What do you think of this argument?

Question

1) Religion is evil and should be banned.
2) The First Amendment bars the banning of religion.
3) The First Amendment must be repealed.

Valid or invalid?
Might there be unintended consquences to repealing the First Amendment.

Answer 1

I'm not for banning religion.

I'm for getting people to think and make their own decisions.

I don't think religion has to be evil. I think that people practicing religion can easily use religion for evil... but many of them don't.

Answer 2

You can make a million valid arguements from false propositions.
It is not self-evident that all religion is evil, or that banning is an effective approach to all evil.The 1st amendment also bars the restriction of speech and press. Many would assert that ending free speech and press are in fact goals of extremist religion, so a consequence would be to bring some of the evils for which religion is feared. Bush has already severely damaged the 1st, 4h, 5th and 6th amendments, and may complete the job by 2009, so I'd prefer we ban him first.

Answer 3

I disagree with statement 1.

If you agree with 1 and 2, you needn't accept 3 as is - because the first amendment deals with several things. You wouldn't repeal everything - you would add another amendment that specifically repeals or adjusts the wording of the first amendment with regards to religion.

Answer 4

I'm not for banning any religion, despite the fact that much evil has been done in the name of religion. The founding fathers knew what they were doing when they adopted the Bill of Rights.

Answer 5

1. I agree that religion is evil... at least the Abrahamic death cults of desert monotheism... but I think it would be ill-advised to ban them. Instead, they must be diminished, over time, by education. Of course, our public educational system needs to be overhauled in order to accomplish this... it is presently geared toward creating employees... not critical thinkers. Generally speaking, people who manage to emerge from the public school system with critical thinking skills in place generally achieve those skills in spite of their education... not because of it.

2. Yep

3. Nope... as you say... unintended consequences.

However, I fear that if the Dominionists succeed in their nefarious schemes, that may become a moot point.

Answer 6

Too much religion/ not enough religion...are essentially the same thing...like fascism/communism. If the public sentiment swings much further to the right...we're gonna notice that 'all-religion' is just as bad as 'no-religion'. As far as amendments go...shoot, I'll take the Fifth.

Answer 7

The First Amendment is by far the most precious of our rights. We should always be allowed to speak up for what we believe.

Answer 8

1) It is not the religions but the mortal adherents that are evil (in some cases)

2) True.

3) You and Jerry Falwell are in agreement on this, congradulations.

Answer 9

The founding fathers were right to say that no religious expressions should be outlawed. People will believe what they want no matter what. If you try to stop them,then they will get very upset and try to blow you up and such. It is very important that we keep a seperation of governmental functions and religious ones. That is the path to being a terrorist nation.

Answer 10

There will definitely be consequences. You take one groups rights away, who's to stop another from taking yours? Not only would you have to remove Freedom of Religion, but then you would have to attack Freedom of Speech. And I'm betting there aren't many here who would want that one taken away.