Can Religion Be Saved?

[FadingW]

If no gods exist, then the inescapable conclusion is that all the doings of religion are caused by human beings and so human beings are responsible for whatever is justified under the banner of religion.

Therefore as a human institution, is not religion itself subject to correction? It is said that man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath made for man. In the same vein, if it is a dream of humanity for utopia, the perfect society, is it an impossibility to dream of paradise, a perfect religion?

Can religion be improved? Or is it's very nature, blind reliance on questionable authority, self crippling?

If humanity is to survive, it could be argued that religion must be made to serve and uphold the betterment of humanity.

[superstarr]

Religion was an invention of man because of not knowing how to properly explain things. Genesis of the Bible was a story written by men who wanted to explain how things got to be. Of course, people back then didn't have the proper knowledge to correctly describe and understand things, so they had to put out silly explanations. And it's not just for Christianity, it's the same for all other religions. Of course, if people keep believing in that stuff, it will never go away, but it will sooner or later die off because if you look at history,nearly everyone in the planet back then had a religion. But now, about 1.4~ billion are of the non-religious type. Religion can be saved, but sooner or later, they won't be able to keep up with even newer scientific discoveries, which have caused some to turn from religion because of weird ways of keeping up with those discoveries.

[IceSage]

If your question / main point of this post is: Either way, can't religion be improved and changed for the better?

The answer is yes... But why would you even call it a religion after you change anything? Or rather, why would you follow it... or even dismiss the notion of the faith you believe in, but still want to be under the guise of it?

This is like me claiming I'm a Christian right now, at this very moment. You know, the only things that are different is that I don't believe that the god, or any gods exist. And of course, I don't follow the bible because I think most of the things in it are horrid and dangerous... and of course, I don't follow what my fellow Christians do, because I don't believe it's right. I've totally improved Christianity for the better!

...Oh wait, I just pretty much described someone who isn't Christian. So why would I go under the guise of one?

Makes no sense.

Religion can certainly be improved... by getting rid of it completely.

You have to understand... Most people follow a religion not because they choose to, or they think it's right (although some people may believe it is,) but because they honestly BELIEVE that if they stray from it, it would feel wrong, or they'd feel tainted, and evil, and don't want to risk it.

Religion is based on a certain mindset, and fear. Changing an entire religion would feel "wrong" to such a mindset. You'd know that "God" or "Jesus" etc, would be very displeased, and thus, you'll be punished. That's the VERY basis of religion.

Now, of course, don't get me wrong... Religion can be improved in minor ways... and has been, but that's where apologists and the line between "moderate" Christians, and those crazy, insanely strict Westborough Baptist Church nuts come into play. The WBC sticking "true" and literally taking the bible as how it was seen in past times.

[Captain Scarlet]

If no gods exist, then the inescapable conclusion is that all the doings of religion are caused by human beings and so human beings are responsible for whatever is justified under the banner of religion.
Therefore as a human institution, is not religion itself subject to correction? It is said that man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath made for man. In the same vein, if it is a dream of humanity for utopia, the perfect society, is it an impossibility to dream of paradise, a perfect religion?
Can religion be improved? Or is it's very nature, blind reliance on questionable authority, self crippling?
If humanity is to survive, it could be argued that religion must be made to serve and uphold the betterment of humanity.

If you strip religion back, taking away its rituals, history (good, bad and indifferent), its art, its architecture, its philosophy, theology itself. You are left holding nothing but superstition, mysticism and spirituality and reduce it to the level of astrology and crystal healing. If you leave all those things in then you are left with the legacy of man made constructs and some totally inexplicable things. What then should religion do? I don't care, they are problems for religion. But to start with they should stop misleading people about afterlives, gods, what to eat, think, who to sleep with etc. These are all a tyranny of the mind!

[Minimalist]

Man is responsible for most of mankind's problems.