Suspend Disbelief - Grab A Magic Wand -- Poof Away Religion?

[_CaliforniaKid]

I voted keep a few. I think that religion has just as much power to work against tribalism as to be appropriated by it. But some lend themselves to that more than others. I also think that religion can be a beautiful part of human culture and existence. But again, some lend themselves to that more than others. There are certainly quite a few I'd rather do without.

[_Moniker]

All I can say is - AMEN Sister, AMEN!!!

And, by the way, if I hadn't just changed my sig line, I'd adopt this one:

That doesn't change the FACT that we're stuck with human nature that nutballs believe in ridiculous things and like to get together with others that do the same.

Well, that's progress for me! I always get people putting silly quotes of mine in their signature lines! :)

[_Moniker]

I voted keep a few. I think that religion has just as much power to work against tribalism as to be appropriated by it. But some lend themselves to that more than others. I also think that religion can be a beautiful part of human culture and existence. But again, some lend themselves to that more than others. There are certainly quite a few I'd rather do without.

I agree! I was doing some reading over the last few weeks about a denomination and I was sooo overwhelmed with the talk about HUMANITY. That we are joined together regardless of nationality, race, religion, etc... Those sentiments were awe inspiring to me. I am definitely a cherry picker and find some aspects of certain religions quite beautiful.

[_Scottie]

I voted yes, but now that I think about it, I vote no.

Religion does much good in the world.

The bad that happens is caused by an ideal. Ideals can be found in other places. A good megalomaniac will rally the followers under any ideal he can use. Religion is just the easiest one to get people to believe in. If it's God's will, who can argue that? If you can convince the masses that the opposition is "evil", which isn't hard to do using religion, you've got a force.

However, if religion were taken away, we would find these same megalomaniacs using some other ideal to rally people together to kill people that are different than them. Intolerance is in abundance in this world.

So, I say that the good that religion provides in this world outweighs the bad it causes.

I think the real question should be, if you could wave a magic wand and remove intolerance, would you? I think if you could remove that, we would have much peace.

[_Moniker]

I voted yes, but now that I think about it, I vote no.

Religion does much good in the world.

The bad that happens is caused by an ideal. Ideals can be found in other places. A good megalomaniac will rally the followers under any ideal he can use. Religion is just the easiest one to get people to believe in. If it's God's will, who can argue that? If you can convince the masses that the opposition is "evil", which isn't hard to do using religion, you've got a force.

However, if religion were taken away, we would find these same megalomaniacs using some other ideal to rally people together to kill people that are different than them. Intolerance is in abundance in this world.

So, I say that the good that religion provides in this world outweighs the bad it causes.

I think the real question should be, if you could wave a magic wand and remove intolerance, would you? I think if you could remove that, we would have much peace.

I want to wave my magic wand and have us all sing Imagine.

*poof*

You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.... :)

[_Scottie]

My kids and I joke that the one way to make human beings work together would be for us to be attacked by an alien race from outer space.

Didn't that happen on Star Trek: First Contact? When the earth was visited by the Vulcans, suddenly people saw themselves as human beings and united as we never had before?

[_Moniker]

My kids and I joke that the one way to make human beings work together would be for us to be attacked by an alien race from outer space.

Didn't that happen on Star Trek: First Contact? When the earth was visited by the Vulcans, suddenly people saw themselves as human beings and united as we never had before?

I think that happens in all those alien invasion movies. Or the asteroid movies. Anything that would bring about the destruction of the earth seems to rally people in the movies to embrace humanity and join together. Unfortunately we're aware of instances where our world is being squandered and destroyed by the very inhabitants and there's still the status quo.

Disappointing.

[Guest]

****

You said it all, man.......you said it all.

Actually, I said something about opposition in all things and a hostile alien.

[_Scottie]

****

You said it all, man.......you said it all.

[_Ren]

I think it would be nice to have this option in the poll:

"'Magically' remove the moral / social pressure to believe and not question certain 'truths' - from all religions"

That would be my 'magic wand' wish. I think that if this could 'magically' happen, then all religions will simply become opinions that people can choose, not choose, or cherry pick from as THEY feel comfortable with. Then, I believe most people who decided to stay within the belief system would naturally gravitate towards a 'reasonable' form of belief. Many might only hold to a bare-bones form of belief. Many others will naturally drift into unbelief.
Just as Dawkins did. He had no 'hard time' getting out of religion, and wonders why he sometimes gets letters from people telling them they have been 'convinced' by his books etc., but are afraid to admit it to anybody. Almost certainly the reason Dawkins does not relate to this feeling is because he wasn't raised in a 'fundamentalist' religion...

You can't stop people choosing to believe 'incorrect' things - if that is really what they want to do, or decide to do.
Perfectly intelligent, rational, skeptical, 'critical thinking' people can sometimes be presented with the same evidence and walk away from that evidence coming to different conclusions. This is a fact of life. Some of us deal with it.

Others don't - and let this fact drive them nuts.

You cannot get everyone to agree on all aspects on reality - it will never happen. What you can do is let people decide for themselves what they want to believe (I mean really let them - not some half-hearted recital of the phrase 'agency' whilst holding someone 'hostage' to their belief with the threats of hell, being outcast, being a 'heathen', de facto moral degradation etc.)
You can do that, and work towards a fair society where - no matter WHAT you may happen to believe - you aren't allowed to unreasonably impinge upon the freedom of others - no matter WHAT the beliefs involved.

My ideal world isn't one where everyone agrees with me. My ideal world is one where we are all allowed to reasonably disagree.