Would The World Be better Without Religion

Gregg Easterbrook

[Brett66]

I guess when I said "tribalism" I meant we would band together in smaller groups based on familial ties as opposed to religious ones.(A throwback to earliest civilization) I think we would be incapable of forming any significant empires because we would all be separated into our little groups. Large scale warfare probably wouldn't occur in such a society, it would be replaced by numerous small conflicts even more barbaric than large scale warfare. On the whole, the world would be an indescribably brutal and backwards place to live without religion.

[john in missouri]

Religion has lead to violence , but it has also helped to contain it. And looking at societies that actively condoned anti-religious activity in the 20th century,(China, Russia, etc) religion was far less harmful

This has been my precise conclusion as well. To be accurate, it simply depends on the religion or creed.

Creeds that hold genuine peace, good will for all, and respect for life at the core of their teachings ("love others; do unto others as you would have them do unto you") tend to restrain violence and build peaceful society.

Creeds that enshrine violence ("the perfect society will be achieved by a violent revolution which will sweep away the capitalist pigs"; "fight and slay the infidels until OUR religion reigns supreme") "contribute" nothing to society but terror, violence and hell.

[BMCDA]

(they really just seem mad at God)

They're just as mad at God as some people are at Santa Claus because they are opposed to the tradition of making children believe in him.

[Windshark]

Total garbage.

Organized religion has had some problems, including Christianity.

You include athiest regimes that have been a thousand times more murderous and ugly than the worst times of Christian wrongdoing. Communist regimes including Russia, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, etc. have murdered over one hundred milion of their own citizens for not believing the official dogma. The Catholic Church at the worst of its horrible slide (no excuses...they screwed up) killed less than five thousand during the Inquisition...that's "The Inquisition"...the one that atheists point to as the worst example of intolerance in the known time/space continuum. The Salem witch trials...the other worst example of intolerance (no excuses this was not right) in the space/time continuum killed 18 (some of whom deserved it from what I understand).

Russia killed between 60 and one hundred million

China only about 20 million ...or maybe 30...

the killing fields of Cambodia...only about 2 million.

So please grow up and realize this is an example of straining at gnats and swallowing camels. Good luck with your atheist regimes. Please ask your liberal atheist friends (or even your so-called conservative ones) not to murder or torture you and your family when they gain total power. Like I said...good luck.

BTW Hitler did not have a religious regime either.

[motor_racer]

Religion and faith are fine things. They help people to look to aspects of life larger then themselves. The CHURCH, however, is a different matter. Organized religion long ago co-opted faith for political power. Religion (faith) needs no organization. God would still be here without a pope. There are 2 institutions in the world that carry the blame for virtually all the death and destruction brought by man upon man. They are GOVERNMENT and THE CHURCH. Fundamentally they do not differ. They compete in the end. Shun both.

[Windshark]

If you believe that, read about the French revolution.

Maye you would have done well there.

Robespierre did...for a while.

[PGalt]

The world would be better off without CRIMINALS. Without CRIMINALS we would be living in PARADISE. The problem isn't religion, it's CRIMINALS. CRIMINALS are individuals. Identify the CRIMINAL.

[drstevej]

"Organized religion long ago co-opted faith for political power."

This may well be true for much of organized religion but to make a universal statement is to throw out the baby with the bath water.

I leave you with a favorite quote, "For every problem there is a simple solution... and it is wrong." IMHO your solution is simplistic.

[motor_racer]

Simplistic? How complex was Eden? What demands of organization were made in the first 7 days? Political organizations draw power to individual MEN. Whether they call themselves churches or governments changes nothing. Organized coercion is anthetical to religious principle.

[PrescottBush]

Would the world be better without religion? Uuuuuhh....do bears poop in the woods?

[drstevej]

Do you have a problem with authority? Adam & Eve did. I find that we, as their descendants, want to be autonomous (a law unto ourselves). According to the Bible, which you referenced, both government and the church were instituted by God for man's benefit and were delegated authority by Him.

Authority abused is answerable to God. However, the potential for abuse does not make either institution wrong or useless.

[RobbyS]

Hitler and Stalin stood for a whole without religion, and they killed more men that any religionists ever did, and intended to do so.

[mv1]

I think more than religion it seems to be tribal conflicts over land. That is what Israel and Palestine conflict is about that is also what most of the so-called religious wars seem to be about bottom line.

[RobbyS]

The murders of the Communists and Nazis were impelled by the lust for power. Epicurians believe that the will to power can be control by reason and good taste. They are always surprised when the devils come to get them.

[another cricket]

Oh boy, are you reaching there. Marx btw hated Judaism with a passion. And believe it or not, Germany was one of the best counties to live in if you were Jewish at that time.

If you want to label everything that includes sacrifice as religion you may, but you are wrong.

a.cricket

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

People obey law and restrain their evil out of fear of punishment not generally of religion

Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

But we know that the law [is] good, if a man use it lawfully;

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers

For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust

timothy

AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE WE SHALL PRAISE THE LORD

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

"a focus on the actual numbers will prove my point. "

Ok, I'll spot you 6 million right off the bat for all the people that were killed because of their Jewish faith.