Is there a place for organized religion in the modern world?

Question

I just finished a book by Sam Harris entitled "The End of Faith". Great book, and I encourage anyone with an open mind to check it out. The theory he poses is this:

If we don't do away with organized religion in modern society, it will inevitably be the end of us. Organized religion appears to be on the forefront of many of the major conflicts in the world right now, and ancient esoteric views don't seem to lend themselves to paradigm shifts very readily. In short, we're never all going to "just get along" unless we abandon these outdated worldviews.

I guess another way of putting it would be, if there were no Christians and Muslims, would we be fighting a "War on Terror"? What we appear to be fighting is a war on Islam, and they in turn a war on Christianity. The Islamic texts refer to any non-Muslim as an "Enemy of God", and a basic tennet of Islam is that the word of God (Allah) is supreme and to be taken as law. Thoughts?

Answer 1

I have also read that book, and enjoyed it very much as well.

I say in the long run Harris is right, but I don't believe the band-aid approach (ripping religion away all at once) would be a net benefit for the world (not, of course, possible).

It will take a slow and steady decline in religious beliefs and the rise of secularism and humanism for this world to improve. Unforunately, in the US we are about 40 years behind Europe in this rise of reason.

Answer 2

Mankind will always have disagreements. Those will lead to fights and wars. Religion is just the rallying cry to motivate the troops.

What we really need is a worldwide school system where all children can study the differences between all other children in the world, learn why they believe differently, learn the difference between right and wrong and in turn, raise good children of their own. Then maybe in a few generations, we could all get along.

But as long as there are greedy politicians, there will be war, regardless what religion they are.

Answer 3

There'd still be war, including that one. There is more to the war on terror than religion, more to terrorism than religion *in fact not all terrorism is religious and it is very wrong to look at it as so). Religion in itself never causes war, but only when combined with other factors. Every religious war would then be exposed as it is: wars about land, resources, economics, power, history, and need. Terrorism would remain what it is, with different reasons behind it.

In my opinion things would become worse because just as there are many people doing bad things in the name of religion there are many more doing good. To take away the organized religions would mean removing this desire for good because this is what they developed out of.

Answer 4

Thanks for the book recommendation. Sounds like it's along the lines of how I've been looking at religion lately.

"Belief is the end of knowledge." Can't remember who said that, but clearly we see it played out on the world stage all the time.

Religion may have been a useful tool for developing societies, but now religion is holding humanity back from being truly enlightened. It proports to know answers that it does not, and it denies the wisdom inherent in the individual human heart.

Answer 5

Very well put. Honestly religion is clearly a destructive force in our modern world, not only due to conflicts but the stifiling of progress and knowledge as well. You would think a country like America, with all of its resources and freedoms would be far less influenced by ancient dogma.

It's a sad shame really.

Answer 6

I agree. I appreciate ur info. Organized Religion is made by man and is heading for destruction unless people wake up and search for peace and unity.


Vij

Answer 7

The fact that there are thousands of organised religions around today and more people joining them every day, I think that says "yes"

Answer 8

I plan on reading that. Thanks for the recommendation, I totally agree.

Answer 9

yes . it is called church