by ThomasCovenant 8 Replies latest jw friends
I like to think so.
Although much good can come from religious belief, I feel that the bad out weighs the good. And therefore I would rather see it all gone.
If tomorrow, all people with any belief in any religion were removed from earth to meet their maker in the afterlife they so much want, it may be for the best.
How much better atheists would get on would be interesting to see.
Shirley atheists couldn't make a worse job than religionists have.
When it comes to Divide people, make them hate each other without reason , and kill each other .... yes, religions are pretty good at it. Makes me remember the song Imagine by John Lenon
Hmm. Pondering Stalin, Kim, Pol Pot, Mao... Thinking maybe not much better after all. Wondering if maybe it isn't religion that makes us bad, but our nature. Thought: maybe the moral component of our actions, missing in other animals, allows us to see ourselves as fundamentally flawed in some way. There has to be some name for that...
Religion causes a chain reaction: It starts with making judgments of others based on what we are told "God" wants, which leads to feeling "unworthy", which leads to fear, which leads to cruelty and/or violence. Religious dogma/doctrine nourishes the ego rather than the soul.
The genuine human need for order, self-control, social consciousness and a compelling argument for right and wrong must be filled somehow.
Back in Ancient Greece philosophy and religion struggled with the large problems of human society. Philosophy led to logic and science eventually.
Religion primitively bonded (and separated) tribes and nations by ritual observances, shared values and strong incentives (mainly dis-incentives).
Carried to extremes a great amount of destruction can follow any foundational beliefs when they are not subject to debate, discourse or vote.
Having said all that, I now say this. Religion has way too much superstition embedded within it. It is destructive to our intelligence in many ways.
But, very early instruction by our parents, neighbors, schools and society is vitally necessary SO THAT WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
There is too much emphasis on fantasy and too little on facts.
Santa Claus in the sky and the Boogie Man in hell is just silly nonsense unworthy of post enlightenment civilization in a modern world.
Religion paints things BLACK or WHITE.
Friend Or foe.
Where is the middle ground for discussion?
The worst nonsense in Christianity begins and ends with the obscene lie that the Bible is a supernatural and infallible source of absolute Truth.
It isn't.
Until we are able to reason among ourselves using facts and listening and sharing our values stemming from skeptical examination of evidence, we will never prosper as humanity.
AUTHORITY is dangerous.
AUTHORITY based on superstition is extremely dangerous.
AUTHORITY based on no feedback, amendment or debate is DEADLY.
wow prodigal son, nicely said, nice in depth words.
If there were a few billion less believing bullshit . . . there'd be a few billion more looking for real answers.
Religion is not required to have ethical, moral, responsible and good behaviour, even though most people think so. So yes, toss it out of the window, there are no benefits.
I think people, who want to exhibit the worst side of Human nature or people who want to do their best for society will find or create a construct to facilitate their actions. Religion is just one way that has been and is still being used to do this. This is why some people use religion for good and others for bad. Religion is a construct that arose from mythology and is probably here to stay, with the good and bad that attaches itself to it.
