Quote:
Originally Posted by dknightx
The fact that you dont need religion as a morality base does not discount the fact that is WAS used as the basis for morality for the vast majority of known human history.
And who cares if millions of people were killed in the name of religion. Millions of people were killed for other even more absurd/ridiculous ideas/ideologies. This does not discount the benefit it has had to billions more. (btw, i agree that religion needs to go, but i'm not arrogant enough to suggest it does not currently have a beneficial effect). You'll have an incredibly difficult time providing that religion has been a net negative. If you are able to in a clear and concise way, you will probably be given a publishing deal of some sort, or maybe a professorship somewhere.
Finally, if you think modern society would not collapse if religion (and effectively belief in a God that cares about our morality) was suddenly taken away, you have not talked to many religious people. For them, their religion is pretty much their entire life (social, especially), and im sure youve heard many (dumb) theists say they would turn to a life of crime if their was no God. You should know that they are dumb enough to be serious.
First of all, I care if millions of people are killed in the name of any ideology, and you should too. Just because religion isn't the only one that has led to tragedy doesn't reduce its culpability. I'm not sure how religion historically could be viewed as a net positive, but as I said, we can start competing lists of pros and cons and debate its merits.
I have also never heard anyone say they would abandon morality and go on some kind of shooting rampage if there were no god and I find that notion ludicrous. Do you actually have morons like that in your church? We have a structured society with a system in place to punish people who violate our laws. That wouldn't change. Without a god, they have mo afterlife to ascend to, so I doubt the vast majority of people are going to do something to hasten their death. Any minuscule increase in nutjob killings would be offset 1000 fold be the elimination of religious rivalries.
In modern society, religion is not needed except to keep its followers ignorant and wasting their time praying to an invisible entity and taking mythology as though it were the history of the world, and provide some peace of mind and hope of an afterlife. But, like I said before, if you need the idea of a god watching over you and the promise of eternal life for peace of mind, you have a weak mind.