A world with no religion

[Dan Den]

Imagine a world without religion

So I was looking around today when I came across this picture, then it got me thinking. How would our world be like if there was no religion of any sort. Discuss.

I'll post my views as we go along.

[† TheChaosLegion]

People would have one less reason to kill each other?

Well, it's hard to say exactly what the world would be like if people didn't feel the need to have an over reaching explanation for all the things we don't understand about the world. Some might say that without a god/religion we would just all be heartless communist nazis that eat babies and kick puppies for fun, but I don't think that's true at all from my own experience with people.

I would like to believe the world would be a better place without it, but it probably wouldn't be because of how human nature is in the first place. We are going to disagree about shit, and when that happens violence follows.

[Dan Den]

People would have one less reason to kill each other?

Well, it's hard to say exactly what the world would be like if people didn't feel the need to have an over reaching explanation for all the things we don't understand about the world. Some might say that without a god/religion we would just all be heartless communist nazis that eat babies and kick puppies for fun, but I don't think that's true at all from my own experience with people.

I would like to believe the world would be a better place without it, but it probably wouldn't be because of how human nature is in the first place. We are going to disagree about shit, and when that happens violence follows.

Yeah I see your point there, we might not have a reason to fight but eventually we will find one.

But then again if you think about it, nearly every war that has taken part in this world has been some how related to religion so that is sort of the back bone for most wars. But like you said it's in human nature to disagree with one another and eventually someone is wrong and when they still don't agree with you they start conflict to prove they are right regardless of weather they are wrong or right and then were back to square one similar to the problem with religion.

[lemmingllama]

Without religion, it means that we would have faith instead. Its like believing in something but not doing any stupid old rituals and stuff. your beliefs would be yours alone. And the dark ages wouldnt have happened and no crusades so we would be hopelessly overpopulated and a lot more technologically advanced

[shyguysteve]

well if we were to never give a definition for religion then we wouldn't know the difference, unless it was band by the nations.

But really, things will happen if we believe in them or not, the wind blows, the earth rotates and the fish swim. Religion creates differences and dupes people into upholding a standard that was thought up of by another person. This is not true for all religions, but it is for the major ones. Religion is like any other belief it needs a believer to keep it alive.

and well... just because humans are impacted by something doesn't mean everything else is, life moves on.

[Malyssa Rahl]

It would be a world without sin. At least in the context that Religion puts on sin.

There would still be war and hate in the world. In some ways, this would be a happier place, in others, it would be sadder. The good side of religion is that it gives people hope for life beyond death, true or not. The bad side? Every single organized religion preaches hate in one form or another, even as it preaches love and understanding.

[salmun]

religion is a problem sometimes but I doubt its the only reason why this world is the way it is. theirs Gangs, people killing people and stealing from each other. If you ask me I'd say the root of all evil is selfishness, only thinking about yourself, that being the motive of why you do things. let's see, now don't get all crazy, but I'm going to use something from the bible for in example. In the bible it says that Adam and Eve were created by God, that's not the point I'm trying to make. It says that Eve got deceived by a serpent/devil and thus eating the forbidden fruit. Now before that happened it says the world was good while Adam and eve where there. Now my point is that even if Eve or Adam didn't commit a sin eventually someone all's would have done wrong. we all are free to do what we want or believe what we want but, the thing is you have to teach a kid to be good and say thanks. naturally we already do bad from the start, your mom asks you who broke the lamp and you point to your little brother, even though you were the one who did it. we were all born with a sin(call it what you want) nature and its not just because of religion. So yeah, the world would be a different place without religion but I wouldn't call it a better place. Because with free will comes the ability to do what you want, even with rules telling you not to do it. Now those are my views not yours.

[kaoru]

+ The cross would be just a plus sign.

+ The "dark ages" (and they're called dark for a reason) wouldn't have existed.

+ Thousands of witches would've been able to go on with their lives.

+ People wouldn't blow themselves up for mythical orgies.

+ People wouldn't cover a woman's face with a veil and throw rocks at her in a public square.

+ People wouldn't shave their heads to find buda (i rather smoke it, hihi)

+ Hundreds of wars wouldn't have happened.

I could go all night...

Don't get me wrong, I have respect for the ideia of a deity;

But to go from there to think its something human or related to our image is just plain stupid and self-centered, as a kind. The flipside to this is that, the fact that there are many religions also proves that the freedom to do so also exists, and that's a good thing, but unfortunatly, religion is often tied to control, that's when things go wrong. People should believe in what they want, and they should have a chance to fight for them.

[salmun]

what are you calling stupid and self centered exactly, all those bad things that happened because of religion or someone believing in a God would not have happened if we lived in a world without religion. But even if we eliminated religion it would not eliminate War, people would still do bad things and find ways to fight over something the other did or didn't do. the only difference is that the motive would be different, if its not a religious matter then its a political one or something all's entirely, for example the civil war was fought because of states rights and slavery.

[Malyssa Rahl]

You can't say that removing religion from the equation would have eliminated the wars you speak of. People will always find a reason to kill each other. If they aren't doing it to smite the heathens, they might do it for money, for land, for women, maybe it could even be their belief that those other people are planning to attack them, so they attack first to gain the advantage.

[salmun]

You can't say that removing religion from the equation would have eliminated the wars you speak of. People will always find a reason to kill each other. If they aren't doing it to smite the heathens, they might do it for money, for land, for women, maybe it could even be their belief that those other people are planning to attack them, so they attack first to gain the advantage.

exactly the same thing i said =P even if you eliminate religion from the world it wont eliminate war and the other crazy things that happen too.

[kaoru]

what are you calling stupid and self centered exactly, all those bad things that happened because of religion or someone believing in a God would not have happened if we lived in a world without religion. But even if we eliminated religion it would not eliminate War, people would still do bad things and find ways to fight over something the other did or didn't do. the only difference is that the motive would be different, if its not a religious matter then its a political one or something all's entirely, for example the civil war was fought because of states rights and slavery.

I'm calling stupid and self centered the fact the people always have to believe they're more than just animals roaming the earth; do you really think, if there is a god, that he's human? if you do then you're just as brainwashed as all those fanatics that put their entire faith on books and theories written by the hands of men. Nature and time are the only "gods" you'll ever meet; one lets you live, the other one kills you. Everything else is just the product of imagination from feeble-minded individuals, that either enforce it or follow it blindly without question.

And you should read with more attention: i said hundreds of wars would have been avoided, I didn't say wars wouldn't exist entirely. People find other cultural-based excuses to do it. Back then it was religion, today it's oil money.

[Monad-Gnostis]

Now because we are humans, and believe me humans no matter how damn smart they are will always fuck something up, like take religion for example, back then when we seen some other people worshipping in their own way,

we called it Paganism.

Not praying or worshipping god or great spirit or earthmaker, whatever you wanna call it.. if it was different you were either killed, or converted to your own religion.

I dont know much about religion Im not baptized or something like that. lol

[salmun]

Kaoru, I never said anything about God being human or that you said anything about wars wouldn't exist entirely. the fact that I said it wouldn't eliminate war completely doesn't mean that I thought that you said wars wouldn't exist at all. Fact is there will always be people who don't believe in what they can't see and there will always be people who do. I understand, why believe in something you can't see, right? But there are people who do and you saying that you respect that and from there calling it stupid and self centered makes me believe that you should really think before you write so you don't end up contradicting yourself.

[kaoru]

Kaoru, I never said anything about God being human or that you said anything about wars wouldn't exist entirely. the fact that I said it wouldn't eliminate war completely doesn't mean that I thought that you said wars wouldn't exist at all. Fact is there will always be people who don't believe in what they can't see and there will always be people who do. I understand, why believe in something you can't see, right? But there are people who do and you saying that you respect that and from there calling it stupid and self centered makes me believe that you should really think before you write so you don't end up contradicting yourself.

My mother is a very religious person, and that doesn't make me love her any less. I respect every religion the best i can aswell as the freedom to do so, but i also respect my opinion of it, and I won't tone it down just because it might be considered offensive. Yes i think its stupid, down-right moronic. What's interesting about this is, i respect their opinion more than they do mine, but religion ins't exactly known for its open-mindedness so i won't expect any less.

It's called hypocrisy. People who talk to god are considered "religious"; people who say god spoke to them are considered nutcases and are thrown into a mental facility. But again, if people want to believe the world came from magic trees and talking serpents its in their right, just as it is in my right to call them idiots.

[BlackDahlia]

Religion is just a term that puts a shitload of beliefs together. The only way a "world without religion" would be possible is if no one believed in anything. In the context used by the OP though, our world would be no different today. The main "real" change would be a few less words in our vocabulary.

[salmun]

But again, if people want to believe the world came from magic trees and talking serpents its in their right, just as it is in my right to call them idiots.

lol, your insulting something you don't now anything about. is this supposed to be something from the first post I made if so then you really must have misunderstood me. really, I wasn't even talking about God in particular, all I said that I was taking something from the bible to make a point and that being with free will comes the ability to do what you want.

-why so serious? =P

[Max465]

No Christmas? No Thank You!! XD

[† Ferocia Coutura]

Though I want to say that it would be a better place, honestly, it would probably be worse. Religion gives struggling people hope and faith and also, without Christianity, some countries would have no chance because there would be no missionaries.

So though I am not sure what my faith is, I think religion, overall, is a good thing.

[Dan Den]

Though I want to say that it would be a better place, honestly, it would probably be worse. Religion gives struggling people hope and faith and also, without Christianity, some countries would have no chance because there would be no missionaries.

So though I am not sure what my faith is, I think religion, overall, is a good thing.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to disagree with you there (this is a debate after all) it might give people something to fight for but it is also the driving force of most of histories conflicts. I'm not saying that you should stop believing in your faith, but of all the troubles it has brought compared to the good it has done. It is a very huge difference in ratio amongst the two.