If you could extinguish all religions

[Jersey Girl]

What do you think would happen the first day that religion disappeared? What do you think would happen over time? Do you think it would transform society and in what ways?

Thanks for answering if you're of a mind to.

[Moksha]

I would miss all the nice religious people that I know or have yet to meet. The rest could be raptured and freed from the endless cycle of rebirth.

[canpakes]

What do you think would happen the first day that religion disappeared?

Some folks would pray for its return.

[huckelberry]

I do not think religion is something exterior to people and applied to them instead it is something inside them which seeks some sort of expression. If the past religion disappeared new forms would start forming quickly. Would a religion with no god take shape? I think possibly.

[honorentheos]

What do you think would happen the first day that religion disappeared? What do you think would happen over time? Do you think it would transform society and in what ways?

Thanks for answering if you're of a mind to.

I personally don't think extinguishing religion is possible. Religions are artifacts of culture and serve functions within a culture. I tend to agree with Stephan Prothero's method for seeking to understand a religion by answering the following four questions:

1) What is the problem that the belief system teaches needs resolved?

2) What is the solution the belief system proposes resolves it?

3) What technique should be followed to realize this solution?

4) Who exemplifies the solution/technique and models the way?

The reality is this pattern is not constrained to believers. Sit down and have a one-on-one chat with anyone and, if the circumstances are right, the problems, solutions, techniques and behavior models that person believes in will come up. Atheists aren't exempt.

But to play along with the hypothetical, if there was a Thanos snap that ended religion instantly and prevented it from existing, it would depend on what was left to serve this cultural function. Maybe aliens arrive and instantly disprove the religious traditions of Earth as anything but myth-derived. Ok, aliens become the new source for finding solutions, techniques and behavior models. Or technology. Or whatever.

What I don't see happening is an end to ignorance, conflict, or abuse of power. It would just shift.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

I’m watching the Foundation series - I haven’t read the books, yet - and, without giving anything away, religion is an organic part of the human experience that’ll manifest and be a part of our process until it isn’t. So. Your questions in order of asked:

1) Total barbarism. You know those believers that ask us why wouldn’t we ‘rape and murder’ if we’re not religious? Yeeeeah … they’re going to rape and murder. A lot.

2) Over time? We’d just start the cycle anew and latch onto sun worship, nature worship, deities, maybe monotheism again and so forth. There’ll always be a Joseph Smith or Peter or Muhammed looking to turn a coin instead of turning soil. And there’ll always be someone looking for someone to put their fears at ease or give answers to their questions. Priestcraft arises and formalizes and people like MG spend a life being Boxer to a bunch of Squealers.

3) Society civilizes, in my opinion, somewhat. We make spaceships and robots n’ crap, and then find ways to “F” up other planets.

- Doc

[drumdude]

Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions.

You would have to wipe out humanity to wipe out religion.

[Moksha]

I’m watching the Foundation series - I haven’t read the books, ...

- Doc

It has been over fifty years since I read the first Foundation Trilogy. Never will finish all of the books. Trump is a bit like The Mule in the later books, as an unforeseen and unpredicted force toward chaos.

[Jersey Girl]

I would miss all the nice religious people that I know or have yet to meet. The rest could be raptured and freed from the endless cycle of rebirth.

I was kind of thinking about how some folks say that religion is the reason for so much suffering in the world and the catalyst for war. I don't particularly agree with that but I wanted to see what posters here think about it.

I'll get to all the replies soon. I've been reading and trying to take it all in. Great replies so far!

[ceeboo]

What do you think would happen the first day that religion disappeared?

For the most part, I think it would have an enormously freeing effect on human beings. I think it would remove millions of people from the shackles that they were once bound by. In addition, I think it would significantly decrease the amount of personal guilt and shame that so many people find themselves having to navigate/manage.

What do you think would happen over time?

Initially, the reality of truly being free would have an extremely positive effect on families, relationships, and individual personal peace - As time went on, I think many would be forced to evaluate and measure some of the most important questions that exist - Why are we here? What is the purpose of life? Why is there so much suffering and pain? Etc.

Do you think it would transform society and in what ways?

In some ways, I don't think we need to imagine such a transformation. Much of the West (certainly including America), for example, has spent enormous efforts in an attempt to remove religion - so we can take a look at the results and draw our own conclusions from what we see.

Thanks for answering if you're of a mind to.

You're welcome.