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If everyone was atheist
June 20, 2015 at 10:51 pm
(This post was last modified: June 20, 2015 at 10:51 pm by Catholic_Lady.)
Do you think the world would be a better place if everyone was atheist?
Please explain your answer below.
"Of course, everyone will claim they respect someone who tries to speak the truth, but in reality, this is a rare quality. Most respect those who speak truths they agree with, and their respect for the speaking only extends as far as their realm of personal agreement. It is less common, almost to the point of becoming a saintly virtue, that someone truly respects and loves the truth seeker, even when their conclusions differ wildly."
-walsh
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RE: If everyone was atheist
June 20, 2015 at 11:14 pm
It will never happen of course, religions come and go, and mutate, but they never really go away. But as I see it there would be several advantages if religion really died (as opposed to being stamped out):
There would be no religion to hold back science, though I'm sure politics would continue to have a crack at it. There would be one less division between people. Arguments concerning morality would have to stand on their own merits. Other than the social unit of the church itself, which could be replaced with secular groups, I can't see anything of real value being lost.
If religion were ended by force, I think the results would be horrific, because only a very repressive totalitarian government could manage such a thing. Political ideologies can be every bit as destructive as religion.
If there is a god, I want to believe that there is a god. If there is not a god, I want to believe that there is no god.
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RE: If everyone was atheist
June 20, 2015 at 11:16 pm
Imagine all the people, living for today...
How will we know, when the morning comes, we are still human? - 2D
Don't worry, my friend. If this be the end, then so shall it be.
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RE: If everyone was atheist
June 20, 2015 at 11:22 pm
I don't know, but I do know we have had a healthy dose of religion for a long time and have yet to reach a utopia.
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RE: If everyone was atheist
June 20, 2015 at 11:37 pm
(June 20, 2015 at 11:22 pm)Mr.wizard Wrote: I don't know, but I do know we have had a healthy dose of religion for a long time and have yet to reach a utopia.
In the days of religion ruling Europe, there was torture and intolerance. We see the same thing today in some countries ruled by religion. Religion is a great evil. Only deluded fools imagine that the days of the Inquisition were good.
Not all secular societies have been good. But all religious ones have been bad.
"A wise man ... proportions his belief to the evidence."
— David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X, Part I.
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RE: If everyone was atheist
June 20, 2015 at 11:38 pm
(June 20, 2015 at 11:37 pm)Pyrrho Wrote: (June 20, 2015 at 11:22 pm)Mr.wizard Wrote: I don't know, but I do know we have had a healthy dose of religion for a long time and have yet to reach a utopia.
In the days of religion ruling Europe, there was torture and intolerance. We see the same thing today in some countries ruled by religion. Religion is a great evil. Only deluded fools imagine that the days of the Inquisition were good.
Not all secular societies have been good. But all religious ones have been bad.
Just to clarify are you saying religion, in and of itself, as some sort of entity, is "evil?"
"Of course, everyone will claim they respect someone who tries to speak the truth, but in reality, this is a rare quality. Most respect those who speak truths they agree with, and their respect for the speaking only extends as far as their realm of personal agreement. It is less common, almost to the point of becoming a saintly virtue, that someone truly respects and loves the truth seeker, even when their conclusions differ wildly."
-walsh
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RE: If everyone was atheist
June 20, 2015 at 11:56 pm
(June 20, 2015 at 11:38 pm)Catholic_Lady Wrote: Just to clarify are you saying religion, in and of itself, as some sort of entity, is "evil?"
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.
And, what's with the simple poll answers to complex questions?!?
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RE: If everyone was atheist
June 21, 2015 at 12:01 am
(June 20, 2015 at 11:56 pm)SnakeOilWarrior Wrote: (June 20, 2015 at 11:38 pm)Catholic_Lady Wrote: Just to clarify are you saying religion, in and of itself, as some sort of entity, is "evil?"
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.
Quote:And, what's with the simple poll answers to complex questions?!?
You can answer "other" and explain further if you'd like
"Of course, everyone will claim they respect someone who tries to speak the truth, but in reality, this is a rare quality. Most respect those who speak truths they agree with, and their respect for the speaking only extends as far as their realm of personal agreement. It is less common, almost to the point of becoming a saintly virtue, that someone truly respects and loves the truth seeker, even when their conclusions differ wildly."
-walsh
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RE: If everyone was atheist
June 21, 2015 at 12:20 am
There might be less charity and that wouldn't be good but it would be more than offset by:
The removal of the blanket of ignorance which holds back scientific knowledge and retards moral progress
and
The end of religious-based prejudice and intolerance which is probably responsible for a big chunk of the strife in the world.
A lot of that gain would be realized if there were no followers of dogmatic religions rather than no religion at all.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
Albert Einstein
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RE: If everyone was atheist
June 21, 2015 at 12:22 am
(This post was last modified: June 21, 2015 at 12:23 am by Faith No More.)
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.
Even if the open windows of science at first make us shiver after the cozy indoor warmth of traditional humanizing myths, in the end the fresh air brings vigor, and the great spaces have a splendor of their own - Bertrand Russell
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