Would the world be better off without Christianity?

[Fire Empire]

We are posting this as a serious question without the intention to offend. Do you think that if tomorrow the religion of Christianity (in all its forms and denominations) were to be completely rejected from the world (i.e. its followers suddenly decided to no longer believe in it), would the world in general be better off?

This will require some imagination. For instance, without Christianity to act as a sort of international social glue, would radical Islam spread until U.S. and European women lose their rights? Would science be able to make more leaps and bounds without being hampered by superstition? Would morals collapse? Would the U.S. elect better presidents?

What do you think?

 

[Green Gaia]

International social glue?

You are assuming that if all Christians suddenly rejected the religion of Christianity that all their beliefs and opinions would suddenly change as well.

 

[Darkdale]

We are posting this as a serious question without the intention to offend. Do you think that if tomorrow the religion of Christianity (in all its forms and denominations) were to be completely rejected from the world (i.e. its followers suddenly decided to no longer believe in it), would the world in general be better off?

This will require some imagination. For instance, without Christianity to act as a sort of international social glue, would radical Islam spread until U.S. and European women lose their rights? Would science be able to make more leaps and bounds without being hampered by superstition? Would morals collapse? Would the U.S. elect better presidents?

What do you think?

What is it you are trying to get at?

 

[Fire Empire]

International social glue?

You are assuming that if all Christians suddenly rejected the religion of Christianity that all their beliefs and opinions would suddenly change as well.

Well, for the sake of this debate, let's say that we are assuming that if they rejected their religion, any beliefs based on that religion would necessarily also become void. They would also start to question (or change) any Christianity-rooted opinions.

And yes, it is a social glue, among other things.

 

[Fire Empire]

What is it you are trying to get at?

Let's say we're trying to decide if some religions should be removed from the ideosphere, you know, in the "ideal" world. Starting with Christianity because it's so popular/common in our part of the globe. Or, does it serve a truly good purpose regardless of what others might think of its validity.

 

[Green Gaia]

How do you know which beliefs (other than eveything dealing with Jesus) they base on their religion and which they would believe anyway?

 

[Green Gaia]

What if, as Lilithu observed in a thread in the UU forum, "we use our religious doctrines to justify what we already believe in our hearts. It's not the doctrines that cause us to believe what we believe."

 

[Fire Empire]

How do you know which beliefs (other than eveything dealing with Jesus) they base on their religion and which they would believe anyway?

We don't. We're asking y'all to imagine a future without this particular religion. How would that future be. For instance Sally American is against abortion because that's how she interprets the Bible. Now, suddenly she rejects the bible, and becomes pro-choice. Do you think scenarios like this would be common? What about other scenarios? Let's brainstorm...

 

[Aqualung]

What if, as Lilithu observed in a thread in the UU forum, "we use our religious doctrines to justify what we already believe in our hearts. It's not the doctrines that cause us to believe what we believe."

Yep. exactly. Taking away christianity would just take away the excuse people have to act as they do (whether that be a good way or a bad way) and won't really solve much.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

We don't. We're asking y'all to imagine a future without this particular religion. How would that future be.

Most likely, there would not be a religiousforums.com nor, therefore, a thread asking a hypothetical and intrinsically unhelpful question.

 

[Fire Empire]

What if, as Lilithu observed in a thread in the UU forum, "we use our religious doctrines to justify what we already believe in our hearts. It's not the doctrines that cause us to believe what we believe."

Possibly. Which came first--the belief or the religion? We would argue that environment, culture, upringing, etc. contribute to who a person is. And that maybe who a person is leads that person to a particular religion in the first place. But it also works in reverse. Part of the culture affecting a person may be a religion, causing said person to become more involved in that faith (or maybe on the other hand rejecting it altogether). So, remove Christianity from that equation, and what happens?

 

[Green Gaia]

We don't. We're asking y'all to imagine a future without this particular religion. How would that future be. For instance Sally American is against abortion because that's how she interprets the Bible. Now, suddenly she rejects the bible, and becomes pro-choice.

I don't think you can make the assumption.

As for a future without Christianity.... people will find something else in which to justify their beliefs. If they want to do good, they will do good. If they want to do evil, they will do evil. You don't need any particular religion for that, people just use religion as a justification and reason for doing things they would have done anyway.... and sometimes, as an excuse.

 

[Green Gaia]

So, remove Christianity from that equation, and what happens?

What would have happened anyway.

 

[Bennettresearch]

OK, I'll bite,

No. I don't think that it would be a better place. It is my opinion that we owe our religious freedom to the founding of this great country and Christianity is responsible for it. In a direct way, The Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches were responsible for the creation of separation of church and state. This means that even if you are not Christian, you were initially protected by christians. Sure, the dogmatic fundamentalist practice of christianity immediately set up shop here, but the United States did not sanction them. This is important.

I truly think that if the gates were opened without christianity that eventually some other fundamentalist group would try to enslave us in their dogma.

 

[Green Gaia]

I truly think that if the gates were opened without christianity that eventuall some other fundamentalist group would try to enslave us in their dogma.

"Down with dogma!" saith the UU.

 

[Darkdale]

Let's say we're trying to decide if some religions should be removed from the ideosphere, you know, in the "ideal" world. Starting with Christianity because it's so popular/common in our part of the globe. Or, does it serve a truly good purpose regardless of what others might think of its validity.

If I could get rid of, say, three religions. I'd figure out which ones had the most extremists and violent people in them and ditch the three worst. Other than that, the more religions the better and I view Christianity the same way I view "paganism"; as a label for a myriad of traditions.

 

[Mr Spinkles]

We are posting this as a serious question without the intention to offend.

Who's 'we'?

I don't think the world would be better off without Christianity. In my opinion, Christianity today does far more good than harm. The number of charitable organizations that are predicated on Christian principles, for example, is countless.

 

[Green Gaia]

If I could get rid of, say, three religions. I'd figure out which ones had the most extremists and violent people in them and ditch the three worst. Other than that, the more religions the better and I view Christianity the same way I view "paganism"; as a label for a myriad of traditions.

What if those same 3 religions had the most people doing good at the same time they had violent people and extremists?

 

[michel]

I am not sure that I fit in this hypothetical crowd of Christians; and if I don't, I can only visualize that there would be many other 'me's' around.

My morality and ideals did not have to change one iota when I became a Christian; perhaps that was because subconsciously I was 'aware' of the concepts, and I had built on the basic 'blocks'. I am pretty sure that I would be no different in the way that I think and feel at the moment; the only 'hole' would be in my relationship with God - whom I love, and to whom I pray regularly. That feels as if it would be like loosing the most important person in my life; lonely.

I do find the original question a strange one though, why 'pick on' Christianity - if all Christians were to turn around one day and reject the faith, for whatever reason, why wouldn't the same happen to the Muslims ? Obviously, I can't comment on whether you would have a 'better' president, because the politics of the States are way over anything I can understand.

 

[Darkdale]

What if those same 3 religions had the most people doing good at the same time they had violent people and extremists?

I'd be willing to sacrifice the good to get rid of the bad. In the old Roman empire, the government actually required religions to register (there were hundreds of them) and basically, the ones that followed roman law were left alone and the ones that didn't were "persecuted". I like that system. However, our governments are even more corrupt today, so government (especially democratic ones or theocracies) is a far greater danger than religion. So the hypothetical dies right there. For all the violence caused by Christians and Muslims in this world, I fear them all less than government. The problem is a people problem... not a religion problem. But, if I were going along with the hypothetical, I would target those organizations that had the most violent people or the ones that refused to obey the law. Much like the old Roman system.