Religion should be encouraged if it has positive effects on people.What do you think?

[ErGingerbreadMandude]

A popular argument atheists (like myself) have against religion is that religion often causes conflict and has been the driving factor of many unnecessary disputes and deaths throughout the human history.

This is true. Religion can cause conflict but what if it doesn't?

A belief in God often motivates people to be moralistic. I've heard people say how less afraid they are in the dark when they feel a powerful protector is right beside them, how more confident they feel, how much more motivated they get when they know a pain free life is waiting for them after their death.

I'm of the opinion that if something like religion can help cultivate inner peace for an individual we should no doubt encourage it. What do you think?

[Jesster]

The thing is, and I'm not at all the first person to point it out, any positive effect that religion can have on people can easily have secular alternatives with no strings attached. While I'm not going to drive people away from their religion (because that's not my job), I'm still in favor of setting up and supporting those alternatives so people don't have to go to religion for help.

[purplepurpose]

The problem is that inner peace in peaceful religion is often only possible if you agree to be a "slave" of a Gods will and abandon your own wishes to avoid promised hell for sinners.

Atheists cannot encourage something that has "burn or server" in it by definition, even if it has a lot of positive aspect.

[The Grand Nudger]

I suppose the trick would be finding something that cultivates inner peace, rather than cultivating pious professions of inner peace bundled with all the other shit.

[downbeatplumb]

Religions even peaceful religions can be misused and set on a destructive path.
But even if it did make the world nice it would be based on a lie, I'd rather have a harsh truth than a lovely lie, except on the subject of how I look in these jeans.

[Aoi Magi]

Religion can offer short-term benefits, but without a basis in reality it does more harm than good.

One might feel comfortable in the dark with a supreme being watching over them, but when they stumble, a flashlight would be lot more helpful.

[Mermaid]

I suppose the trick would be finding something that cultivates inner peace, rather than cultivating pious professions of inner peace bundled with all the other shit.

Like Buddhism. Which isn't exactly a religion, but..

[brewer]

Why do you need a religion to be positive?

[Thumpalumpacus]

If someone needs religion to not become a murderous rapist, by all means I want them to continue believing.

[RozKek]

A popular argument atheists (like myself) have against religion is that religion often causes conflict and has been the driving factor of many unnecessary disputes and deaths throughout the human history.

This is true. Religion can cause conflict but what if it doesn't?

A belief in God often motivates people to be moralistic. I've heard people say how less afraid they are in the dark when they feel a powerful protector is right beside them, how more confident they feel, how much more motivated they get when they know a pain free life is waiting for them after their death.

I'm of the opinion that if something like religion can help cultivate inner peace for an individual we should no doubt encourage it. What do you think?

-my bold-

probably because they believe in jhins and demons hiding in the dark, lol. Personally I'm not fond of believing in bs only because it makes me feel better.