If you had the chance to ban religion would you?

Answer 1

Life is pointless without religion. I don't want to live in a world where there is no diffrence between Mother Teresa and Hitler.

Answer 2

The world would be much better off if there was no such thing as organized religion. Just look at the mess the world is in today, and it's all because of religion. Think about it. All through history, the wars and killings that have taken place, all in the name of religion.
And for what? When we die and move on we all go to the same place anyway. You look back on your life. Learn from it and try to do better next time. It keeps repeating till you get it right.

Answer 3

The belief that there is something beyond "self" is the "salt of the Earth" that keeps civilization civilized.
There is no legal system that can keep people cooperating without some sort of belief that there is something more important than one's own self.
Without that, all you have is un-bridled competition for whatever selfish desire you have to satisfy your immediate needs.
This leads to chaos, anarchy, and societal breakdown.
The notion that everyone should think and do as he pleases because of some "inner good" is mis-guided. Left to themselves, people tend toward the selfish, and without some sort of agreed behavioral norms, people will degenerate to a lowest common denominator. This in fact happens when situations are set up where there are no rules, and no consequences for a lack of cooperation.
Usually, an isolated group of people will set up a set of norms that fit the situation. These norms are the rudiments of religion.
Politics comes later, when people start to try to tilt the situation towards their own favor.
Politics leads to war.

Even the Inquisition was about that, tilting the situation by pulling political strings to get one's way. The Pharisees in Biblical times tried that. Jesus was eventually crucified after political strings were pulled. Politics is the root of evil !!!

Let people believe as they want to believe. Just keep a variety of sources of information available so people can choose!

Answer 4

No, because the main reason to ban something would be if it were hurting a large number of people intentionally and even though in EVERY religion there are people who kill people and/or mane people in the name of their lord & savior it is not religion's fault. Religion gives people a sense of balance or fulfillment in their lives and if you were to ban them from practicing it then you would be unintentionally be killing a part of them. So the banning of religion would be more destructive than helpful.

Answer 5

I would say yes, but I can't imagine how that would even be possible. People create religions unconciously, because we need the peace of mind that comes from knowing our purpose. Whenever we witness a phenomenon we cannot explain, we tend to say that it was caused by supernatural forces. It is not a far leap to say that those forces play an active role in our world, or to say that those forces care about humanity, as a whole or on an individual basis.

Answer 6

No. Banning just makes it stronger, as it is the domain of martyrs. Let it run its course - everything does, eventually. Even back in the sixties, there were those of us who knew that the Soviet Union would collapse under the weight of its own economic failure. Religion as a dominant force will also fall under the weight of its own failures.

Answer 7

I would not ban anything. You can not liberate without oppressing. Freedom of religion is just that. Freedom. Atheist have a rite not to believe. Muslims have a rite even Jehovah Witnesses have a (shiver) rite. People who oppress others can not see past their own noses and they are usually not very happy in their own skin.

Answer 8

As strongly tempted as I would be to ban it, I have to say no. I would, however, force a little education on its adherents.

Edit: whirlingmerc, atheism is NOT a religion.

Answer 9

No. Banning people from believing whatever they will believe is one, impossible, and two, just as bad as being forced to believe something... it would be like the Inquisition- but secularly motivated rather than religiously.

Answer 10

Absolutely not... why deprive someone of their happiness? What I would wish I could do is ban religious extremists... like the person that so strongly believes that murder is wrong they "eliminate" the abortion doctor.