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Do you think religion should be abolished?If yes why , if no why not?

I think that religion didn't cause anything good but only start wars, create gilt , hold science back , repressing women's rights, repress sexual subjects , promotes violence racism sectrianism backwardness discrimination ignorance , violates human rights , opression of homosexuals , bigotry , hatred , extremism , terrorism . But sometimes it helps people cope with their problems. I want to hear your opinions and arguments. Plus excuse my English since it's a second language.

PS : I meant abolish not by forcing but using logic and reason.

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Permalink Reply by Napoleon Bonaparte on November 1, 2012 at 4:39pm

If it wasn't for religion we would not know the term, the 'devils advocate.'

Furthermore, religion has lead to more paid holidays such as Christmas and Easter. I know that it holds science back and causes oppression and war but this does not affect me personally. I was educated by the Marist Brothers, the Christian brothers and the Marx brothers, and only came across two paedophiles. I didn't get tagged.

There are many poor, uneducated peasants who have incorrigible supernatural beliefs and religion institutionalises them and keeps them in their place.

So next time you think about religion think about Joseph Stalin and the position of religion in Russia today.

In the words of Napoleon Bonaparte “Religion is excellent stuff for keeping common people quiet. Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.”

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Permalink Reply by Bridger Smith on November 1, 2012 at 5:41pm

If I could wake up tomorrow and religion never existed I would say yes. I'm a firm believer in Natural Selection, even if that means I'm not selected. In regards to our current situation, If all religion just slowly faded into the abyss I would be ok with that. For it to just be taken away suddenly would cause chaos beyond comprehension. My hopes are that someday everyone can learn to be human without an imaginary friend.

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Permalink Reply by Reeve on November 1, 2012 at 11:01pm

Yes it should be abolished. It's a demonstrable abysmal failure and it's now utterly redundant apart from in the oppression department, possibly.

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Permalink Reply by Steph S. on November 2, 2012 at 9:13am

Good reply Kalliope and I agree with you! We should be free to believe or not to believe. A world without religion would be a better world. That's why we are here to spread the seed of Freethought.

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Permalink Reply by Steph S. on November 2, 2012 at 9:14am

Great discussion Ibrahim! Very thought provoking!

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Permalink Reply by Pat on November 2, 2012 at 9:27am

If you attempt to abolish religion, you engage in the very same thing which the religious do. The prosecution, and persecution, of those who commit "thought crimes." While I would like to see religion go away, I really don't want to live in a society where simply thinking about something is considered an offense against the social order. Take a look at medieval Europe, or the current state of medieval society in the Islamic world. Does anyone really want that, on behalf of atheists, or anyone other world view?

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Permalink Reply by Jim Schultz on November 11, 2012 at 9:08am

Well stated.

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Permalink Reply by Steph S. on November 11, 2012 at 2:24pm

Pat that is well put. I would not want that.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Floden on January 14, 2013 at 10:57pm

I agree with Pat on this.

You cannot be a FreeThinker (Which I prefer as a simili to Atheist) if there is some legal impediment to you expressing non-violently your beliefs.

So long as religious observance is fully optional for all participants and so long as the outward expression of religion does not encroach on the property, person or rights of others then it should be allowed.

There is one particular religion that I know of that does incite followers to violence and to persecution of others. This does raise an interesting problem..

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Permalink Reply by Mathew T. on November 2, 2012 at 12:06pm

Absolutely not - religion should be given up freely. Like Bridger said, if I could wake up tomorrow and it were gone, this would be a profitable outcome, I think, for almost everyone. However, any result gotten by means of coercion doesn't have any merit anyways.

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Permalink Reply by John Aultman on November 2, 2012 at 1:34pm

Yes I would like to see it abolished but not by denying people their right to practice their chosen religion. If we did that then we are no better than the religious fundamentalist who want to impost their religion on us. As much as I oppose religion I support our Constitution.