I have been wondering if people who have no religion are better than people with religion?

Question

Say no one believed in a higher power and that all people were equal and struggleing to survive. Would the world be a better place? I mean doesn't the religions foster hate for people who isn't in their religion. In India they even have untouchables? how cruel is that? Say we eliminate all religion wouldn't that get rid of the reasons for war?

Answer 1

That's a great idea and then take all this money that is in these big religious organizations and TV evangelists and actually do some good with all that money.
I mean really feed the poor and starving and sell these multimillion dollar mansions and fleets of jets these rich religious leaders have from muslim clerics to the pope mobile. That that money and actually help someone with it.

Answer 2

Considering how people are constantly at war I doubt eliminating religion will help. All wars are based on economics its not about what others believe. Do you think any one really cared what the people in Middle East hold dear? We all just want oil that's why we are there. That was the whole motive behind Colonization. At least religion keeps people from doing things that other wise would do with out control. The concept of a higher power deters people from committing certain acts. Religion does bring structure to the society which other wise would be lacking.

Answer 3

God causes the rain to fall on both the wicked and the righteous. Thus, the atheist enjoys the benefits of God's love to a certain degree as well as the believer.

This question centers on one thing; how do we determine what is the "right" or "moral" thing to do? Without a transcendant source of good, there could not be any "right" or "wrong", it would all be a matter of opinion and personal tastes. You could no more say killing is immoral than you could say that scratching an itcy back is immoral.

Would the elimination of religion eliminate war? Define war. War is "politics by other means". In societies that do not have religion you still have war, violence, and mass murder (Communist China, the Cambodian Killing Fields, the ethnic cleansing in Yugoslavia and Africa, etc). The excuses for war would be reduced, but not the severity, brutality, or pervasiveness.

Do religions foster hatred? Some do. Some also teach that we should love those that hate us and repay evil with good. If those that claim to be adherants to a faith break that faiths central precepts, is it the fault of religion or of the individual who choses not to live by the standard they claim to? I would hold tha tit is the individuals fault.

As for the untouchables in India, remember that the situation there is just as much cultural as religious. Ghandi, a fundimentalist Hindu, tried to break the caste system by encouraging his followers to clean their own toilets.

Answer 4

Religion is a endless topic, be it people saying which is better or right. Tho i find that just living life the way you want and having fun while you do it. Is all you really need. If there's something in this life you see. Can't live without. Be it a religion or living in the moment.
Take it. And if what you try to gain, is hard to get and you quit then it was something small. Motivation is What makes you hop up outta that chair. So the real question would be? what do you want outta life. Second how do i get it? It's not easy knowing what you truly want. And knowing yourself well enough to know it's not something false like buying items to fill a void in your life. What you want outta life is what you will get. /go with the wind/ thinking about only bad stuff in your life. It's your choice. Now what makes you hop up outta that chair?
Women.. man... the stars..... video games.. tenis ?

Answer 5

I don't believe that eliminating religion would prevent all war forever. There are always going to be reasons to go to war -- power and greed probably being the top two.

However, we'd probably have a much more peaceful society in general. After all, religion probably divides people more than anything else.

Answer 6

I think the world would be a better place without religion. Spirituality is different. Religion isn't required.

What would make the world a better place is for everyone to love one another and help to ensure that everyone is cared for. There is so much money wasted on religion. If all that money were used to better the life of those who suffer, the world would be attuned to the true nature of God.

Answer 7

It really depends, in my opinion. Some people would be better off without religion, and others would be worse off.

On one hand, some 'religious' people (and I use that term loosely) hide their irrational hatred of others behind some faith, so they can justify it in their heads. Perhaps without that justification they would be able to see that their anger has no basis.

On the other hand, religion can have a huge hand in making people not hurt each other. If we truly believe that we are all Children of God, then we have one hell of a reason to respect the lives of everyone. Without that belief that life is sacred, a person can more easily justify destroying another life.

Answer 8

Not necessarily. Not all religions foster hatred. Some are actually quite open and inclusive, not to mention highly pacifistic. Many religious people are kind and moral individuals. So are many non-believers. However, there are also spiteful people in both groupings. If all religion were removed, people would soon find something else to bicker about.

Answer 9

No I think some people need a religion. It helps them cope with trials and hard time in life. Religion isnt for everyone and sadly some do seem to produce extremist... almost every religion is guilty of that. It would be impossible to eliminate all religion you cant take away a persons beliefs.

Answer 10

Even without religion you would still have caste and class systems and different political regimes and ideologies.. There would be hatred for people no matter what the world did. It is human nature to be envious and jealous and spiteful. Even though organized religion is the cause of many past and current atrocities alleviating it would not solve world problems.