Since most people can be moral and law abiding with or without religion, how necessary is religion?

Question

The Myth of Secular Moral Chaos
Sam Harris
http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?section=library&page=sharris_26_3

Answer 1

Religion is for entertainment purposes. Look at Buddhism. They developed practices for people to better themselves without any recognition of the Divine. Only certain sects pray to Buddha and/or other deities. They simply recognize the vast potential of the human mind and offer methods by which people can develop it and/or attain a state of happiness. Buddha Himself doubted the existence of any gods.

Answer 2

Heh. Of course religion doesn't seem necessary in places like the US and Europe, since the populations of those countries have hundreds of years of Christian tradition influencing even their most secular practices. It may be shameful to admit it, but this secular morality people are always talking about isn't a product of secular thought, it's the product of religious thought, with the religion artificially removed after the fact.

Answer 3

I would have thought that religion is for those who need hope. It is more spiritual at times than restricting or law abiding. There is a moral code of conduct to be followed but those who are generally good people will follow even if they do or do not believe in a religion.

Answer 4

searching love would not ought to attach with, or be branded by a gender determination. As a gay lady i became born this manner and performance a loving existence mate. I gained't even pass to debating "maximum persons" yet genuinely there'll continually be lack of expertise and intolerance, which accessible also stick to to race, colour, nationwide foundation, even faith and politics. As a gay lady I actually have good information for some, and probably no longer such good information for others. we will be round so long because the haters.

Answer 5

I believe the following Scripture answers your question best.

Romans 2
17Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; 18if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

25Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26If those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

28A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God

Pertaining to Salvation

Matthew 19
16Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

18"Which ones?" the man inquired.

Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"

20"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

21Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

26Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Answer 6

Religion brought us the moral law. I guess since America isn't all that publicly religious anymore, it goes to explain the drop in moral values.

Answer 7

Because without organized religion, government agencies would have to work harder to spread their propaganda.


Ex. VP Dick Cheney made an appearance at the NASCAR race yesterday for the sole purpose of pandering to the "religious right" and told them how great and wonderful they are for supporting the war crimes in Iraq.

Answer 8

"Religion" is simply the acknowledgment of God. If there's no God, there aren't any morals. If there's no morality, there can't be any laws to obey (without morality there can be no right or wrong.)

So what you're actually saying is that most people are religious without realizing it.

Answer 9

You take the amount of people who believe in religion, you then take the amount of people that base their life on their beliefs, then you take those who wont give a crap of what they do after they find their religion is fake. You know thats still a very high number.

Answer 10

First thing first, you can NOT be moral apart from the indwelling of God's holy spilrit, we are born with the devils nature, Adam and eve when they sinned that cause us to be born with a nature of satan, compare satan's way in Isa 14:12-15 with that of Jesus' in chapter 53, when God offers and calls THEN you have a choice to ask God and He will change your nature other wise you do NOT have a choice, you are where you were born. free bible lessons www.itiswritten.com talk to me [e-mail] God bless ya.