of anti-abortionist women who believed in his instant born again Christian gig just before the election, and were convinced he would end all abortions.
It would be easy to continue this list but I'll save that for another day.
Religion is external. Truth in internal. None needs religion but all desire truth. so pursue after truth.
paarsurrey
Veteran Member
"Why will our lives be better if there was no Religion?"
It couldn't be.
Regards
There are several mutually exclusive conceptions of a world without religion.
It could be a world where the anthropological tendency towards creating religion-like doctrines was somehow absent or lessened. Or one where it was overruled by the nurture of a rational attitude or something else. Or one where religions are somehow suppressed.
IMO religion proper does not deserve to be avoided, but the usual portrayal of belief-over-reason as being "religion" ought to be fiercely challenged.
It could be a world where the anthropological tendency towards creating religion-like doctrines was somehow absent or lessened. Or one where it was overruled by the nurture of a rational attitude or something else. Or one where religions are somehow suppressed.
IMO religion proper does not deserve to be avoided, but the usual portrayal of belief-over-reason as being "religion" ought to be fiercely challenged.
paarsurrey
Veteran Member
Does one mean that all non-religious people are honest?(Yes, I know there are a few exceptions to what I'm about to say):
- We will be able to have more honest conversations about important topics
- We will more easily be able to remove all of the remaining "us vs. them" human constructs
- We will - collectively - have better morals and ethics
- We will be freer to use our cognitive abilities
- We will get closer to truly implementing universal human rights
Other than that, not much
Regards
Thorwald Johansen
Member
The Bible tells us, that we will 'return to the days of Noah', when people leave God out of their thoughts. Since God has already projected this, who am I or you, to argue this point?
dianaiad
Well-Known Member
Ah.
Well,
In that case, my opinion is....it wouldn't. In fact, I don't think it's possible for humanity to deal without a religion...or something that looks so much like a religion that the only thing missing is the name 'religion.'