Would a world without religion be more or less violent?

Answer 1

Well make a list of all the vioent conflict in the last hundred years, or more if you can be bothered, and deduct all the wars that are not linked with religion.
......I think the answers self explanatary really isn't it?

Answer 2

As far as there is life on earth I think there will be violence. If we seperate the animal kingdom and talk only of men, then perhaps if there is only one religion and everybody follows the same religion (not divided into different sects), with a well structured and disciplined organisation which trains faith and obedience and respect and other religious wisdom then perhaps the world will be less violent. Without religion, it will become hell. There are people who need religion to have a conscience. In the state of fear that some superior being is taking account of ur deed, u wll think twice or thrice before taking a step.

Answer 3

I have answered many questions like this before and I am always amazed when I see answers like KitKat's above. How could she possibly know that? It is simply unprovable so it is stated as though she knows it to be a fact.

War's are not about religion and never have been. Religion is used as a tool to rally others to war. Hitler wanted the German people to believe that God sent him on his mission. Many Nazi's had "God is on our side" on their uniforms. All of the warmongers in history talked theirself and their followers into believing that they were right. And they used whatever tools that were available to do that including religion.

If all things were equal, that is, no religions, would many Arabs today hate the US? Of course they would. Because wars are about power and control and little else. Hitler wanted to control the world as did the Japanese during the 1930's and 40's, both thought that some higher power made them superior to all others.

Some Muslims hate the US and Israel , before that they hated each other. The Arab world has had more years of wars then they have had of peace. The Iranians have said numerous times that they wish to control the entire middle east and destroy Israel.
They use their religion to rally their people into believing that is right.

Actually it is the fear of God that has prevented many wars but the human race is what it is and power and control will always be the number one cause of all wars. Our current situation in the middle east isn't about religion, the Muslims that wish to fight, want Israel to not exist. They don't care much about whether the Israeli's are Jews or any other religion. They want power and control of what they consider to be their land and that is all there is to it.

So when so-called Christian nations defend theirselves, then that is for religious reasons, many say, like KitKat. So if the US declared that "we are now an atheist nation" would we then not defend ourselves? Stalin was an atheist, so in whose name did he cause the deaths of millions of his own citizens?

Answer 4

No. Religion isn't want makes ppl violent, fear is. Ppl are afraid that they aren't good enough, and they become jealous of others. Religion is only an extention of someone's beliefs about themselves, and it becomes an "organized" religion, when many ppl share that belief system and then make rules to obey it. Religion in itself isn't evil, it's the heart of the ppl that needs to be changed, and made less violent.

Answer 5

Not all wars are about religion!

Some are about Power.

I don't remember my history lessons very well but to make an example, there was once this big dude named Darth Vader. He worked for his master (who was an emperor of some ancient civilisation). Together they tried to rule the world.

I think some hero sort of guy named Luke (Fairly modern name eh?) stopped them.

You see, religion isn't the cause of all conflict....and wouldn't it be a boring place without religion.

Would we even have got this technologically advanced without religion to fight about? Would people have the same values to life?

Perhaps large scale wars would be somewhat avoided but small time crime would be more widespread.

Answer 6

Religionists are very easy to control, from the moment they are born you give them `faith` in other words you tell them and they believe you, all you have to do is say `god said` and they will do anything for you. Kill, maim, rape and pillage. Anything.
By instilling `faith` in them you have taken away any need for education, knowledge and truth. In fact it is better for your purpose if they know as little as possible about anything outside of that `faith`. Then everything beyond that `faith` becomes an object of derision and hatred, a war waiting to happen.
So as long as we have the blind, uneducated and misinformed populace being led by greedy, power crazed and manipulative governments, we will have wars.
It will be very difficult to eradicate the myth of religion and make the world aware of the truth as it is passed down amongst families as if it were some special knowledge.

Our controllers have done a good job haven`t they ?

Answer 7

Hello,
in principle I think it would be less violent. But that assumes that the values whom preached are lived too. But in reality, religions are misused to anything else as to live in peace and freedom.

Answer 8

As religion was invented and I mean "invented" to enable people to control the masses, if it were removed then something else would have to take it's place, so with or without it I believe the world would be the same as man will always seek to exploit his brother man and violence has been proved to be the best form of intimidation.

Answer 9

Religion has been administratively/politicaly used as a tool to divide mankind and control nations. But, without religion human race would lose directions and go back to cannibalism.

Hence, religion is required. But all radical/extremist religious sentiments are condemmed.

Answer 10

No, becasue ever religion has its diffrences even the same one. Thats why in Iraq they have Sheit Muslims killing Suni, its all just a game. It proves Islam is not a religion of peace becasue even when all there is is Muslims they still kill eachother.

Answer 11

Many wars have been faught over religion. Science which started off as an alternative to religion, has been unable to define human being.

For Religions (most of them) - everything happens by will of God.

For Science - everything happens by matter. Human being and his consciousness is a chance happening. The consciousness emerges as matter becomes more complex.

Both approaches have failed to explain things logically, completely, and unambiguously.

The religions have tried to instill fear of God and incentive of heaven for stemming human-conduct.

Science/Materialism has tried to use fear of State/power and incentive of Greed for stemming human-conduct.

Both approaches have failed - and non-violence stayed as an ideal. People in the absence of alternative kept switching to one approach to other - based on their comfort and situation.

Unless there is an alternative proposed which defines humanity, and human-conduct - there is no use removing religion.