Happy Atheist Forum

Is it ok to believe if you do it personally or do you secretly wish for there to be no religion at all. If you had the power what would you chose?

Life would be a lot easier, but really as long as they don't ruin my day with their evangelizing or impositions I don't care one way or another if people want to believe in Jesus or not.

i call your [philosophy the santa clause philosophy, if only they were as harmless

Yeah, that's basically right. It's like Santa. Believe in it if you want, but don't expect me or my kids to believe in it. I'd be a bad parent if I lied to my children.

i dont know about that. it does help imagination.. but at a young agae.. when the world is magical etc. as long as you teach them the reasonung skills to live in the real world as well

Well fantasy and fiction are important, sure, but if I'm reading Harry Potter to my daughter I'm not going to leave gifts from Harry Potter, suggesting that he is real. It's very important that children learn the difference between fantasy and reality.

I'm torn. Sometimes I think it's ok, as long as it isn't imposed on others. In the U.S that definitely isn't the case right now. At other times I realize the religious people I know don't seem to think or question much of anything they're told.

For example voting based on newspaper headlines or the 11 O'clock news sound bites. That affects us all.

Well-I am sure everyone can guess what I voted! I feel religion is forced into everything and down everyone's throats. I am fed up having everyone else's views held in higher regaurd cause they are "bible based".  well-mine are logical and make sence. Who is the winner now?

you know, i hate to admit it, but i think for me anyway, its better that religion exists. Sure it's caused a world of pain...to the world, but, I like to debate. I'm a big debater, I'm not the master debater, but i like to debate, and there are very few subjects that people will debate with such a fiery passion as religion. People rarely get in heated debates about the world benefits of pocket lint or whatever the debate may be about.

I think that religion *should* exist simply because no one should told what they can or cannot believe (as if prohibiting thoughts would somehow make them disappear...).  Would the world be a better place sans religion?  I think it has the potential to be.  If people abandon superstition and make informed decisions, many of the problems we have in America today will become non-issues.

I don't think religion should be illegal or anything like that....but I do think it would be better if the kind of thought which allowed religion to start didn't exist.  I also would not make religion disappear overnight, if I was somehow able, because some people who are use to relying on religion wouldn't know how to operate without that sort of belief.

Anyway, I voted no since I do think the world would be better off if religion never existed; however I don't think it would be good if religion disappeared too quickly....people need to learn how to approach difficult times and thoughts rationally before religion is a thing of the past. (which probably means religion will be around for a long time from now)

I agree, I don't think it should disappear overnight, but kind of fade away, which is what's happening in this country. It seems those who don't follow Christianity anymore are slowly shifting towards atheism. I think that's why you see so few people still in church and more people going kind of the middle line of agnostic, deism, and apatheism. But it's certainly a start.

I don't have any problems with religious beliefs, I have a problem when you try to shove said beliefs down anothers throat. If people who followed religions kept that religion to themselves and didn't try to ram it down peoples throats, I could learn to live with it. However, the way that most religions are today(especially Islam) you only have one 'real' choice which is to convert. Your other options are 1. to be killed, or 2. be continully hounded by an endless stream of christians that always come to your house looking to 'save' you. I still haven't decided which one is worse. :doubt:

not laving presants after reading harry potter is not the same as joinng in a ritual based on the social aspects WILLRAVEL. christmas for example is largly a pagan festival created to celebrate surviving another cold winter at the end of the year. i have no problem in celebrations.. having a good time.. giving gifts.. doesnt mean it has to be strongly faith based in that celebration historic mythological past. i enjoy the olympics.. not becasue i think that zeus is on my shoulder commanding me too.
as for religion... id like to have a free thinking society that uses reason ahead of superstition to make its decisions.

Trying to convince your children that Santa Clause isn't some 18th century saint and is in fact a magical man is dangerous in that it's presenting fiction as reality at a time when children are still learning the difference between the two. I'm not saying we shouldn't celebrate christmas, or that we shouldn't enjoy fiction, but there are responsible limits.

I celebrate christmas. I love listening to Nat King Cole and the smell of holly, and I love giving gifts to all my friends and family.

santa as a mythical being is not a problem if you are teaching your kids to use reason and logic. its a useful exercise if you like in reasoned thinking .. hence all children learn that he doesn t exist. that then is an excellent tool to use when discussing any belief systems with your kid/s

I put yes, but only because I cant read worth-a-shit.

I meant to say no . -1 for yes, +1 for no.

you silly sausage