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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While I would prefer that there was no religion in the world ... I do not think anyone should force anyone else out of a religion... try to control what people think, and I think that is wrong to do.
Agreed!
I do think that there will be more "nones", maybe even as many nones as theists.
How about a world where theists are as influential as flat-earthers are now?
Permalink Reply by Alan Perlman on November 14, 2012 at 11:09am I don't think you would find anyone on A/N who doesn't think the world would be better off without religion. I used to think (and still do, to some extent) that the disappearance of religion would accompany economic growth, as in W. Europe and Australia, since religion thrives in the swamp of misery and poverty. But when the richest country in the world is also one of the most religious, we have to think seriously about whether religion will ever go away - maybe it's too deeply tied to something in the human brain.
Permalink Reply by Joan Denoo on November 14, 2012 at 5:25pm Yes, Alan, just think how much time, energy and money was spent trying to keep blacks and women under the boot of the master. All those resources could have been used to empower individuals to flourish and contribute to society.
Permalink Reply by Alan Perlman on November 14, 2012 at 5:33pm Joan...This is religon's hidden cost - the diversion of human energy from productive, peaceful activities and into persecutions, Crusades, and Inquisitions, and of course, the repression of women, which continues to this day. A girl is shot for trying to get an education - I cannot fucking believe it! Truly, humanity has too willingly and for too long thrown itslf on religion's bonfire of hatred.
Permalink Reply by Joan Denoo on November 14, 2012 at 9:08pm When I lived in Texas, I attended several black churches because I love their music and way of chattering with the minister. I was a christian at that time but disillusionment was growing, questions kept popping up for me.
One was why the colored church was so powerful when slave-owners used religion to quiet them and turn them into obedient, submissive slaves. Talking with blacks and reading slave narratives I learned of their attempt to find comfort and solace and strength of character in intolerable conditions.
In Washington, DC I worked in a black community, Valley Green Housing Project, teaching teen age girls how to read. These were teenage girls. Schools were warehouses for children in Washington, DC. They were getting ready to graduate from high school and when I tested them, they did not know how to read. Their energy as they sang, danced and chanted to learn the alphabet and how to read words was an amazing experience. They were much like the young girl, Malala Yousafzai, 11 years old who became the voice for millions of Muslim girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan who wanted to attend school.
Martin Luther King was assassinated April 4, 1968, and riots grew across the nation. I was in Valley Green Housing Project on the day riots started in this neighborhood. It is a day I shall never forget. April 4-8 1968 Washington, DC on fire.
Washington, DC burning 1968
For African-Americans, religion built bonds based on misery, helplessness and hopelessness, and created a way for them to gain strength and self-confidence. For them and through them I can recognize the power of religion. It is also through them I realize the role religion played in keeping them bound to de-facto slavery.
Permalink Reply by James M. Martin on November 14, 2012 at 4:40pm Perish the thought! How might one enjoy watching these fools make asses of themselves?
Permalink Reply by Richard Goscicki on November 15, 2012 at 11:34am James, you must love the line by George Carlin where he says, (paraphrased) when I see some news program showing some calamity or disaster like an overcrowded tenetment bruning down, I grab me a sandwich and a beer, put my feet up on the couch and enjoy the show. It's all entertainment.
I do too.
Permalink Reply by Richard Goscicki on November 15, 2012 at 11:29am Rather than abolish religion, let's bring it up to date, i.e. take it out of the Dark Ages, and develop a religion based on the revelation of science. I believe the new religion would be very humanistic and place humans at the peak of the tree of life. That entails stewardship and responsibility.
In order to do so, humans have to learn to live in harmony with the Earth that gave rise to us. In order to do that we have to stabilize population growth.
The pre-agricultural mankind is the key to our nature, I believe. As a futurist I envisioned a baby being born in Futureworld, (my word, see Mirror Reversal “Look Inside” on Amazon) where everyone in the village awaits the new arrival with eager anticipation. Compare that scenario to todays where unwanted babies are the cause of much suffering and misery.
A new religion could do that for us. A new religion based on science could make it happen.
Permalink Reply by Mike Hungerford on November 15, 2012 at 9:37pm
Permalink Reply by juha the stupid on November 16, 2012 at 2:57pm
Permalink Reply by Mike Hungerford on November 16, 2012 at 4:31pm
Permalink Reply by Dr. Allan H. Clark on November 16, 2012 at 6:38pm It's hard to see how this would be accomplished without greatly compromising freedom and driving the practice of religion underground. If everyone had a better understanding of the role religion has played in history, it might continue to recede at a faster pace and human society would have achieved a worthwhile evolution.
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