Forget the spiritual and godly aspects of organized religions. Lets think Christianity and Judaism here though others could be included.
These faiths are an organized and comprehensive way of passing on higher values and ethics and how to behave to younger generations. Meaning your children and grandchildren. They pass on moral codes. This is not a perfect system but is far better than anything atheists can do. Atheists cannot pass on such values. Not so easily.
“These faiths are an organized and comprehensive way of passing on higher values and ethics and how to behave to younger generations. Meaning your children and grandchildren. They pass on moral codes. This is not a perfect system but is far better than anything atheists can do. Atheists cannot pass on such values. Not so easily.”
I agree whole heartedly. The Bible is a compendium of what makes a society work and what the goals of the society should be in moral and ethical senses. It is evident that people have done this since the very beginning of people whether they worshipped God, the earth mother or some smooth stone in a cave.
Religion added emphasis to codes of behavior.
Atheists and moral relativists cannot do that. Hence our present society spirals increasingly out of control as people are encouraged to believe there is no right and wrong and therefore anything can be done without consequence. Their only option is to use laws to enforce their ideas of morality and to place brakes on behavior. So everything they do not like is illegal. As we can see, they are attempting to extend that idea into the realm of thought.
When a society is united behind or under a belief system, such a the Judeo-Christian one, social sanctions work pretty well, though laws are still important.
Just some ill-formed thoughts....