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Would we currently be at this point of civilization without religions?
September 19, 2015 at 4:35 pm
I mean, back then people and nations did unite in the name of some religion, which created a bogged down and dumbed down, yet stable pools for us to meddle with science, philosophy, etc, which of course led us to our current point of civilization.
As much as I hate all the persecutions, suffering, and general nonsense that religions have brought. upon people, and truly believe that pure humanism is the way to go, how can we know for sure that without the existence of the current major religions and its contribution in bringing stability in the past, we would be living in a much better, utopian world? Since our current world is the only empirical evidence we can refer to, saying that "If religions hadn't come to existence, our world would be in a much better state right now." pretty much equals to a theist arguing about the existence of their god without a scientifically proven empirical evidence to support it, right?
Thus, can we say that a "successful" religion might have been a utilitarian, humanist genius' grand tool and creation that was made to bring a much-needed stability in the volatile world of the past? One which the creator knew would bring a lot of mishaps, but will eventually bring goods that outweighs the bads?
Maybe they knew that when people are ready and informed enough, they'll eventually let go of the superstitious nonsenses and ditch the insensible bits of religious teachings anyway.
I actually wrote a short blog post about this earlier, what do you guys think?
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RE: Would we currently be at this point of civilization without religions?
September 19, 2015 at 4:52 pm
couldn't resist . . .
"The family that prays together...is brainwashing their children."- Albert Einstein
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RE: Would we currently be at this point of civilization without religions?
September 19, 2015 at 5:04 pm
Well, it contributed much, but I could think of better ways for a creator god to manage affairs.
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RE: Would we currently be at this point of civilization without religions?
September 19, 2015 at 5:26 pm
(September 19, 2015 at 4:35 pm)strawberryBacteria Wrote: "If religions hadn't come to existence, our world would be in a much better state right now." pretty much equals to a theist arguing about the existence of their god without a scientifically proven empirical evidence to support it, right?
Yeah.
I don't think we're going to be at any point in civilization without some form of religion.
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RE: Would we currently be at this point of civilization without religions?
September 19, 2015 at 6:16 pm
(September 19, 2015 at 4:35 pm)strawberryBacteria Wrote: As much as I hate all the persecutions, suffering, and general nonsense that religions have brought. upon people, and truly believe that pure humanism is the way to go, how can we know for sure that without the existence of the current major religions and its contribution in bringing stability in the past, we would be living in a much better, utopian world? My underline.
Time travel, take out the major players as the come up. Come back and see.
Make two sims, one with and one without (I know that this will trip some triggers here). See what happens. Even this is not a sure thing, a guess.
Find a culture with no religion ever (not sure that exists, maybe ask historian Min). Do a comparison. Still a guess.
Being told you're delusional does not necessarily mean you're mental.
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RE: Would we currently be at this point of civilization without religions?
September 19, 2015 at 6:38 pm
(September 19, 2015 at 6:16 pm)mh.brewer Wrote: Time travel, take out the major players as the come up. Come back and see.
"Time travel" is ridiculous.
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RE: Would we currently be at this point of civilization without religions?
September 19, 2015 at 6:40 pm
Quote:I mean, back then people and nations did unite in the name of some religion
When was this supposed to be?
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RE: Would we currently be at this point of civilization without religions?
September 19, 2015 at 7:16 pm
(September 19, 2015 at 6:38 pm)houseofcantor Wrote: (September 19, 2015 at 6:16 pm)mh.brewer Wrote: Time travel, take out the major players as they come up. Come back and see. "Time travel" is ridiculous. Yeah, I agree. Had to through it in as a potential option or it would just come up later.
Being told you're delusional does not necessarily mean you're mental.
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RE: Would we currently be at this point of civilization without religions?
September 19, 2015 at 11:45 pm
(This post was last modified: September 20, 2015 at 12:03 am by strawberryBacteria.)
(September 19, 2015 at 5:04 pm)Parkers Tan Wrote: Well, it contributed much, but I could think of better ways for a creator god to manage affairs.
When I said creator of religion, I meant human, not god 
(September 19, 2015 at 6:40 pm)Minimalist Wrote: Quote:I mean, back then people and nations did unite in the name of some religion
When was this supposed to be?
Whenever a monarch used theism as a base to validate their ruler's rights to rule and the people are buying that? Or even straight-up theocratic nations? I think there are more examples, I just can't think of them right now.
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RE: Would we currently be at this point of civilization without religions?
September 20, 2015 at 12:37 am
new atheists like to say religion throughout the course of history has held us back... but it hasn't. at least not Christianity, which most atheists attack the most.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgESPmh-TxY
I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with senses, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use and by some other means to give us knowledge which we can attain by them.
-Galileo
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