A World Without Religion

[Hard as Nails]

I have always imagined what our world without religion would be like. I personally think that it would be sweet, because people wouldnt focus on the afterlife the entire time they are alive. But, the theists also have a good argument. No religion = no morality (i dont think this is true, but whatever) So, which would it be? Good or bad? Would it help us or hurt us? ...........Keep in mind the amount of people that die every day because of faith.

[ExoByte]

It would have its advantages and disadvantages. I could write a whole report on both the advantes and disadvantages, and I would now if I was not strepped for time. A major advantage would be the amount of lives saved. No more religious wars, Bush would not be attacking countries because "God told him to," Hitler wouldnt of nearly eriadicated the Jews, 9/11 wouldn't of happened, the Salem Witch Trials wouldnt of happened... I'll post again later. Maybe I'll actually write a report

[gonnabeathinker]

I too could write a lot of advantages and disadvantages, because there are soo many. I think there would be no diversity in the world. People need religion. But I also think the world(average person) would be much more intelligent. Our technological developement would be much higher. We would probably be exploring our solar system!

[Morbid]

Our technological developement would be much higher. We would probably be exploring our solar system! [/b] Exactly! Sometimes i question myself of how much people died beacause of religion wars and basically all the wars,and how much some of them would have given humanity an advance in knowledge? Take the Inquisition as an example.Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake. And much more died without a reason..

[ExoByte]

Again, I could make a large write up on both the good and bad or religion. I mean, religion has done a lot of bad things and killed a lot of people, but so has the government. What would a world without the government be like? Im neutral in the argument, so don't mistake my statement for taking sides.

[Indecent Exposure]

I'd have to go with Exobyte im also neutral in this argument Religion has kileld people yet it gives people happyness when a family member dies, the sadness is reduced by the feeling that the relative has "gone to a better place" Imran

[King and God]

There would be deaths even if there were no religions. Men kill for power & greed, not for religion.

[ExoByte]

Men kill for power & greed, not for religion.[/b] Really? Then tell me what the suicide bombers on 9/11, and currently in Iraq are killing for. Tell me what the basis of the Taliban is. Tell me why Extremist Muslims kill in the name of Allah. What about Christianity? The Salem Witch Trials, The murder of Jesus, Hitler and the Holocaust for fucks sake. Hey, Im religious, but I accept the fact that Religion does kill people. Of course there would be deaths even if Religion didnt exist. Its a given, killings would happen religion or not. But organized religion has killed many people, many people. Accept it. I think I will write a report on this. Would be nice for some Extra-Credit school work, and for discussion on this board. I'll work on it over the holidays.

[Tsen]

I wrote a five-page paper on the pros and cons of religion in the world. While researching for the paper, I had an IMMENSELY hard time finding resources for the pros. I mean, I know that for some people it helps them get over deaths, but you can't really get a good source for that, a good concrete point. You know? So the paper wound up looking like I made a huge rant against religion, especially Islam, then as an afterthought put some half-hearted arguments for religion in. In reality, 90% of my research time was spend trying to find pros for religion. Cons are everywhere--I had a list of massacres attributed to religion, the total wound up being well over 47 million, and I was just scratching the surface. The fact is, it's hard to find similarly strong points supporting religion.

[Indecent Exposure]

mainly Islam? So im guessing you forgot to mention the crusades? or the inquisition? Christanity has been the casue of just as many deaths, I would say more oviously, regardless of wether you beleive it or not, live in a predominatly christian society you have been subjected to their bias and naturally have been somewhat affected by it Imran

[flight]

Religion is something set very strong in meany people, but I believe were are all just blind to the afterlife there is just no way of knowing it until you experience it. I could never and would never devote my life to a religion but thats me, but I don't mind religious people and don't try to argue with them or push them away from there belief, I usually like to listen to what they believe because it is interesting to see other peoples views and beliefs of the world. I too think it would be very good for us all with no religion. Humans would probably just living in a more togetherness not this crazy pulling apart that religion can do to some people making them do stupid things. Whenever there is separateness between people there is usually conflict created by people, (eg. black, asian & white people or gangs, kids at school). Yeah religion has killed many people when they clash and people get mixed up in there strong beliefs and there wiling ness to die for it, kind of like a cult -don't mean to offend. So all up I think the world would be a better place to live, but that doesn't mean we can wipe the idea that there may be a creator.

[OneRyt]

A world without religion would be a world without wonder.

[Keeper]

Religion doesn't kill people, Zealots do

[Indecent Exposure]

and religion breeds zealots Imran

[Keeper]

no. EVERYTHING breeds Zealots even athiesm breeds zealots. Take Hitler for example: he did what he did in the name of evolution

[Indecent Exposure]

The catholic church made a pact with hitler Imran

[Howie]

There are of coarse many third world countries that use religion for a reason to kill. In many religions there are always the hypocrites too. I think many highly under estimate the amount of people that are good people and church reinstalls that in them. Religion is a good crutch for society in todays world. It takes five suicide bombers to easily over look thousands of good church going samaritans.

[Keeper]

It takes five suicide bombers to easily over look thousands of good church going samaritans. [/b] To true. I am glad someone can see that

[Indecent Exposure]

Whenever i even begin to mention the crusades people seem to lose interest was that just a bad apple? now they were organised by the POPES of the time murder in the name of the pope any, and I mean abolsutely any system which is based on blind obedience is a failure Religion is too much based on blind obedience and as a result, will naturally ive itslef to extremeist views, however, the views are not the problem such is the size o oragnaized religion that these views will be realised. and i think a better analogy would be it only takes 5 suicide bombers to easily over look thousands of peasful law abiding muslims Religion itslef has received some generwalization after this influx of Islamic extremeism but Islam has received huge misrepresentation especially from these fundemntqalist christian groups Imran

[Howie]

Whenever i even begin to mention the crusades people seem to lose interest was that just a bad apple? now they were organised by the POPES of the time murder in the name of the pope any, and I mean abolsutely any system which is based on blind obedience is a failure Religion is too much based on blind obedience and as a result, will naturally ive itslef to extremeist views, however, the views are not the problem such is the size o oragnaized religion that these views will be realised. and i think a better analogy would be it only takes 5 suicide bombers to easily over look thousands of peasful law abiding muslims Religion itslef has received some generwalization after this influx of Islamic extremeism but Islam has received huge misrepresentation especially from these fundemntqalist christian groups Imran[/b] I didn't say Muslim. I said suicide bombers. No, I know what you meant. But I assume we are talking a world without religion today. Sure the crusades the Salem witchcraft trials and countless other atrocities were done in the name of religion and ignorance. Which brings me to a good point. Ignorance. To put it harshly, third world countries are overrun with non educated, ignorant people. Easier to control. easier to brainwash. If you notice that the more civilized, cultured, developed and intelligent populaces have controversy over religion but not killing > in todays world.

[Keeper]

well that is true in part, Germany was a first world country during the time of Hitler education isn't a barrier to brain washing, but it can slow it down imran, you arn't looking at the French Revolutions. More people died "in the name of reson" then then in the whole of the crusades

[Hard as Nails]

i find it amazing how GULLIBLE humans are. Especially during our childhood years. We basically take everything we hear as truth. Think about it. Sex is dirty. Santa Claus exists. God exists. All of these things we believed. Why? Because mommy and daddy and everyone else around us told us so. Then, these beliefs become part of our being. Breaking away from everything you thought was true (especially something as important as GOD!&#33 is damn near impossible. This goal can only be acheived by 2 kinds of people. The strong-willed and, of course, those who were never brought up with indoctrination. I really, REALLY hate to say this, but we are all just programmed machines. A result of all of our past memories and experiences. "Faith" is just a way to explain why you believe so strongly. It is not inherant...it is learned. Anyway, the only way to ever tell if religion is good or bad would be to make an atheist country and see how it does. O well, thats my rant for today. I gotta go the Jacksonville, Fl to visit grandparents today. Christmas eve and i have to drive 9 hours!! Isnt that fu*ked up? And they are HARDCORE southern American Batists. You know, the kind who take EVERY SINGLE WORD of the bible LITERALLY. Hehe, remember what i said about gullible humans?

[Indecent Exposure]

oh Keeper Keeper Keeper please dont do this I dont want to see this thread become antoher keeper-bashing thread as someone put it but with statements like that.... once again you use your argument, well I make a point regarding deaths caused by religion and you say, well more people died because of this (insert another reason) that is irrelevant we are discussing evils casued by religion, and good things that have come out of religion yes? we are not discussing the french revolution I remeber once you treid toargue that the french revolution was murder in th ename of atheism thats preposterous back to the point yes the current suicide bombers are giving Islam a bad name but ur pooint about devolped countires When the roman emperor burned the Christians for their faith, Rome was the most civilized country in the world Western Terrorism is not percieved as terrorism becuase it is done to the sound of trumpets I tell you what, the Zionist bombardmnet of Lebanon was abhorrent, disgusting terrorism Do we call this Jewish terrorism oh we dare not, lest we be called another Hitler please do not get me wrong I am not anti-Semetic Im merely making a point, as to when developeod countires commit acts of terror, it is not percieved as terror but instead, its liberation or justice Imran

[Tsen]

Imran, to answer why I based it primarily on Islam: I wrote the paper on the anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Because of that, Islamic extremists were the focus of much of the paper because they are the basis for most modern terrorism. I also focused on Sharia, which dictates death as the punishment to those who either leave the Islamic religion or refuse to convert to it or live under its laws. I did also have quite a bit on Christianity, including the Crusades, the witch hunts of Europe, the Spanish Inquisition, Cortez, and many others. Now, to Keeper. even athiesm breeds zealots. Take Hitler for example: he did what he did in the name of evolution[/b] No, he didn't. Hitler was expressedly theist. "Thus, it [the folkish philosophy] by no means believes in an equality of races, but along with their difference it recognizes their higher or lesser value and feels itself obligated, through this knowledge, to promote the victory of the better and stronger, and demand the subordination of the inferior and weaker in accordance with the eternal will that dominates this universe." (Hitler 1943, 383) "The undermining of the existence of human culture by the destruction of its bearer seems in the eyes of a folkish philosophy the most execrable crime. Anyone who dares to lay hands on the highest image of the Lord commits sacrilege against the benevolent Creator of this miracle and contributes to the expulsion from paradise." (Hitler 1943, 383) "What we must fight for is to safeguard the existence and reproduction of our race and our people, . . . so that our people may mature for the fulfillment of the mission allotted it by the creator of the universe." (Hitler 1943, 214) Of course, he didn't base his campaign on religion either. Hitler corrupted anything he could in any way possible so long as it would support his views. But it is important to note that even if Hitler was trying to further evolution, he was incredibly uninformed. Evolution suggests the OPPOSITE of what Hitler did.

[Keeper]

exactly you see, everything will eventually produce a nut job who dosn't get it in the first place and gives it a bad name imran, I was pointing out you cant just say religion causes theas things