What would the world be like without religion?

Question

think hard on this one

Answer 1

Art and culture definitely would have been much different because you have to remember events such as the Crusades, the Inquisition, various Holy Wars, and the Dark Ages would have never happened. This had a heavy impact on history. Also, the destruction and censorship of great works of art considered to be pornographic and or blasphemous, and the persecution of the artists wouldn’t have happened. Missionaries destroying (converting) cultures wouldn’t have happened. The scientific method wouldn’t have been criminalized nor ancient medical knowledge lost for a millennium. You wouldn’t have had the endemic of Bubonic plague or Syphilis. All things things had an profound effect on the culture.

Many ancient trees would have still been with us and not cut down. There would have been a lot more emphasis on Nature.

As far as the quality of art work itself being effected, if you look at the art done prior to the advent of Christianity in Europe you’ll notice it’s a much more detailed and realistic. Then look at the artwork done after Christianity came into play, it’s primitive, morbid, and degraded. The shift in subject matter from the Classical Age to the Christian Dark Age was stark. The only acceptable works of art were scenes from the Bible or those depicting great 'Christian' events. Art was debased into propaganda – anything not directly relevant to the needs of the Church was ignored.

The vast network of roads, the aqueducts, the heated public baths, indoor plumbing, glass windows and so much else invented by the Greeks and Romans simply fell into disuse when Christianity spread.


Would be much different...

Answer 2

Many would claim that religion causes allot of strife in the world. But look at the children starving in Africa and the such. Christian Children's Fund, Samaritan's Purse even the 700 club are trying desperately to help these people while the rest of the world abandons them to die. Christians try to help people. Buddhists are peaceful, Jewish people too, as well as most Muslims. It's the crazed extremists, the terrorists who cause the strife. Without religion many more people would suffer because Christians and Jews would not believe in Hell, Buddhist would not believe in Karma and there would be no belief of Heaven. Therefore there would be no consequences for what evil we did in life leading to more suffering then ever before.

That's my opinion, sorry it's so long.


one more thing for the guy above me the "Dark Ages" were brought about by the fall of the Roman Empire due to over expansion and constant barbarian raids from the north. It was a time when many cities were burned and knowledge was lost. The Christian monks stored extensive libraries of books and writings in a time of chaos a time when illiteracy ran rampant and the average person could not write his own name, if not for those monks all knowledge up to the dark ages would have been lost and humanity may never had recovered.

Thanks to anyone who took the time to read all this, hope you learned something new ;-)

Answer 3

War would be drastically reduced. Think about the groups and governments that have all killed in the name of God! Religion was man made a long time ago to keep society and moral values in check. It was a way to brainwash people to obey. I think the world would be a lot more peaceful. Every religion thinks their right, as do atheists. Someone is right. My vote there is no supreme being. Good question!

Answer 4

it cannot exist within a race that realizes their mortality.

for this to happen, we could only function on the most basic of levels. we could not have the capacity to grow psychologically, and we would exist only for the pretense of the pleasure principle. our world would be grim and unproductive.

im not saying that religion would grant us wisdom, but rather the fact that as long as we know we are mortal, we can't live our lives uninhibited.

Answer 5

It'd be the same except people would blame things on language, or national herritage, or politics...

You gotta have a scapcoat or is it goat. Well, you gotta have one. You need a Nazi or Commie or an Inperialaist or a Capitalist or Muslim or you can't justifiy your own rightousness.

Answer 6

I don't have to think to hard, the world would be a better place but R&S would be boring!

Answer 7

Hopeless

Answer 8

Total chaos.

Answer 9

a far better place no holy wars no brainwashing on peophile priests no pope a lot better

Answer 10

we would have build a city in Mars by now