Would mankind be better off without religion today ? A topical debate .

by Finkelstein 70 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Phizzy

  I believe, but cannot prove, that the mind is evolving, and that ideas become accepted, and old ones rejected, when the "collective mind" has evolved so as to be able to accept the new idea.

  Hence , speech came about, then writing and eventually the mind evolved so that we could even grapple with philosophical questions.

  The time had come for the "Golden Rule" to be accepted, so the Christian religion gave impetus to this old idea.

  So, we seem to get a consensus on an idea whose time has come, so we all agree now that Slavery is wrong. (By all I mean the majority, as it is still in use , not all humans agree), we agree that Apartheid and Segregation and Racism are wrong, slowly we are accepting that the former treatment of Gay people is wrong, and so on.

  I think that we are moving in to a time that will see the "collective mind" rejecting myth, legend and fairy stories as a basis for belief. Therefore, "Religion" as we know it will be gone. (Not belief, that will always be with us, I hope, belief is the basis of progress)

  Mankind will be incredibly better off then, religion has been such a brake on human progress, scientifically and morally that once that restraining influence is done away with, the seeds of which we see sprouting now, humans will progress in leaps and bounds.

  Religion did not want to admit a Heliocentric system in which our Earth exists, it still does not want us to use birth control, it wishes to outlaw abortion, stop stem cell research and so on, it wishes to continue the ignorant and immoral treatment of Women and our Gay friends etc etc

  Mankind will look back on our Era, with its benighted religions and its lack of morals i.e going to war etc much as we look back on pre-human times.

  Spiritually and Morally we are at present the equivalent of the first Hominids. When we reach the point of no religion and society has progressed as outlined, we will be the equivalent of Homo Sapiens.

  The "collective mind" has a way to go, but if we do not go with it, if we persist in sticking to the old rubbish, religion and outdated morality etc, we will go the way of the Neanderthals.
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  Low-Key Lysmith

  Very well said, Phizzy.
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  Finkelstein

  I think it was Dawkins who said that religion and its containing beliefs has served its needed purpose but its now time to wash

  the slate clean and a start fresh with the knowledge of what mankind has acquired over the centuries, knowledge of himself together with

  the knowledge of the world we live in.

  Trying to subjugate humanity to moral standards which were created thousands of years ago is repugnantly redundant and morally unjust

  for many.
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  botchtowersociety

  Fundy vs fundy in the battle of the dueling youtubes.
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  SweetBabyCheezits

  In dark ages people are best guided by religion, as in a pitch-black night a blind man is the best guide; he knows the roads and paths better than a man who can see. When daylight comes, however, it is foolish to use blind old men as guides. - Heinrich Heine (borrowed by Hitchens in God is not Great)
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  corpusdei

  The question ultimately boils down to whether or not morality is inseperable from religious belief. While I would state that religion (generally) requires it, morality itself does not require one specific (or, indeed any) form of religionin order to be practiced. Stalin, Polpot and others didn't go to war because they were atheists, they did it because they were dicks.
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  THE GLADIATOR

  Perry "Once you start regulating people's thoughts and affections where do you stop?"

  It is for this reason that I reject the Bible as the work of man, compiled in an attempt to control peoples thoughts and affections.

  Whether mankind would be better of without religion depends on how mankind decides to act towards other people. There is no reason to think much would change.
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  iCeltic

  Yes, absolutely. It's slavery.
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  corpusdei

  

  Religion is the reason I don't have my robot army and flying car right now.
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  LongHairGal

  Finkelstein:

  Of course, I believe people have the right to believe what they wish and some people might think this question is trying enforce a totalitarian regime. However, I don't believe in totalitarian regimes but I am not so sure about organized religion. After looking at the history of religions and the bloodshed they have caused in the world, I cannot help but wonder if the world would be well rid of them.

  Question: What happens when a religion becomes too big for its britches and tries to declare its host country a theocracy? What happens to the people in that country who do NOT believe in that religion??? With all the talk of freedom of religion, what about freedom FROM religion ??