Why do people think religion is still relevant in this day and age?

Question

More people have been killed in the name of religion in the history of civilisation than for any other reason.

Should we do away with all religion?

Answer 1

Personally I can do without religion and frankly I believe the world would be a more spiritual place without it. Many people feel lost in the modern world never really understanding how things actually work. This ignorance makes them reach for an explanation. Since witchcraft and magic are out of fashion they grab hold of religion with both hands leaving someone else to wipe their ***.

Answer 2

There are plenty of reasons for religion, but let me start by saying that religion does an enormous amount of good. 75% of all non governmental aid given to Africa is given by Christian organisations. Newspapers just don't report the good stuff.

Religion creates community, helps people understand where they fit in life, encourages them to be better people and helps then through hard times. It encourages generosity, discipline and selflessness. It brings meaning to life. It thinks about the questions that science will never be able to answer (like what love is, because we all know it's more than chemical reactions).

Religion is not perfect (sometimes I think the best thing that could happen to Christianity would be the sudden disappearance of most Christians) but you normally find the ones giving religion a bad name are few and far between, they are just the ones who get onto TV.

Answer 3

Umm, because it is? Why else would a couple of billion poeple be spending their time looking for answers to questions fundamental to life, like where we came from, where we are going, what's in store wherever we are going and whatnot? Religion gives life a purpose. I don't know what you're thinking about especially with the killings bit. People guide other people to war, not religion. The crusades were sparked by some radical pope who wanted the Holy land for Christians. It doesn't say in the bible that we are obliged to take whatever we want in the name of the religion.

Answer 4

Religion is just an excuse people who crave power over others lives or seek to enrich themselves have used religion to do this. Although communists and despots managed to destroy people with just as much efficiency without using religion. I don't think you can blame these things on religion but only on the evil things that lurk in mankind's hearts. In Russia and China they have tried very hard to do away with religion and these regimes still committed atrocities against mankind. I think you cannot blame religion, wars perpetrated in the name of religion are just an excuse for someone to gain and if religion wasn't the excuse another would have been found.

Answer 5

I think religion is the least important thing in this day & age! It was important some thousand years ago, but humans have become more & more intelligent since then & now all religions are doing is create problems for everybody! On second thoughts maybe not all humans have the same level of intelligence & they still need the support of religions :-)

Answer 6

That doesn't make them right or make religion wrong.

All through the Bible up to the time of God's second coming - Revelation 13, 14 - God always have a people and obviously those people believe the same thing because it's one God with one truth not different variations of the truth. If all these people are God's people with one hope and belief then surely they would worship together - Hebrews 10:25.

If anything it is paramount to find the believers who have the right faith in God's word the Bible and join them.

Answer 7

I think religion and spirituality on a personal scale is very important for people. I can't imagine living in a world where I wasn't allowed to at least delude myself with the hope that peace and love do exists and if we work hard enough, we could reach them fully. If I couldn't believe that, well I'd just get too damn depressed to go on.

However, it is the extreme views of things that I wish were done away with. We don't need these views of world conquering or violence or hatred in the name of any God or religion, because they essentially go against everything 99.9% of the world's religions teach: peace, brotherhood, justice, and love.

Answer 8

Your assertion that "more people have been killed in the name of religion" is likely incorrect. Militant atheists in the 20th century killed perhaps 150 million. I think you have the jump on us, just in terms of numbers.

As for why religion is still relevant: human beings perennially seek truth, beauty, meaning, and virtue. Even atheist human beings. This is why atheism is, sociologically speaking, a religion. Notice how passionate the atheists here are about their belief systems, and about engaging in polemics with their ideological enemies. They care profoundly about these matters of ultimate concern. That, my friend, is religion in a nutshell... so you should ask yourself why, if religion is so irrelevant to you, you're posting and reading in this forum.

Answer 9

Religion is one thing but a spiritual religious life is more peaceful.
Religious wars and killings are often the result of fanatics that are not abiding by their religion.

"Should we do away with all religion?"
If everybody here agrees, how could you do away with it?
It would be impossible. Even in countries that try to control their citizens every move still have large numbers of people practicing in secret.

Answer 10

It has with out a doubt killed more people than any disease,Bomb or than lives it has saved, it would n't be a bad thing it might balance out nature plus the Roman catholic church is the richest organisation in the world(it could cure world hunger). not that christian are they!
Most rules that cause problems are written in religions law,Wife mistreated, Killing under the power of god, there would be less conflict and less to argue about people would just do there own thing not pull you up and have some book to back up there reason to inflict punishment or in site hatred!

Answer 11

I don't think the religion itself is the problem, its the people's interpretation of it. Most interpret their religion in a way many deem to be correct and consequently they fit into different societies and cultures. The problem lies with those who take their religion to the extreme and consequently they interpret their religion in a different way which causes suffering to others.

I don't think we should do away with religion, its extremist sections of religions that is the problem.