Jeremiahcp
Well-Known Jerk
What do you think the world would be like without religion? Please explain.
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What would the world be like without religion?
- Thread starter Jeremiahcp
- Start date
True, the world's religions have caused mankind to be divided instead or united.
Since most people do Not live by the 'Golden Rule', then what the world is like today is like a world already without faith.
Pick up any newspaper and read about the bad news of men's kingdoms or governments.
People today have a selfish distorted form of love as described at 2 Timothy 3:1-5,13.
That is in sharp contrast to the definition of Christ-like love as defined at 1 Corinthians 13:4-6.
By religion, I'm assuming you mean organized religion. As I see it, there would be less war and terrorism, as people would not be fighting over which religion is the One True Religion™. IMO, a personal belief should remain just that. It brings to mind a movie quote that I think sums it up...
Pretty depressing and I would feel a sense of pointlessness. We and everyone we know would be short blips that come and go.
I don't know.
In my childhood, I knew a ton of very decent rational loving folks who had no religion, and also some 'religious' haters.
So my conjecture would be that greed and selfishness and all those negative character traits would still exist. But there are tons of reasons besides religion that you wouldn't want to be that way. Two immediate ones come to mind, and those are that most everyone hates you, and survival. Groups would always survive over individual nutcases.
In my childhood, I knew a ton of very decent rational loving folks who had no religion, and also some 'religious' haters.
So my conjecture would be that greed and selfishness and all those negative character traits would still exist. But there are tons of reasons besides religion that you wouldn't want to be that way. Two immediate ones come to mind, and those are that most everyone hates you, and survival. Groups would always survive over individual nutcases.
I don't think it would be especially different. Some traditional ideas reinforced by religion, both for good and for ill, would be different. But I think traditionalism doesn't need religion to flourish. They'd find something else to congregate about.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
Witbout political religious influence, peace and tolerance. You have African tribes with more than one religion thst life comfortable around each other. Nowadays, nave americans are doing the same. If there is peace among humanity without religious integration, segregation, or dominance, Id say the world would a pretty nice place to live.
This is the kind of question that really needs some specifications.
How much of a departure from the current situation are we talking about? Any specific reasons for religions not to be present? Are people assumed to be uninterests for some reason? What are we understanding by religion exactly? Does it include things such as passion for ideologies and sports teams?
Religion as I define it is neither a bad thing nor particularly avoidable, although I realize that the word has been abused and used as justification for abuse with dismaying frequency.
Attempting to take the question at face value, I would say that it would be a far better place if it could make do without the need for religion. It would have to be, as a prerequisite. Attempts to supress religion are neither defensable nor workable.
How much of a departure from the current situation are we talking about? Any specific reasons for religions not to be present? Are people assumed to be uninterests for some reason? What are we understanding by religion exactly? Does it include things such as passion for ideologies and sports teams?
Religion as I define it is neither a bad thing nor particularly avoidable, although I realize that the word has been abused and used as justification for abuse with dismaying frequency.
Attempting to take the question at face value, I would say that it would be a far better place if it could make do without the need for religion. It would have to be, as a prerequisite. Attempts to supress religion are neither defensable nor workable.
Sure people thought the Earth was flat, but there is No Scripture teaching that, etc.
People were taught the Earth was on animal backs, etc. but Job 26:7 taught the Earth hangs upon nothing.
Where in Scripture does it teach the Earth's shape?
Does that mean animals hang upon nothing by their backs?
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber
Without people have a book of prescribed attitudes and views to hold (and so many found in religion are negative and dangerous), the world would be better.
Proudly, I do not, and my set of morality requires me to think things out more than just what I want to have done to me. Such as, most people are just fine with hugs, and some people like giving them and receiving them. However, if a stranger approaches me and gives me a hug, I'm going to jump through the roof like a cat thrown in a tub of water. I don't like it. It's a nice gesture, I know, but I'm only comfortable with being touched by people I know and am comfortable with. Thus, your "golden rule," though well intentioned, lacks foresight of going beyond yourself and can potentially cause someone like me great distress.
As a "spiritual but not religious" person, I assume you're referring to exoteric religions with defined meeting places, rules about this and that, reward for being good and punishment for being bad, those who assume they have a license from God to lay down the law and so forth.
As said upstream, if religion disappeared there would be a lot to disagree on, choose up sides and fight about. For that to change, humanity has to evolve still further.
What I hope and expect to remain is a sense of the divine.
As said upstream, if religion disappeared there would be a lot to disagree on, choose up sides and fight about. For that to change, humanity has to evolve still further.
What I hope and expect to remain is a sense of the divine.
A fantasy-based life? This strikes me as a pathological need for purpose; a psychological phobia of insignificance; a grasping at straws for anything giving life meaning or significance -- even if it makes no logical sense.
And the sequelae are disturbing:
Religion is easily set aside when personal interest is at stake. Without an internalized morality, the religious use religion's dos and don'ts as a crutch. They cannot remain upright without it.
Its been a motivating factor and excuse for war, killing, exploitation and injustice throughout history.
Religious people are not more moral than the non-religious. If anything they are less moral. Without an internalized morality and the need to tailor actions to results, they rely on the imperfect crutch of religious tradition. This may motivate them to feed the poor, but, historically, has been equally effective in cutting social programs and raising armies.
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber
Might be impressive if the Bible lacked things such as saying the Earth is fixed and unmoving (1 Chronicles 16:30, Psalm 93:1, Psalm 96:10), and a completely contradicting statement that the Earth is set upon a foundation (Psalm 104:5).
I think you got me all wrong. I was referring to the existence of our eternal consciousness beyond this short life; not so much religion and rules.
I read the question as religion (including the existence of the 'soul') versus atheistic-materialism (as the OP is a known to me as an atheist from other conversations). I see religion as my spiritual beliefs and practice in accordance with those beliefs.
Maybe people read the question differently.
I understand.
Personal spirituality is not the same as 'religion,'
osgart
Nothing my eye, Something for sure
Religion is not up to speed on what it could be. it's not for everybody!
if it didn't exist people would have to find other things worth living for. people would also have to have another basis for their morality.
they'd find other reasons to unite, and to war. religion isn't the cause of evil, it's just a vehicle for it as it is currently practiced.
some good ideas actually sprang out of it, but those ideas are misused and misplaced.
things would be the same without religion as we know it. we'd be warring the same as we are today, arguing the same way, and inspired the same way. it would be some other vehicle of politics and belief driving humanity's interests.
religion isn't the blame guilty thing, it's people's hearts.
if it didn't exist people would have to find other things worth living for. people would also have to have another basis for their morality.
they'd find other reasons to unite, and to war. religion isn't the cause of evil, it's just a vehicle for it as it is currently practiced.
some good ideas actually sprang out of it, but those ideas are misused and misplaced.
things would be the same without religion as we know it. we'd be warring the same as we are today, arguing the same way, and inspired the same way. it would be some other vehicle of politics and belief driving humanity's interests.
religion isn't the blame guilty thing, it's people's hearts.
Ingledsva
HEATHEN ALASKAN
We'd probably have cured cancer and most other diseases by now, - from the ancient knowledge in the books they destroyed.
We'd probably be teleporting to planetary colony's in far flung places, with the technical knowledge in the books they destroyed.
We'd probably be farther in Science - as they wouldn't have killed the scientifically minded, that didn't kowtow to the religious views of the day.
We'd probably be way far ahead in the Social spheres, as we would be far less likely to condemn people that are different.
We'd have tons of ancient Pagan temples, and cultures, to enjoy, - as they wouldn't have destroyed them, or built on top of them.
We'd have a real idea of ancient cultures, undisturbed by the horrors of religion, and religious people changing history.
I think it would be a far different world.
*
I'm sure to a primitive person it would seem that way. Wasn't too far back in our history that we thought the earth was the center of the universe.