A world without relgion

[Keithzworld]

I'm sure this topic has been covered at some stage before on this forum, but anyway...

Lets all asume for a moment that there is no God (or any such deity) - Lets aslo asume that the bible and all other religious texts are a complete work of fiction. Lets all asume that we have complete legitimate proof and evidence of this and that the whole concept of existance and evolution is compltly scientifically explained.

Religion has caused alot of pain and suffering; would the world not benifit without it. Would it not lessen the likelyhood of wars between nations. Would it erase the whole consept of homophobia and racial conflict completly. Would this create world pease.

I'd like to hear your thoughts.

[elliebean]

No, we would still have capitalism.  :hide2:

[Tank]

No. We would still have power mad megalomaniac nutters who want to run the planet. You can be sure what when all the theists are gone all the muggings, murders, rapes and molestations will be done by atheists.

[Martin TK]

People will always find something to worship, I believe that sociologically mankind is hardwired for this behavior.

[Tank]

People will always find something to worship, I believe that sociologically mankind is hardwired for this behavior.

I hope not but I fear you may be correct.

[Whitney]

Even without religion we'd still have politics and/or greed driving wars.

[Martin TK]

People will always find something to worship, I believe that sociologically mankind is hardwired for this behavior.

I hope not but I fear you may be correct.

I really believe that the only "cure" for religion is education.  When the inhabitants of this world realize that its survival will strongly depend on educating the masses, only then will the superstition of religion die out.  Martin Luther said it best when he wrote that the single greatest threat to Christianity was education.

[Ivan Tudor C McHock]

People will always find something to worship, I believe that sociologically mankind is hardwired for this behavior.

Hero worship is a phase that children/teenagers/young adults tend to go through. Some come out the other side and grow up. Others fail to fully develop as adults and these are the unfortunates upon whom religion peddlers prey.

[Godlessons]

Religion has caused alot of pain and suffering; would the world not benifit without it. Would it not lessen the likelyhood of wars between nations. Would it erase the whole consept of homophobia and racial conflict completly. Would this create world pease.

Not at all.  There will always be asshats that will do stupid things.  What will happen though is that certain things, such as parents killing their children because they believe God is telling them to do it is much less likely.  Parents not taking their children to the doctor and letting them die or suffer through horrible pain because they believe that God's will is for them not to see doctors, but let him heal them instead won't happen.

There will likely be less instances of homophobia though, since about the only reasoning behind it is religious.  Not to say that there aren't atheists that hate gays, but that's more because they get upset about the ick factor.

[Edward the Theist]

A world where everyone is sure that atheism is true would be then end of human civilization. It would be a world ruled without law, because there would be no reason for law, not law based on social contract, anyway. Slavery would resume, and the weak would be the slaves, but since they would have no hope or stake in society, suicide-resistance would be the name of the game.

Let's see: I am dirt. I work for dirt that happens to have more money than me and can hire people with guns to make me work for them. Why not? I'm only a dirt clod anyway. Hell, even my consciousness is an illusion, but so is theirs. I can breed and give them more slaves, or I can strap a bomb on, grab some guns and ammo and go take out whatever I can. They're only going to work me to death anyway, and then I won't exist anymore. There is no God. I have no reason for being born. I am tortured by my consciousness. And I serve dirt clods who are no better than me.

Seriously, given atheism, how long can you watch YouTube videos of hydrogen bomb explosions without starting to see a sublime beauty in them?

Fortunately, atheism isn't true.

No, even better. You want a world without God? Check out my avatar. When I'm cooking meat on the grill, that little bitch takes it out on the cat until dinner is served. Why? because she can and she feels like it. Thank God for demi-god's like my wife and me who when the cat starts to howl will look over at said avatar that is pinning the cat down to the carpet by its throart and say, "Morticia--stop that." Otherwise the cat would live an Orwellian existence (Imagine a boot stomping on a human face forever; translation: Imagine a dogs jaws pinning your throat to the carpet forever.). That's a world without God.

[Tank]

A world where everyone is sure that atheism is true would be then end of human civilization. It would be a world ruled without law, because there would be no reason for law, not law based on social contract, anyway. Slavery would resume, and the weak would be the slaves, but since they would have no hope or stake in society, suicide-resistance would be the name of the game.

Let's see: I am dirt. I work for dirt that happens to have more money than me and can hire people with guns to make me work for them. Why not? I'm only a dirt clod anyway. Hell, even my consciousness is an illusion, but so is theirs I can breed and give them more slaves, or I can strap a bomb on, grab some guns and ammo and go take out whatever I can. They're only going to work me to death anyway, and then I won't exist anymore. There is no God. I have no reason for being born. I am tortured by my consciousness. And I serve dirt clods who are no better than me.

Seriously, given atheism, how long can you watch YouTube videos of hydrogen bomb explosions without starting to see a sublime beauty in them?

Fortunately, atheism isn't true.

No time to respond ATM I'll get back to this later.

[Cite134]

If people need a supreme being to tell them what is right, or not right then humanity is more sad than I imagined. However, I do not think that a world completely devoid of religion would be a GREAT place to live. We would still have problems, because we are human beings.

[Ivan Tudor C McHock]

A world where everyone is sure that atheism is true would be then end of human civilization. It would be a world ruled without law, because there would be no reason for law, not law based on social contract, anyway. Slavery would resume, and the weak would be the slaves, but since they would have no hope or stake in society, suicide-resistance would be the name of the game.

Let's see: I am dirt. I work for dirt that happens to have more money than me and can hire people with guns to make me work for them. Why not? I'm only a dirt clod anyway. Hell, even my consciousness is an illusion, but so is theirs I can breed and give them more slaves, or I can strap a bomb on, grab some guns and ammo and go take out whatever I can. They're only going to work me to death anyway, and then I won't exist anymore. There is no God. I have no reason for being born. I am tortured by my consciousness. And I serve dirt clods who are no better than me.

Seriously, given atheism, how long can you watch YouTube videos of hydrogen bomb explosions without starting to see a sublime beauty in them?

Fortunately, atheism isn't true.

No, even better. You want a world without God? Check out my avatar. When I'm cooking meat on the grill, that little bitch takes it out on the cat until dinner is served. Why? because she can and she feels like it. Thank God for demi-god's like my wife and me who when the cat starts to howl will look over at said avatar that is pinning the cat down to the carpet by its throart and say, "Morticia--stop that." Otherwise the cat would live an Orwellian existence (Imagine a boot stomping on a human face forever; translation: Imagine a dogs jaws pinning your throat to the carpet forever.). That's a world without God.

You're an hysterical, jabbering fuckwit, edward.

Granted, it's not an expansive reply, but it's as much as your contributions merit.

[Bob T]

A world where everyone is sure that atheism is true would be then end of human civilization. It would be a world ruled without law, because there would be no reason for law, not law based on social contract, anyway. Slavery would resume, and the weak would be the slaves, but since they would have no hope or stake in society, suicide-resistance would be the name of the game.

Let's see: I am dirt. I work for dirt that happens to have more money than me and can hire people with guns to make me work for them. Why not? I'm only a dirt clod anyway. Hell, even my consciousness is an illusion, but so is theirs I can breed and give them more slaves, or I can strap a bomb on, grab some guns and ammo and go take out whatever I can. They're only going to work me to death anyway, and then I won't exist anymore. There is no God. I have no reason for being born. I am tortured by my consciousness. And I serve dirt clods who are no better than me.

Seriously, given atheism, how long can you watch YouTube videos of hydrogen bomb explosions without starting to see a sublime beauty in them?

Fortunately, atheism isn't true.

No, even better. You want a world without God? Check out my avatar. When I'm cooking meat on the grill, that little bitch takes it out on the cat until dinner is served. Why? because she can and she feels like it. Thank God for demi-god's like my wife and me who when the cat starts to howl will look over at said avatar that is pinning the cat down to the carpet by its throart and say, "Morticia--stop that." Otherwise the cat would live an Orwellian existence (Imagine a boot stomping on a human face forever; translation: Imagine a dogs jaws pinning your throat to the carpet forever.). That's a world without God.

The entire implication that people cannot be good without religion is one of the things that really gets me.
I've always found atheists to be as good, if not better than those who embrace religion.
I would much rather do good because it is the right thing to do, not because I'm suppose to do it.



http://chicago.unitedcor.org/

[Businessocks]

A world where everyone is sure that atheism is true would be then end of human civilization. It would be a world ruled without law, because there would be no reason for law, not law based on social contract, anyway. Slavery would resume, and the weak would be the slaves, but since they would have no hope or stake in society, suicide-resistance would be the name of the game.Nature proves time and time again that there are safety in numbers.  The social contract is to keep the group strong for better defenses, more hands to help with work, etc.

Let's see: I am dirt. I work for dirt that happens to have more money than me and can hire people with guns to make me work for them. Um, this is the reality every day with God firmly placed in it. Why not? I'm only a dirt clod anyway. Hell, even my consciousness is an illusion, but so is theirs I can breed and give them more slaves, or I can strap a bomb on, grab some guns and ammo and go take out whatever I can. They're only going to work me to death anyway, and then I won't exist anymore. There is no God. I have no reason for being born. I am tortured by my consciousness. And I serve dirt clods who are no better than me.

Seriously, given atheism, how long can you watch YouTube videos of hydrogen bomb explosions without starting to see a sublime beauty in them?

Fortunately, atheism isn't true.

No, even better. You want a world without God? Check out my avatar. When I'm cooking meat on the grill, that little bitch takes it out on the cat until dinner is served. Why? because she can and she feels like it. Thank God for demi-god's like my wife and me who when the cat starts to howl will look over at said avatar that is pinning the cat down to the carpet by its throart and say, "Morticia--stop that." Otherwise the cat would live an Orwellian existence (Imagine a boot stomping on a human face forever; translation: Imagine a dogs jaws pinning your throat to the carpet forever.). That's a world without God. :hmm:   Slavery existed with religious approval, suicide killings exist with religious approval, violence worship exists with religious approval.  So I'm not following the logic of why these things would come back full force with the absence of religious teachings and institutions?  Religious beliefs have not always led to compassionate, moral behavior.  

Now that being said, I don't think the world would be infinitely better without belief in God.  I think it's two separate discussions actually:  A world without belief in God and world without religion.  I think a world without competing organized religions would indeed lead to fewer conflicts in the world, on a personal and political way.  

But I think a world without any belief or wondering about possibilities beyond our explanation would be a significant shift (maybe for the better, maybe not) in human brain composition.  There's great neuroscience research that suggest we differ from animals in our ability to form images and stories outside of physical existence.  WE are the ultimate creators with our imaginations.  The long-lived quest for "God" is an expression of that human-ness programmed into our brains.  But I disagree it has to lead to worship.  I LOVE imagining and contemplating the possibility of god or gods without the need to worship any manifestation thereof.

Ironically, it's because I believe in evolution that I value what makes us different from other intelligent animals.  I do think that becoming a world full of only fact-based believers would be a dreary, un-human world indeed.  Not because of a lack of god per se, but because of the lack of the imaginative quality that sparks such uniquely human expressions and interactions in the world.

There  are a couple of  great podcasts about the morality centers and imaginative centers in our brain from RadioLab.  If I new how to link here to them, I would.