Would The World be A Better Place With Out Religion?

1. 71

   crazyhorsesghostposted 11 years ago

   Would The World be A Better Place With Out Religion?
   
   I see all the fighting over Jesus and religion and I often wonder if the world wouldn't be a better place with out religion. After all no one has ever proved that God exists have they? What do you think?
   
   

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2. 73

   rumanasaiyedposted 11 years ago

   I don't think that  World could be better place without Religion. Each an every religion teaches  so  many beautiful things like: how to treat our parents, how to behave with elders, not to speak lie, and much more. Without religion we could not judge between right and wrong.
   
   God has given clear signs for His existence.Look at the stars, moon, sun, mountains, tress. Don't you think it could be the creation of some Supreme Being?Refer this link to get proof for the existence of God http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5h6CNhtVls

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      peeplesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      "Without religion we could not judge between right and wrong." You know that's delusional right? When's the last time you ever heard of an atheist terrorist?

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      rumanasaiyedposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Islam  has forbidden Alcohol & Tobacco 1400 years ago. would the people at that era  be knowing that it would be the most harmful among the things?

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      TerryK81posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Really? So when a person murders, it's because they had no religion, right? So what do the child-molesting priests have as an excuse? Um, lack of morals.

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      rumanasaiyedposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Person murders means, he does not follow religion. Simply ,if a  religious person does anything wrong means, he follow the religion for name sake. He does not truly follow the religion. Becoz no religion teaches to harm others.

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      TerryK81posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      without morals we could not judge between right and wrong. morals do not make us do anything but the give us the intelligent conviction of right and wrong.

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      Dan Barfieldposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Very salient point peeples. Having studied Ethics for my philosophy degree I would have to say that there are plenty of well crafted secular Ethical systems of thought. Mill and Bentham's Utilitarianism forms the basis of most political moral choices

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3. 92

   peeplesposted 11 years ago

   Well lets see... No more wars over it, no more with holding human rights because of them, no more wasted money building $5 million dollar buildings on every other street corner, no more wasted dollars on "missionary trips" (nice way of saying going to another place to tell them what they believe is wrong), and more money to go toward real problems of the world. So yeah, I think we'd all be much better off.

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      lone77starposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      But is religion the problem or is ego?
      
      What does religion have to do with political corruption, Bush's lies of WMDs that got us into Iraq, or that led scientists to lie about 9/11?
      
      All of these evils, and more, go back to ego.

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      peeplesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Can religion exist without ego?

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      TerryK81posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      people need to stop blaming "religion" and "law" and do what they know is honestly, morally right. The douchebags that scam people into believing "this" or "that" are ruining for the ones who actually ARE doing the morally correct choices.

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      Dan Barfieldposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I think the broad view makes clear that the tenets of faith are not at fault - but rigid dogmatism and institutional jobsworth attitudes to different or new ideas are. In the end as lone77star implies, the buc stops with the individual's choices.

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      manatita44posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You seem also discerning my brother, lone77star.
      I won't mention these things, but perhaps they help. I do not know. many blessings.

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4. 73

   lone77starposted 11 years ago

   What you're talking about is ego, not religion.
   
   Ego destroys not only religion, but also science, politics, and any other group of human endeavor.
   
   You make me laugh when you say no one has proved God exists.
   
   If you see this universe you live in, you've proved it.
   
   It exists, therefore He IS.
   
   If He wasn't, then this wouldn't either. But the owner of the entire universe doesn't need to be proved. This isn't for His "ego." He doesn't have one.
   
   This is about the humility required for you to wake up as a spiritual being.
   
   I've had a small taste of this "waking up." One evening in 1971, when during spiritual counseling, I found myself floating in mid-air, 12 feet off my body's left shoulder and 15 feet above the ground. I could see every detail, even the cracks of the pink stucco on the outside of the building. I could see the Los Angeles overcast night sky and the near-empty parking lot next door. I could also see the closed gray-blue blinds between me and my body. In those few moments, I had found pure humility and an attitude of service to others -- an attitude that had reached such perfection that ego disappeared and I had rediscovered the light of spiritual "sight." I no longer need any physical method for perception. It took me 41 years to learn the lessons from that brief incident.
   
   If you were to receive proof of God, it would not help Him achieve what He wants for you -- your freedom from the trap we all fell into so long ago. In fact, such proof would feed your ego, which would be counter-productive -- deeper into the trap.
   
   Religion is what saves humanity. Ego is what destroys it. Ego in religion has distorted our view of religion's mission. I hope this helps clarify the real problem.

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      manatita44posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Nice answer, lone star.

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   Austinstarposted 11 years ago

   Without Islam - Women could read, write, drive and be human beings, not chattel.
   Without Catholics - Protestants wouldn't exist, the Inquisition would not have happened, the holy wars in the Middle East would never have occurred.
   Without Christianity - So many children would not be brainwashed into believing that life begins at death, not birth.
   Without religion - there would be no judging of others based on their so-called 'sins'.
   Without religion - there would be no arguments about evolution and science could proceed without constant bickering.
   Without religion - there would be no elitists/terrorists who think they are 'chosen' for some obscure mission to destroy the 'enemies of God'.
   Without religion - the world would realize that all things are equal. We don't have 'dominion' over the earth - that is a religious lie and we are seriously screwing the world over in the name of said 'religions'. God will not fix it, he could not fix us, therefore he is incapable of setting things right.
   Without religion - people wouldn't pray for things, they would actually go out and DO the things that need to be done.
   There are thousands of ways religion is bad. I could go on and on. But the religious people of the world will stubbornly cling to their ancient 'knowledge' and say that we must worship the God who created us. I say, let's quit living in fantasy land and learn to get along with the Earth, its people and our home. Reality is worth a billion times more than legend and myths.

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      jlparkposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Am speechless...in a good way.  So succinctly put, and an interesting way to look at it.  Thanks for sharing. (you have a new fan)

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      TerryK81posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Religion isn't the issue; it's people. Laws are not the problem; it's people. Summary: People created both. Both are self-righteous institutions created by man. Morality is needed. God gave us this. Not His fault when people don't use it.

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      Chris Nealposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      If there wasn't religion, then, you mean that all the people who go out and actually do things in the name of their religion would still go out and do those things, just in  their own name?
      And that's better?

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      jlparkposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      At least they are being honest in their hatred and cruelty rather than hiding behind religion thinking that makes it alright.

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   cjpooja26posted 11 years ago

   Every religion is beautiful but we, humans are made it bad by dominating each other s, what has to change is our thinking.

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      TerryK81posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      what a true, and adorable, answer

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   Brandi Cooperposted 11 years ago

   It isn't religion that causes the problem. Nearly every single religion out there preaches unity, love, acceptance, forgiveness, tolerance, justice, etc. If people actually followed what their religions teach them, the world would be a much better place for it.
   
   It's people who make the world as terrible as it can be. It's greed and domination that ruin the world. If people would be content with what they have instead of clawing and fighting to get what someone else has, then there would be no wars and no fighting. Politics and the lure of power destroy what religion is capable of being, and both of those things are man-made and have no place in religion anyway.

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      rumanasaiyedposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Absolutely agree with you Brandi Cooper

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      TerryK81posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thats gotta be the most beautiful explanation I've read thus far, Ms. Brandi Cooper

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      Dan Barfieldposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      With you 100% there. Right on the money.

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   jlparkposted 11 years ago

   No. It wouldn't be better.  It'd be boring.  Religion is interesting, and each religious has something to teach, and something to learn.
   
   Would the world be a better place if religions could agree to disagree? Yes. Very peaceful indeed.
   Would the world be a better place if the church and state (in all countries) were ACTUALLY seperated? Yes.
   
   But would it be better without religion entirely? No. Difference is what makes the world wonderful.

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9. 61

   TerryK81posted 11 years ago

   The world will NEVER be a better place until Jesus comes and fixes this whole entire mess. It is not religion and it is not the laws of the land; it is we the people who have created the land laws and various religions. Authority figures claim we need new laws and this and that...bullcrap. BULL. CRAP. It's the morality that's went down the hole. How often are new laws made in the hopes of "a better world, a better economy" yet how many people DON'T follow the rules and laws that we ALREADY have?? Laws and Religion do not make people think; People can think for themselves (unless someone has a handicap preventing them). As people, we all have a conscience...hopefully. Therefore, there is, or at least used to be, a voice of "reason and morals" in each and every human being. There are universal morals which are the ones that e-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y knows is just straight up wrong; then there are the ones within certain cultures and societies, educational and medical groups and so forth. People need to quit blaming it on Law and Religion and learn to be responsible, it's just that simple.

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      Austinstarposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Are you waiting for Jesus? Or are you being facetious? I agree, it is bull crap that we need new laws. What we need is the determination to admit we are to blame and get busy cleaning things up ourselves instead of waiting for some 'magic' to happen.

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      manatita44posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Good on ya, Austin Star

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      Dan Barfieldposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I definitely agree that people need to take responsibility... however I can't advocate your opinion that the world will never be a better place until the second coming. That seems like an admission of defeat... we must save ourselves not wait for JC.

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10. 0

    CJ Sledgehammerposted 11 years ago

    People are just as fallible inside religion as they are on the outside. You could just as well ask the question, "Would the world be a better place without atheism?" Pol Pot, Stalin, and Mao murdered over 100 million people in the name of greed and control and religion had nothing to do with it. The USA has a secular government and they are on a killing spree and are pushing for world dominance. So, where does this leave us?

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11. 71

    manatita44posted 11 years ago

    No. It is our Godself that pushes us and it will forever force us to look. We cannot help but praise; or indulge in dogma, rituals and the like.
    All is as it should be. I for one will try to serve, to obey, to do His will. I have no time for the smaller questions. Still, I value them just the same. It is the Master-planner in charge, not me. I seek to know and do my part.

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12. 72

    Dan Barfieldposted 11 years ago

    Hi there - I think for the most part I have to say, I agree with lone77star. The problems caused supposedly by religion have rarely if ever actually had their root in religion. The problems are egoistic. The conflicts are between people - and in most cases if people seek conflict (which they are known to do) then they use whatever handy justification they can. Religion is just one of the easiest sources of justification because it is necessarily couched in vague terms that have many possible interpretations. It is not the religion that is at fault, but the fault of people being intolerant of alternative interpretations of their own beliefs. The very fact that it is possible to interpret something differently, should instill the understanding in the reader of a text that others shall view it differently from themselves. Sadly, intolerance remains rife in the world today. It has improved... but my goodness there is a hell of a ways to go yet.

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       Dan Barfieldposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       just thought I'd drop by again and let any interested parties know I've just published a hub inspired by this question and a couple of the other answers given. I've called it Religion and Conflict: can they be separated?

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13. 62

    boomer19posted 11 years ago

    I wouldn't say that it's religion that's the problem, but the people. If someone is a bad person they are probably going to do bad things whether they are religious or not. But, then again I don't know much. I do know that if you ask a thousand people you're more then likely to get close to a thousand different answers and examples on this subject.

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14. 0

    Gamesjokerposted 11 years ago

    You mean without People World would be a better place
    
    Oh plz..... I CaaaaaaaN't live without my Religion ( I'm a Muslim Girl).. It's Everything for me
    
    I don't know what i would do If I'm not A muslim..... When i feel Bored Or sad i just starting reading from Holy Quran i feel like A new person has born again
    
    And when i feel like im in a misery ...I keep calling God (allah) Then i feel like everything Smiled at me Again :}}
    
    Thank god (allah) for blessing me with a such a loving Religion , Beside that , what would you do without A Book that tells you  what to you must do in this life, otherwise you would feel like aimless and useless  :}
    
    In a conclusion of what i was saying ,human is the reason for Religious conflicts..
    
    Ps : Sorry for my Bad English

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       Gamesjokerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       EDIT ::  (i just start reading from.. )
       (what  you must do in this Life And Why you are Here in this world ..)

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15. 0

    Author Karin K.Hposted 11 years ago

    in one word YES!!!! dating back for thousands of years all wars of this planet have resulted from religion. Your wrong - no your wrong, she was a virgin- no she wasn't....

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16. 59

    Marcus99posted 11 years ago

    We need neither Religion or Science. Both are Arch enemies of each other. How about we do away with Law as well? There! Now, you have a clean slate. Fill in the blanks, folks...

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17. 70

    Darrell Robertsposted 11 years ago

    I love the question.
    
    Religion does not make the world a bad place.  It is the enormous egos that people have that make the world a bad place.  All the true religions teach to love the life of others as you would love your own.  All religions make sure that their followers understand that they should take only what they need to keep body, mind and soul together. All the religions teach that there is a power that we should be serving that is so great that we should live our lives with the cooperative spirit of love so we are all able to be happy.
    
    My friend religion is not the problem.  Lust, Anger, Greed combined with a violent nature and large ego, that is the problem in the world.  Respect for life has dimised, because of the time period that we are in according to scripture.  Lord Sri Krishna speaks about this in the Bhagavad-Gita over 5000 years ago..
    
    Religion when applied properly by qualified faithful people is beautiful. 
    
    I hope this has helped. Have a great day.
    
    Dhira Krishna das.

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    Woodpecker27posted 11 years ago

    As a way to impose moral values upon the masses and make sure that no one is running around killing people religion is a good thing, but the problem comes when people are willing to die for their religion and believe they can do horrible things for the sake of their religion (i.e. Al Qaeda).  One of Confucius's disciples asked him about what he thought happened when we die and he said, "Death! How do you ask of death when you know so little of life?"  If everyone could take a step back and examine religion for what it is, a way to keep most everyone happy, there's no reason we should rid ourselves of it, but we should put things like family, friends, and country before religion in terms of priority.

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    CrescentSkiesposted 11 years ago

    My friend let me answer that question as an Atheist.
    
    I do not believe in god or higher powers or anything like that, but I understand the necessity of it. The number of people who are weak minded and would readily commit harm to others without some sort of guide ordering them not to is quite high in this world. Religion keeps these people in check. I don't need religion to keep me in check because my morals are generally good but I don't want to even try to put some people I know in my position...I don't trust them.
    
    Furthermore, the only difference between religious extremists and other extremists is that one uses religion to justify their actions. If there was no religion the people who are murdering each other in random deity's names would find some other reason to kill each other. Height, skin color, eye color, hair color, size of nasal passages, the exact number of freckles on their left forearm....sad part is you may think the last one funny but all other things being the same people would kill for it.
    
    To the point: I think religion is necessary to control people who are too weak to control themselves. And I also feel that even without religion these murderous extremists would still find a way or reason to keep killing.

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