RE: Religion should be encouraged if it has positive effects on people.What do you think?
December 26, 2016 at 12:26 pm
(December 25, 2016 at 1:53 pm)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: If someone needs religion to not become a murderous rapist, by all means I want them to continue believing.
This. Religion is a tool. Its a way to keep large groups of ignorant people in line. I don't really believe that we would see the murder rate increase by a factor of ten if religion went away tomorrow. But I do believe murder and violent crime would increase without religion.
And its not just the murder rate that would change. Take a look at how many people want to persecute and/or target those who are gay and use their religion to justify it. These are people who NEED someone to hate. Now take away their religion. It doesn't take away their need to hate. Instead you take away the need for them to justify their hate with an ancient book. IOW you give them free rein to aim their hate at anyone they disagree with. Religion is a tool and the last thing we want is a society without it. At least in the US.
Now if you carefully and skillfully change the culture over several hundred generations? Then maybe things would be better without religion. But these mother fuckers we're living with today? Trust me, you want them staying on the jesus train because the alternative would suck for everyone.
