Let's eliminate religion

[Sea Dangles]

It seems like a simple concept, but I think the planet would be more peaceful. Am I wrong?

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

It seems like a simple concept, but I think the planet would be more peaceful. Am I wrong?

Yes, you are wrong.

There is one religion on this planet that I'm aware of, that is a barrier to peace. I don't see the Amish as a threat to peace on Earth.

[PRBuzz]

OK with me!

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

It seems like a simple concept, but I think the planet would be more peaceful. Am I wrong?

Simplify the concept even further. Lets eliminate free-thinking. Let us make thought uniform. That should pretty much eliminate conflict. Huxley's novel Brave New World would be a fairly good model on how to do it. Although, fortunately, technology has advanced a long way since that book was published. There are probably much more refined, perhaps brutal, ways which could more easily accomplish the goal.

[Nebe]

I banned it from my life when i was 12. its worked great so far !

[basswipe]

Organized religion is the #1 cause of all terror,death and destruction on this planet.

Why is simply believing not enough?

Why do do we need a bunch of silly rules as interpreted by a bunch of fools in costumes reading from highly edited books telling us how we should live?

Screw religion as far as I'm concerned.I'm tired of watching people die over crap at the hands of fanatics who can't even prove what they believe in is real.

[buckman]

Yikes
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[Raider Ronnie]

Religion is a fairy tale.
I'll believe when I see, till then push the collection box in front of someone else.
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[Sea Dangles]

History tells us that most conflict is religious based,so eliminating religion and the need for it seems like a peaceful initiative. Seems like a start at least.
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[scottw]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

History tells us that most conflict is religious based
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got any facts to back that up?

[scottw]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-...b_1400766.html


"History simply does not support the hypothesis that religion is the major cause of conflict. The wars of the ancient world were rarely, if ever, based on religion. These wars were for territorial conquest, to control borders, secure trade routes, or respond to an internal challenge to political authority. In fact, the ancient conquerors, whether Egyptian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, or Roman, openly welcomed the religious beliefs of those they conquered, and often added the new gods to their own pantheon.

Medieval and Renaissance wars were also typically about control and wealth as city-states vied for power, often with the support, but rarely instigation, of the Church. And the Mongol Asian rampage, which is thought to have killed nearly 30 million people, had no religious component whatsoever.

Most modern wars, including the Napoleonic Campaign, the American Revolution, the French Revolution, the American Civil War, World War I, the Russia Revolution, World War II, and the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam, were not religious in nature or cause. While religious groups have been specifically targeted (most notably in World War II), to claim that religion was the cause is to blame the victim and to misunderstand the perpetrators' motives, which were nationalistic and ethnic, not religious.

Similarly, the vast numbers of genocides (those killed in ethic cleanses, purges, etc. that are not connected to a declared war) are not based on religion. It's estimated that over 160 million civilians were killed in genocides in the 20th century alone, with nearly 100 million killed by the Communist states of USSR and China. While some claim that Communism itself is a "state religion" -- because it has an absolute dictator whose word is law and a "holy book" of unchallenged rules -- such a claim simply equates "religion" with the human desire for power, conformance, and control, making any distinctions with other human institutions meaningless."

[basswipe]

Originally Posted by scottw

Similarly, the vast numbers of genocides (those killed in ethic cleanses, purges, etc. that are not connected to a declared war) are not based on religion. It's estimated that over 160 million civilians were killed in genocides in the 20th century alone, with nearly 100 million killed by the Communist states of USSR and China. While some claim that Communism itself is a "state religion" -- because it has an absolute dictator whose word is law and a "holy book" of unchallenged rules -- such a claim simply equates "religion" with the human desire for power, conformance, and control, making any distinctions with other human institutions meaningless."

Sell that #^&#^&#^&#^& to the 2.5 million christian Armenians slaughtered by the islamic Ottoman Turks.You'll get nothing from that sale other than the "Are you out of your mind?" look.

[Nebe]

It's human nature to have an answer for everything and one of the scariest thoughts to face his death. Religion gives you the answers to everything and sometimes it welcome stuff for death will give you greater things than what you might have now.
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[Nebe]

Got a handed to the Rastafarians though...they make some good music
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[basswipe]

Originally Posted by Nebe

Got a handed to the Rastafarians though...they make some good music
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Pastafarians make even better music.

[Sea Dangles]

Originally Posted by scottw

got any facts to back that up?

Are you serious?
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[buckman]

Considering only about 16% of Americans consider themselves nonreligious , I think it would be a tough sell even on your home turf .
Speaking of turf. I'm pretty sure that's what most wars are over
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[fishsmith]

Can the song "Imagine" play while this thread is open. Amen.
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[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by fishsmith

Can the song "Imagine" play while this thread is open. Amen.
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Yes, let's follow the example of the wife beater John Lennon.

You guys know anything about US History? The founding principles of this country were Judeo-Christian principles. They worked spectacularly well. The freedoms guaranteed to us, are guaranteed because we believe those rights are endowed to us by our creator. When the Democrats were enslaving blacks, it was Christians like John Brown who led the abolitionist movement. When the Democrats wanted to make segregation permanent, it was Christians like Martin Luther King and the Kennedys who spoke out against it.

Other than that, religion plays no role in our nation.

[Sea Dangles]

Revisionist history aside we are currently in a pickle across the globe and I am guessing we are not there to spread Christianity. My proposal would save lives in todays world.
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[Nebe]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

Revisionist history aside we are currently in a pickle across the globe and I am guessing we are not there to spread Christianity. My proposal would save lives in todays world.
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you are correct.
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[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

Revisionist history aside we are currently in a pickle across the globe and I am guessing we are not there to spread Christianity. My proposal would save lives in todays world.
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"Revisionist history aside "

Please, educate me. What did I say that was factually incorrect about American history? I am all ears...

"My proposal would save lives in todays world"

You cannot begin to show that eliminating all religion would result in a net gain of lives. For example, President Bush enacted the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief in Africa. Bush will tell you that his faith was the motivation behind that plan. That plan is credited with saving one million lives in Africa.

One specific religion, is probably a net minus in the lives saved/lost column.

If you want to know what happens when religion is eliminated writ large, I refer you to the USSR, North Korea, Communist China, etc.

You said once you were religious, you go to some church. Why on Earth would you go, if religion, in the aggregate, results in the loss of life?

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

Revisionist history aside we are currently in a pickle across the globe and I am guessing we are not there to spread Christianity. My proposal would save lives in todays world.
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OK . . . done. Now that we've eliminated religion, let's eliminate death. Starting now . . . . going once . . . . going twice . . . going thrice . . . done!

All set. Fixed.

[scottw]

Originally Posted by basswipe

Sell that #^&#^&#^&#^& to the 2.5 million christian Armenians slaughtered by the islamic Ottoman Turks.You'll get nothing from that sale other than the "Are you out of your mind?" look.

read the article....your first post sounded like a lunatic fanatical rant ...

[scottw]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

Revisionist history aside we are currently in a pickle across the globe and I am guessing we are not there to spread Christianity. My proposal would save lives in todays world.
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nice facts...pickles

[buckman]

It all comes down to this , do unto others ...

Ridiculing religious people doesn't follow this ...
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[Sea Dangles]

I just feel the benefits would outweigh any potential negatives if this were to happen. What could possibly happen that could be construed as a hazard to this idea? The need for religion should have been eliminated long ago when science explained just how bogus some of the principals of organized religion really are. I do understand this is unlikely and I hope this is not interpreted the wrong way. This forum is constant proof that being religious does not preclude one from being an A whole. I also know plenty of folks here who are more compassionate and generous than those who hide behind a cross.
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[scottw]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

I just feel the benefits would outweigh any potential negatives if this were to happen. What could possibly happen that could be construed as a hazard to this idea? The need for religion should have been eliminated long ago when science explained just how bogus some of the principals of organized religion really are. I do understand this is unlikely and I hope this is not interpreted the wrong way. This forum is constant proof that being religious does not preclude one from being an A whole. I also know plenty of folks here who are more compassionate and generous than those who hide behind a cross.
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I guess this means you have no facts think(or research) back to aetheist dictated societies and tell us what history tell us? is it possible that those who leverage religion for evil means are in fact, aetheist or simply evil, since they are doing everything that their "religion" would direct them not to and the opposite of what is utlimately professed by their "faith"?...would eliminating religion all together reduce evil deeds?...would eliminating religion eliminate the ire that the religious and others have drawn through history from those that used their religion and other things as a weapon against them? it seems to me that evil is pretty indiscriminate but picks the low hanging fruit... for that answer please look back at your historical research .....

do atheists believe in evil?

[Sea Dangles]

I think there are evil people as well as nice people. I just don't feel religion is responsible in either case. Sorry if this offends you.
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[Nebe]

Without religion how could the wolves heard the sheep?
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