Would it be a good or bad idea to completely ban religion?

Question

I have not formed an opinion on this and would be very interested in hearing what people thought.

Thanks

Sorry can I make it quite clear that I'm not saying that it should be banned.

I don't understand why people have assumed that I want to ban it.
Plus this is not a real life question...it is not going to happen that would be impossible. It just an interest in opinions.

Answer 1

To completely ban religion would cause more genocide and murder than the world has already seen. Why not ban violent religious zealots and religious wars instead?

Answer 2

May I say it has been done successfully in the past. The best example that comes to my mind is that of the Cathars, in 12th century Europe (until around the 15th c.).
It was a rather different christian view of the world (somehow dualistic), egalitarian (men and women were equally granted access to priesthood). It was a major threat to the Papacy and they quickly decided to take action. Stakes in Germany, France.... and a crusade to eradicate the all too complacent Languedocian (southern France) count.
After the military victory, the Church acted freely to chase and kill to the last cathar...The Holy Inquisition was born...
This example showed how on power acted to eradicate a religion, or more exactly, a deviant branch of the official religion (but with its own church and clergy).
Today, the question was raised with the sects... It suppose a strong power, with the ability to make use of violence. Is that a good thing?
15 and 16th century Spain managed to get rid of the Jewish and Muslim population. It is now admitted that the Spanish Golden Age was under the Calif of Granada (Middle Age) when the 3 religions co existed "peacefully"
Most occidental countries accept the principle of freedom of cult. Even the so called communist China must accept it...
Therefore, in the light of History, I would say it is a negative thing to do...

Answer 3

No body on earth can ban a religion by proclamation of a law. So long as we are the souls ( which indeed we are), we will always be itching to know the knowledge of the truth.

It is a different thing altogether, that we have been led to believe in a particular religion which are in practice in the world today. I will suggest that if we are not satisfied by these religions, we should ban them to us. That means that we can ban a religion, but only in our individual capacity.

But this should not turn us into an atheist. 'Truth' will not cease to be just because we think that way. We have to shun that we know, is a mere passtime. We have to embrace one which is universally acceptable.

And once you are in the real religion, you can never think of banning it, for you then will know, what the religion should mean to you and more importantly,why you should always practice it.

Answer 4

As a religious person, I feel the need to tell you that even if they banned religion, that by no means that we would stop. I would continue to share the Gospel, and pray even if that meant the death of me...

We wouldn't just give up because people threatned our lives, which mean so little on an eternal scale.

p.s. I think it would be a bad idea... because this could cause a lot more problems then we have now, for example a couple of people would indeed fight to save the religion and it would cause just so many problems...

Answer 5

This would be a communist thing. You know they didn't like religion either. They banned it and Hitler wasn't a fan either.oK LETS say we do ban religion because yeah it is the start to war. While we are at it lets ban junk food because thats bad. Lets ban music because that is bad for ears. Lets ban guns because someone could shoot someone. Lets ban freewill because we don't want free thinkers.Lets also ban oil because people go to war over that.Lets ban the big bang theory too because you know that could coz a fight with people who don't believe thats how the universe started. OK LETS BAN WHAT PEOPLE WEAR BECAUSE YOU KNOW we should all look the same in case someone mocks our clothes style. Oh and while we are at it lets make all people dye their hair black so we all look the same so we can't go to war over hair. Oh wait then theirs still skin color. THE THING IS U BAN RELIGION THEN WE WILL THINK OF OTHER THINGS TO BAN

Answer 6

It would be a bad idea. Even if religion were undesirable, which I don't think is usually true, you couldn't get rid of it by banning it. Remember, Christianity used to be banned, and you see how well that worked.

People who truly believed in their religions would go underground and form secret sects. Think about it - would you change your actual opinions about what's real and what isn't if the government told you you're not allowed to believe what you believe anymore? I wouldn't.

Answer 7

In theory, the idea of banning it certainly sounds ideal.It would end all this bickering over who is right and who is wrong about things that no one can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that either is actually right.But if such a ban was put into place it would only encourage people to be even more aggressive about the whole "I am right cause it says so in my book" thing and they would actively fight against the ban until it was seen as unjust.I think the better way to go about things is to simply fight against the cause of religion rather then try to outright ban it.

Answer 8

Bad. I am an atheist and think that religion is an evil thing, but banning it is ineffective, and it has been tried! It gives it the lure of the forbidden and makes it's priest and practitioners seem more like martyrs and heroic freedom fighters than the exploitative myth mongers that they are! Look at what happened in the Soviet Union.
Better to let religion wither and atrophy as we move to more secular age and people recognise it as outdated silliness.

Answer 9

It is true that religion is at the root of a lot of the world's problems. In Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, for example. Any religion, at its extremes, can be classed as a dangerous thing. Whether that be Christianity or Islam. People use religion in the same way as city gangs use their groups to identify and individualise themselves. For most people, religion means having a faith. A set of rules to live by.

I consider myself to be a Christian - but I probably go to church once or twice a year. I mean, just because I set foot in a garage, doesn't make me a mechanic!!

It's the way we live our lives that shapes who we are - good or bad. I believe that all religion is good. Only people make religion a bad thing.

Hope this makes sense. It is past eleven o'clock at night and I am getting quite tired!!

Answer 10

I believe that would be extremely hard to do. I say that because everybody believes in something and whether you receive it or not it is a form of religion to them. Atheists...aren't the a form of religion? Agnositcs aren't they a form of religion? Catholics? Baptists? COGIC? Islam? Apostolic? Non-Denominational? Lutheran? Who is going to do all of that work? I have a better question for you why do you want to consider banning religion? That's the better question. You can't ban God period. You just can't. His ways aren't our ways and his thoughts are not our thoughts. I see many in the USA moving away from religion but this country was built on religion...does not our currency say in God We Trust?
It's a sad day when folks want to consider thinking of banning religion.