What religion is good for?

[manu1959]

Religion has done a few of these things:

* Condone slavery
* Condone gender inequality (Islam and Hinduism is big on this one)
* Condone intolerance of others belief, which led to killings
* Go against logic, reasoning and practicality, which has proven to work.
* Promote untested theories (Creation, prayers) and beliefs (faith, etc.)

From all the crap I've seen between between the Muslims, Christians, and Jews in North America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Philippines. The Hindus and Muslims in South and East Asia. The Muslims and the Buddhist in China. And the Hindus and Buddhist in Sri Lanka. I think it's safe to say that religion cause more problems than helps.

Yes, religion does a good job of bringing people to a common cause, but is that common cause a beneficial thing? For most of the time, yes, but you can do it without religion.

All in all, we would be better off without it. With reasoning, logic, and common sense, we can achieve all the things that religion can with less drama.

Religion was one of the unifying principles of civilization.

Sadly conflicting civilizations often used religion as the excuse for mayhem.

But then too, now we use economics and or political systems as our excuse for committing mayhem.

Basically there's very little difference between using political or economic principles to rationalize doing evil, than using religion to excuse bad behavior.

This is the thing that I am afraid most younger atheists miss.

Mankind would have (and is now) using other faith based systems (not having to do with GOD but no less faith based) to rationalize their bad behaviors.

And while the intolerant religious are still with us, they are by no means the ONLY villians in the mix.

Or don't you remember back when the greatest perceived threat to the American way of life was a POLITICAL CONCEPT (Communism) having nothing whatever to do with religion?

When somebody tell you they are killing you in the name of their God?

Know that while they're saving your soul (by killing you) they're already thinking about your stuff they're going to steal after you're dead.

What is their real motivation?

MAMMON, not GOD.

You hit the nail on the coffin on this one.

"Know that while they're saving your soul (by killing you) they're already thinking about your stuff they're going to steal after you're dead."

Which is really the true purpose of religion, to feed someone ego about how self-important he/she and to use it as an excuse to take other people's possession.

When people and/or groups fight each other, they say it's for religious reasons, but really, it's for land and resources.

Now I not naive to believe that getting rid of religion will solve humanity, but it sure would be one less crap to deal with. Maybe I should have said this:

"With reasoning, logic, respect for each other[\B], and common sense, we can achieve all the things that religion can with less drama."

As we know, religion has been two-faced about the respect part. It claims to preach about peace, love and tolerance, yet it also preaches that they are the only true way. Quite a contradiction don't you think?

you haven't read one religous tome or taken one class in any of the religions you bash...have you.....yet you are and expert....

let me guess.....university student.....

 

[logical4u]

Religion has done a few of these things:

* Condone slavery
* Condone gender inequality (Islam and Hinduism is big on this one)
* Condone intolerance of others belief, which led to killings
* Go against logic, reasoning and practicality, which has proven to work.
* Promote untested theories (Creation, prayers) and beliefs (faith, etc.)

From all the crap I've seen between between the Muslims, Christians, and Jews in North America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Philippines. The Hindus and Muslims in South and East Asia. The Muslims and the Buddhist in China. And the Hindus and Buddhist in Sri Lanka. I think it's safe to say that religion cause more problems than helps.

Yes, religion does a good job of bringing people to a common cause, but is that common cause a beneficial thing? For most of the time, yes, but you can do it without religion.

All in all, we would be better off without it. With reasoning, logic, and common sense, we can achieve all the things that religion can with less drama.

If you look at societies that abolished religion or the practice, the societies were worse than 'most' of the above: USSR, communist, Cambodia, communist, Cuba, communist.
All wiped religions or forced the churches to teach the government doctrine. All were responsible for the deaths of millions.
I know that is not what you want to hear, but check the facts.

The Lord is none of the above. The problem with some religions is not the faith, but the people in power. A lot of them need to be ousted. That is a problem that comes from not being 'allowed' (or just to lazy) to read religious text for yourself.

The Dali Lama was asked: what religion is the best (as a trap). He replied, the religion that brings you closer to the truth. Not one of his followers, but I thought that was a GREAT answer.