If everyone was atheist

[Mister Agenda]

Do you think the world would be a better place if everyone was atheist?

Please explain your answer below.

I couldn't answer. It would really depend on why they became an atheist. State atheism (or theism) is a bad idea. Being an atheist because it was good enough for your grandparents and their grandparents isn't helpful. Everyone being an atheist because they followed the evidence wherever it led and preferred an unpleasant truth to a pleasant lie would be a wonderful, though implausible development.

[Mister Agenda]

Considering the vast amount of suffering perpetuated by religion (and the kathy-lick church is by far the worst offender) I would say calling it a force for evil might be a stretch, but not as big a stretch as calling it a force for good.

 I did not know you guys believed in forces of evil.

You didn't imagine we would consider someone like Dylann Roof part of the forces of evil?

[Mister Agenda]

You can use "evil" as an adjective to describe something without believing in some supernatural force behind it.

I have to say nothing would really change.  Sure, there would be a lot of things for the better, but we're human beings.  We'll be a self-destructive species no matter what people believe in, so we'll find new stuff to wreak havoc with.

Fair enough, thank you for clarifying.

So when you say "religion is evil", what exactly do you think of religion as being? An entity? A philosophy?

I'm just wondering because sometimes people speak of religion here as being some sort of entity in itself. Rather than saying "some people who are religious have done bad things" you say "religion has sometimes done bad things."

Would you be this confused about whether we're confused about the difference between entities and ideologies if we said 'fascism has done some bad things'?

[Mister Agenda]

I chose no because it is impossible, cause without theism there is no a-theism, and secondly, atheism isn't a worldview and isn't something that makes the world better or worse. Religion on the other hand, especially theism as it is presently, is quite dangerous. A skeptic world would be a better world than a theistic world.

To pick a nit, without theism, everyone is an atheist, you just don't need a word for it because it's the default. In a world where everyone is a theist, you wouldn't need a word for 'theist' either, but everyone would still be one.

[Mister Agenda]

Am I allowed to teach my kids Catholicism, as my parents taught me?

You are 'allowed'. I'm not proposing a law.

But teaching your children the conclusion instead of teaching them to think for themselves and give them a CHOICE in matters as personal as faith is, in my humble opinion, the wrong way to go about it.

If it's the truth why do you need to teach your kids about it in order for them to accept it? Religion would diminish significantly if children were not taught to believe.

It would quickly come close to disappearing if children were not taught to believe it. It's easy for an atheist to take the high road and just teach their kids critical thinking skills and expose them to diverse religious education and let them draw their own conclusions. Most kids raised that way will not come to the God conclusion. And at least the few who do didn't have their beliefs dictated to them by an over-authoritative parent.

[Mister Agenda]

I'm all for the removal of institutionalized ignorance.

Does this mean you think religion should be eradicated by the government?

(the soviet union tried that in the 90's. google did the soviet union try to eradicate religion)

I'm going to go out on a limb, and without reading any further, predict that Kev doesn't think that at all. Please don't leave me looking foolish, Kev!

[Mister Agenda]

Does this mean you think religion should be eradicated by the government?

(the soviet union tried that in the 90's. google did the soviet union try to eradicate religion)

No.  How did you ever get that idea?

Thanks, man, that was both reassuring and prompt. :-)

[Homeless Nutter]

Does this mean you think religion should be eradicated by the government?

(the soviet union tried that in the 90's. google did the soviet union try to eradicate religion)

lol
No, it didn't. If you even knew how to use google, you might know, that Soviet Union was formally dissolved in 1991.
But I don't suppose facts matter to you, do they?

[KevinM1]

No.  How did you ever get that idea?

Thanks, man, that was both reassuring and prompt. :-)

Haha, I'm happy to meet my lofty expectations

Did you read my more in depth reply on the previous page?

[Mister Agenda]

Thanks, man, that was both reassuring and prompt. :-)

Haha, I'm happy to meet my lofty expectations

Did you read my more in depth reply on the previous page?

I certainly did, and I'm pretty sure I added kudoes. Well said.