Would our society be better off without religion?

Question

Here is an exerpt from a study done on the most atheistic countries in the world:

"High levels of organic atheism are strongly correlated with high levels of societal health, such as low homicide rates, low poverty rates, low infant mortality rates, and low illiteracy rates, as well as high levels of educational attainment, per capita income, and gender equality."

What does this tell you? Do you think we would all be better off without god and religion in our lives?

(BTW, the top 10 atheistic countires are all some form of democracy, so don't give me that "atheists are all communists" crap, because it simply is not true.) Here is my source: http://www.gadling.com/2007/08/23/least-religious-countries/

Answer 1

Dont worry, I wont give you any "crap". I'll just ask why it's so important to atheists that religion be abolished? Why does it threaten you so much? I never knew there were so many atheists until I started coming to Y/A and the Religion and Spirituality room. But, I say to you, keep fighting the good fight. Keep putting down people who believe in God. Know this, God loves you no matter what. He's used to people like you. Atheists are the grain of sand in the oyster of our lives. We'll make pearls out of you, so thank you.

Answer 2

To answer your question Yes.. Society will be a better place. Why? Look at it this way all the religions are some form or conflict, each religion wants to beg other people that what they believe is true, also there people that believe in their religion with passion that they will do anything possible to make that happen and thats when the problem begins.. therefore as you can see there is war happening almost everywhere, its been happening since religion has began and still today.. On an atheist point of view like myself ,The only way to stop it is if we De-mystify religion and spiritualize science.. Why science? I'm not talking about science to cause nuclear disasters, missiles like most governements are wasting so much money on, Instead.. I'm talking about science to create technologically advanced robots to do all our daily work, eg. bulding, accouting, gardening etc..or for medical purposes creating new forms to rid the wolrd from disease etc.. So we can get rid ourselves through the concept of working for money..So Utilize science to Destroy ourselves(which the government already is creating missles, and other nuclear nonsense).. or we can use science to live a happy and harmonius wolrd of love!

Answer 3

Uh no...while they may have some form of democracy...the major countries of the world other than the US have undergone frequent 'power changes' because of the instability of their constitutions while America has remained rock solid under one unified rule since its inception. Whats the difference? God is the difference. Not democracy. The first educational laws established in this country were done with the specific purpose of teaching the BIBLE so that people would not fall to the dregs of human immorality. Ever heard of the OLD DELUDER SATAN law ? It was a law requiring that children learn to read so that they could understand the bible because ignorance leads to sin. Even one of the most outspoken Educators of early colonial times said that the removal of God from the public school system would cause us to spend more money in fighting the problem than preventing it...and so it is...

Answer 4

The infant mortality rates, easy one to explain. The fewer children you have the lower the rate of infant mortality.

I am highly skeptical of the numbers in this report. For example, Sweden and France have a substantial Moslem population. Is this included or do the skew the stats by only giving info on native populations?

I’ll bet Buddhism is still practiced in Viet Nam to a greater extent than many openly admit.

Answer 5

Is that way atheist countries, such as Bulgaria before the iron curtain came down, was so demoralized?

Try studying your history books. It's amazing how much light reality sheds on people's opinions.

By the way, the Biblical definition of religion is to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, etc, etc, etc.

Go ahead, see what happens if you totally eliminate religion from God's point of view.

If you think that we would be better off without that kind of religion, then I pity you!

If I'm ever in need, I'll know who NOT to call!

Answer 6

People can believe whatever they want, but separation of state and religion is vital. I believe that spirituality is also vital though. If you think spirituality is gained from reading a book, then you are mistaken. Spirituality is gained from pondering things on your own. A book just tells you what to do.
And yeah, many studies have shown that atheists are in no way more immoral or handicapped when compared to those with religion. I am agnostic and live in the here and now, doing my part in helping others.

Answer 7

I guess that study must have omitted the history of the Soviet Union, China, North Korea.......
And as regards the Democracy reference, we are very close to the collapse of these democratic systems that people worship so very very blindly.

I love the 'don't give me that communist crap' statement, I mean, if you are going to do a statistical study, should it not include the most obvious of evidence?
Or are you trying to make atheists look ignorant and intolerant like the fundies?

I know people do not want to hear this, but it is true, the Democratic countries, are ripping off their citizens, without a single care if the so called rulers siphon off the tax revenues for their own businesses and districts.
The US, is so very very corrupt, it still astounds me how long it is taking for the country to be abandoned like a third world nation.
Everyone living here, clearly can see that in a disaster, the government will be slow to respond, with dismal organization. We all see, that the infrastructure is antiquated-bridges falling down, power grids stretched to the limit, newest oil refinery is over 30, roads and highways in disrepair.
Yet though this is true, the government is wasting billions of dollars every month fight two illegal wars under the lie that they are 'protecting our freedoms'.
Yes, let us do away with all religion, that way we will know for certain, that it is humans that are doing what is bad, and you can not simply blame religion for everything like an uneducated pedant.

Answer 8

Depends on what you mean by religion.

I think it is a basic, unavoidable part of our nature to worship something. If we don 't worhip the Deity, then we unavoidably worship something else: money, power, nature, psychology, our own egos, another person. etc. And all those things will cause you pain and suffering in the end.

So no religion might be a good thing. But no worshipping: impossible for human beings.

Answer 9

People are atheists ESPECIALLY when everything
is going well in life - no "need" for God - no "reason"
to believe - self sufficient. More blindness to God.

A big part of communism has been to eradicate religion.
That is why we talk about that and it goes against the
very principals of religious freedom and human rights,
of course!

Answer 10

Undoubtedly better without religion, undoubtedly a living hell without God.
I've lived in an atheist country under Iron Curtain for many years, trust me: you don't want it.