Whats your personal perception of Religion ?

by thetrueone 59 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • Qcmbr
    Qcmbr

    It would be fascinating to actually create a system that is atheist in foundational ideaology rather than say communist which just happens to also be atheist. I guess that would mean actually having to agree on an atheist set of principles which I don't think have developed much beyond Sam Harris' morality, Hitchen's acid censure, Dawkins science and Randi's skepticism.

    What would such a state be like? Maybe the best way to define religion would be to imagine a system without religion. How religion would be suppressed is another matter, I presume it would need to be by teaching critical thinking and removing all religious privileges. Maybe the following?

    • State would need to offer all people equal rights. Civil partnerships would be available to all. Marriage, as a religious ceremony would be removed from the legal books as having any meaning.
    • No public funds would be spent on god/supernatural believing groups.
    • All religious organisations would need to be registered as business entities for legal and taxation purposes.
    • Laws would be enacted based upon rational morality rather than supposed commandments.
    • All religious works would be found in the libraries fiction section.
    • War would never be fought because it was god's will.
    • Israel would get no financial support.
    • Patriarchalism would likely be removed as would the need for overt feminism.
    • Family structures might become more fluid.
    • There would be fewer taboo subjects areas meaning a less inhibited society and greater cultural diversity.
    • Medicince would advance quickly in such fields as genetic research.
    • Much much lower birth rate.
    • Greater tolerance of ideas and individuals.
  • Ucantnome
    Ucantnome

    Greater tolerance of ideas and individuals

    So you would allow JW's?

  • cofty
  • Ucantnome
    Ucantnome

    Cofty,

    Sorry, where did the r come from

  • Qcmbr
    Qcmbr

    Of course (in my atheist state) - all religions would be allowed - an atheist state just wouldn't privilege any faith. The watchtower would have to pay taxes, would be prosecuted for encouraging suicide, its leaders jailed if they enforce or teach any doctrines that involve family shunning (friend shunning is acceptable.) No churches would be allowed to inherit a persons estate (its family or the state - no battersea dogs home or religion getting money). There would be no clergy privilege and anyone suffering a JC would be able to get independent legal representation.

  • Qcmbr
    Qcmbr

    Religion would suddenly get very tolerant and nice! Oh and they wouldn't be allowed to go door to door, neither would any salespeople for that matter.

  • Ucantnome
    Ucantnome

    So you wouldn't have freedom of religion. JW's couldn't practice their religion as they see fit. It would have to pass the atheistic state board.

    It sounds very authoritarian

  • Bungi Bill
    Bungi Bill

    When I first began a "Bible Study" with the JWs, my father did warn me that, to quote, "Religion is like whisky and beer - you can do without it."

    Unfortunately, I discovered the hard way that he was right!

    Bill

  • Qcmbr
    Qcmbr

    Actually it would need to pass the business standards board - all religions need to be registered as a business to operate legally. If a standard business is not allowed to do it then a religious business is not either. There is no tolerance in my atheist state for behaviour that is rationally immoral, the laws are framed to defend all people from immorality (Sam Harris style morality). The foundation of the state's laws is to promote rational morality. A religion wishing to promulgate immoral behaviour will be in breach of the business and social laws. if needs be its leaders will be put on trial with an option to serve their punishement in a country willing to privilege their religion or to serve their debt to society in a prison factory.

  • Aussie Oz
    Aussie Oz

    That all organized religion be formaly banned world wide.

    People should be allowed to 'believe' in volcano gods, fat farts, golden plates and alien beings

    but keep their mouths shut.

    It just gets in the way of real life and decisions

    oz

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