[Lensky1917]

Except for me but I'm like that

That really makes me wonder as to whether you're actually a Libertarian. You take a fairly large communist stance on religion.

[Meistro1]

Actually I am very pro religion - despite being an atheist. I think religion is necessary and beneficial, as it brainwashes the sheep into acting morally. And that, as Marth Stewart would say, is a good thing.

[Lensky1917]

Backpedaling away from any pro-communist leanings that you might have?

[Lupiris]

You know, if it wasn't for religion, my grandma would of never been able to get through losing my grandpa. It was that strong belief that something was up there watching her, and that this man she's known and loved since she was 16 didn't just disappear out of existence but that he's up there waiting for her. And that makes it hard to really say that all religion is bad.

But at the same time faith can be so destructive. What faith is is finding an idea that you think is a good one, and crystallizing it. Making it so all evidence, logic, or any natural form of cognitive thinking isn't able to change it. And when that belief involves opinions on other people like, for example: Gay people are evil, "left wingers" are evil, "right wingers" are evil, people of other religions are evil, people of no religions are evil. Its incredibly destructive to both themselves in being able to function with different people and destructive to the society thats trying to care for all people.

I think the internet will play its part in helping stop that leap of faith, that solidifying of thought, with more information being put out there faster by more people. Its why I love the net, even if you might hit a few ruts with false information or just stupid people.

Really what would help make religion less destructive is society is if people could mature enough to be able to have their belief, share the wisdom and good philosophies of their believes and culture. Without all this b.s. of being offended or trying to "fix" anyone who is of a different faith (or no faith if its what they want).

I'm an agnostic by the way.

[Lensky1917]

You know, if it wasn't for religion, my grandma would of never been able to get through losing my grandpa.

That would be difficult to prove. The majority of people do find something that causes them to rebound. Were it not for the traditions that she grew up around, she might have clung to something a little more tangible.

It was that strong belief that something was up there watching her

Yes, government satellites.

I'm an agnostic by the way.

I suspected as much from reading your post, not ready to make the final leap?

[Lupiris]

That would be difficult to prove. The majority of people do find something that causes them to rebound. Were it not for the traditions that she grew up around, she might have clung to something a little more tangible.

Difficult to prove, true, but in order to try and see her cope without religion would be to go back and time and make her grow up without it. The majority being able to rebound without a strong religion may be true, but I haven't seen it. I've seen a girl who lost her dad who couldn't sleep or eat well for long periods of time and got sent to the mental hospital for cutting herself. I've seen a grown women who lost her husband and went back to acting like a destructive immature teenager getting wasted, partying, and continuous inviting random guys over without knowing or caring if they were safe to take home.

I guess what I'm trying to prove with that, religion, as much as it has the ability to repress mental growth, isn't always as bad as non religious people say it is.

I hear about the guilt people go through trying to get past their religion. People who end up coming out of the closet but feel horrible about themselves because their religion told them they were evil. Women who wanted to learn, show their face, and be independent getting brought down by self guilt and sometimes attacked by other people. I heard a story the other night about a women who escaped a religious compound, about the death threats against her for escaping. I hear about all this and I bloody hate religion. Anything that tells a person that seeking their own truth and going against the grain is wrong. That uses fear and guilt to control people.

But shit isn't so easy as to be able to step in and say "thats wrong, stop", and I think people forget how complicated the situation really is when trying to deal with religious and cultural ideas.

[NoRapture]

We could all embrace one religion, stick to it and make like if there were no more religion. How does my plan sounds?

And that one religion damn well better be Christianity! Or I know just how to make this world a living Hell!

[CessnaAgWagon]

"What can we do to rid the world of religion?"

What would you replace it with -- Marxism? If so, THAT'S a religion.

[Muslim]

Religion is not bad.

For many people, me among them, it is the only deterrent to doing bad things.

[Lensky1917]

it is the only deterrent to doing bad things.

We sensible people have the Justice System.

[Dr House]

What would you replace it with -- Marxism?

How about replacing it with nothing?

-Dr House

[Muslim]

We sensible people have the Justice System.

Not always watching you.

But God is always watching you. And, generally, religion is about idealism, which turns to be the main difference between humans and animals.

[stalker]

For many people, me among them, it is the only deterrent to doing bad things.

The stock atheist challenge to that would be: if the only thing stopping you from committing crime is your belief in a Great Supervisor high above watching your every move and threatning to send you to a place full of fire, brimstone and very sharp tridents if you step out of line, how can you call yourself moral? In particular, more moral than atheists, who don't believe in that threat?

[Zyx]

Hmm, I just had a heated discussion with a bloke and discovered that the stock religions are sexist and homophobic. Nuff said, theists are a pollutant to our nation and are harmful in their paradigm and we atheists ought to conjoin to get rid of them. No sarcasm!

I had originally thought that replacing 'religion' with a more factual account to the world (i.e. no Gods) and relevant stories of moral would be a good thing for atheists to do. Imagine a book of Kumatto . . .

*grinds claws through beard*



^ ^ ^ We, Pofoites, should rid POFO of these religion reminders . . . the devil people.

We should get a Stalin emoticon--not as a substitute for Devil though . . .

[Muslim]

how can you call yourself moral? In particular, more moral than atheists, who don't believe in that threat?

It doesn't matter. I am talking about the results.

[R_G]

I've spent too many hours studying various religions and reading several religious texts to want to have religion simply die out.

It's easier for me to utilize my knowledge to get into higher positions of my work field.

[Salve]

I don't think it's possible to simply 'destroy' religion at this point.

Man has created a beast too powerful to tame.

[Captain Sam]

The only way to get rid of religion, is to get rid of all the stupid people first. Thats not going to happen.

Humans at one point, will all be properly educated. Universal educational system. Where humans are allowed to think freely, without worry of being indoctrinated by their parents, teachers or peers into some religion. It will be a universal, intelligent acknolwedgement that no higher power exists.

Until that happens, we'll just have to sit here and deal with all the jihadists and evangelicals until that day comes.

[Salve]

There seems to be a supposition here that all retards are religious and all intellectuals are atheist. You do find unintelligent atheists and intelligent theists, you know.

[Captain Sam]

Its not very often though.

Don Wood -

Stupid is forever, ignorance can be fixed.