Would the world be better off without Christianity?

[Green Gaia]

The problem is a people problem... not a religion problem.

Bingo! Even if you got rid of all religions that have violent extremists... those people are still going to be violent extremists. They will just find something else in which to rally their cause.

 

[michel]

Bingo! Even if you got rid of all religions that have violent extremists... those people are still going to be violent extremists. They will just find something else in which to rally their cause.

You are right - that makes sense.

 

[Darkdale]

Bingo! Even if you got rid of all religions that have violent extremists... those people are still going to be violent extremists. They will just find something else in which to rally their cause.

Yeah... but I was thinking along the lines of "you'd have to get rid of the people to get rid of the religion".

 

[Mujahid Mohammed]

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?

Do you mean the Christianity before or after the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. when the romans corrupted it and added alot of pagan philosophies and rituals.

 

[Scott1]

Do you mean the Christianity before or after the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. when the romans corrupted it and added alot of pagan philosophies and rituals.

You might want to consider the people you offend with ignorant statements like this... just a thought.:tsk:

 

[Katzpur]

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?

Personally, I think the world is better off with Christianity than it would be without it. On the other hand, I think the world just might be better off without religious fanatics of any kind, be they Christians, Jews, Muslims or anyone else. (But since I don't consider myself to be one of those fanatics, I can't very well advocate getting rid of them, either. )

 

[Fire Empire]

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.

'We' are legion.

And thanks, these are the kinds of answers we're looking for. Yes, Christianity does have countless charitable orgs. But in the grand scheme of things, does this good outway the harm of, say, christian-originated censorship? Evolution denial? Abstinence-only sex ed (which helps diseases florish, by the way)? bans on stem-cell research? Abortion clinic bombing? etc. What's your opinion--does the good outweigh the harm? How would that be measured?

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. .

Thanks for the post, Michel. This is a good point, a lot of Christians have a deep relationship with their God. It would definitely leave a hole in many peoples lives. Do you think it's likely that you would find something else to fill that hole? Something good? Or would you maybe fall into a worse person for it--like some desperado who has no reason for living?

The problem is a people problem... not a religion problem.

Bingo! Even if you got rid of all religions that have violent extremists... those people are still going to be violent extremists. They will just find something else in which to rally their cause. .

I was thinking along the lines of "you'd have to get rid of the people to get rid of the religion"..

Seems to us that religions come from the people. And historically speaking, getting rid of the people who have been hooked by a certain meme-complex (Christianity in this case) does not necessarily make the complex disappear. But Maize seems to assume that people are violent because, what--they are born violent? Created that way? Is it unlikely that their faith encourages such violence? What if terrorists the bombed London had found some different faith--do you think such people would still do what they did? As for our topic--does Christianity promote similar actions?

 

[Fire Empire]

Do you mean the Christianity before or after the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. when the romans corrupted it and added alot of pagan philosophies and rituals.

We mean the religion as it is today. We're not talking about rewriting history, but maybe shaping the course of the future. Two possible courses (as far as this thread anyway):

Course one: Future without Christianity. Starting tomorrow. Do you envision a post-apocalyptic "Mad Max" world? Some kind of Huxley "Brave New World"? Utopian paradise? Planet Wicca?

Course two: Things continue as they are. No change.

 

[Sunstone]

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...

I think most people believe what they want to believe, regardless of which religion they are or aren't a part of. So if Sally is against abortion while she's Christian, she'll tend to be against abortion after she renounces Christianity. There are not many people who adapt their core beliefs to a religion. Rather, most people seek out, shop for, a religion that supports their core beliefs.

 

[Quiddity]

I think most people believe what they want to believe, regardless of which religion they are or aren't a part of. So if Sally is against abortion while she's Christian, she'll tend to be against abortion after she renounces Christianity. There are not many people who adapt their core beliefs to a religion. Rather, most people seek out, shop for, a religion that supports their core beliefs.

Very true. Great point. That's exactly why fuzzy feelings should not direct your every move.

~Victor

 

[The Black Whirlwind]

no, i do not think the world would be better off without christianity. Christianity has done a lot of ba true, but it has also done much good in the world. I wouldn't mind seeing extremists just disappear, but i think regular christianity should be here to stay.

 

[jonny]

Which came first--the belief or the religion?

I know the circumstances that led to most of my ancestors joining the LDS church and in most cases the belief came before the religion. I am very grateful for the journals that they kept. I'm sure if people were able to find similar records on how they or their family came to religion they practice now you would find similar stories.

I think that people are drawn to a religion because of certain beliefs that they already have and that the religion then builds upon those beliefs. If you are born into a religion and its core beliefs conflict with the beliefs you develop, you will probably search for a religion that matches what you already believe.

One more point - it would be hard to start a religion without beliefs, so I would have to say that beliefs came first.

 

[Fire Empire]

One more point - it would be hard to start a religion without beliefs, so I would have to say that beliefs came first.

Do you think some people stumble into religion because they are just all around confused and don't know what to believe? What about those people--we would say they have holes in their belief system which are quickly filled by _______ religion. And what if those holes were filled with something like science instead?

We still think that religion greatly affects beliefs. For instance, (noting the LDS), did you wake up one morning and think, "Hmmm...I like this Joseph Smith guy" Doubtful--you had to hear about him from some source. Source (religion) in this case helped shape your mind (belief).

 

[Sunstone]

Yes, the world would be better off without Christianity. Christianity is a religion that many people believe is founded on love. God's love for his creation and love of one's neighbor. Because these Christians are too busy praising God and loving their neighbor, they don't have as much time to shop, which is bad for the economy. It is estimated that their time spent praying and loving their neighbors (rather than shopping) annually takes over 150 billion out of the US economy alone. Who knows how much damage it does to the Australian, Canadian, and British economies? I say stop Christianity before it ruins the consumer culture!

 

[Searcher of Light]

Would the world be better off without Christianity?

First lets look at a purely hypothetical world where christianity died with Jesus.These thought questions are purely speculation, of course. Here are some thought questions:

1) What would have happened if Nero did not have the Christians as a scapegoat for the great fire of Rome?

2) Would the Empire have fallen without Christianity's influences? (These include the reduction of violence, a change of direction from empire to the spiritual)

3) How would have technology of changed without (with no offense to our Roman Catholic friends) the catholic religion holding down scientific and artistic thought?

4) Would perhaps the industrial revolution have occurred during the Roman Empire? (Mechanos of Alexandria can within a step of creating a steam engine)

5) Would the Renaissance and its art and innovations have happened anyway?

6) Considering the Constitution is based in Christian beliefs, would America exist?

7) Without Christianity what atrocities would have been adverted? (crusades, The inquisition, witch hunts, the holocaust, etc)

8) Would Islam have still occurred without christianity to form one of the foundation stones? What would the implications be if Islam never existed? (for example, if the Roman Empire still fell and Islam did not exist, who would have kept Greek ideas and innovations alive?)

These are just a few ideas, each question would breed a host of other questions depending on how it is answered. What ifs, such as the "would the world be better off without Christianity?" allows a person to see just how important something like Christianity is in the fabric of history and individual lives.

 

[Malus 12:9]

Well for one, it's be better in my town without them, the town can finally build that Adult bookshop
without being harassed by the Christians.

 

[TashaN]

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?

Can you please explin what is the relationship between Islam & your claim that women may lose thier rights because if you have no proof for your claim so i politely ask you to take your words back about women rights in islam but if you have any so please forward it to me.

 

[Darkdale]

Can you please explin what is the relationship between Islam & your claim that women may lose thier rights because if you have no proof for your claim so i politely ask you to take your words back about women rights in islam but if you have any so please forward it to me.

Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan & "Palestine". They are all awful about woman's rights and childrens rights. Iraq was much better until we removed Saddam and the theocrats took over. Or are these countries not representative of Islamic morality?

 

[Malus 12:9]

3) How would have technology of changed without (with no offense to our Roman Catholic friends) the catholic religion holding down scientific and artistic thought?

Dude, are you saying computers, mobile phones, satellites and digital TV are all
because of Christianity? All these things have come into our worlds, whether Christianity
exists or not. Do you think Sony pause after their next creation to say "thankyou God, for making this invention possible"?


.

 

[TashaN]

Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan & "Palestine". They are all awful about woman's rights and childrens rights. Iraq was much better until we removed Saddam and the theocrats took over. Or are these countries not representative of Islamic morality?

Firstly, Why do you think they are awful about woman's rights and what kind of women rights do you mean if you don't mind?

Secondly, you can't make a claim depending in one or two countries because you can find Muslims all around the world even in your own country but the problem is nowdays people mixed up between Islam and the culture of some Islamic countries.


Peace ...