if we took all the money, passion, and time mankind has put toward religion and invested instead in humanity?

Question

what achievements could have been made?

i dont see how religion was required to make books, if anything is was used to burn them...

Answer 1

The older you get, the harder it is to allow yourself to think about such things. Just by itself, the amount of money that the Catholic Church in the last decade has paid out to the (known) victims of pedophile priests could have done so much good.

Like I said, I just can't go there mentally -- the resources I personally have squandered on religion are masochistic fodder enough.

Answer 2

The pace is increasing to where we rely on data outside our biological brain. Sometimes its as though we expect the world to respond to our requests, in much the same way as google. We forget that our minds require some quiet in order to hold on to what we read. Clear out and start over, finish well each task and process, before you start again and add more. Stop expecting results by inputting alone. We need to realize too that uncertainty always predominates, life isn't going to respond well to demands, it responds better when we expect little and take our time. Significance is valued more, for enduring the small steps. Too much anticipation and requiring it too soon is a hazardous quickening that leads to crashes. When you slow down, you maintain better what you learn and value more what you accomplish. Less garbage; more gems.

Answer 3

Would you want to make this retroactive - like no monks copying books in the dark ages, thus saving education? And what about the tithes that were the major form of charity in the feudal ages, let those people die?
And what are the guidelines for investing in humanity - whoops can't do that, it looks too much like religion - giving unto others? No, no.
See, it works both ways, just like everything.

Answer 4

The world would be an infinitely better place. It always sickens me to know that even though we have starving people in this world some of us would rather spend millions to build a "church" to worship their imaginary magic mad friend then actually help them.....

Answer 5

Especially if you think about what this world would have been like had we not been set back for centuries by the church induced Dark Ages.

Answer 6

We'd probably have people living around Alpha Centauri by now (or even further out).

Answer 7

World peace.

Answer 8

Interesting question. Let me answer with a counter question... How many orphanages and hospitals have been founded by Christians vs. humanists?

Therein lies your answer.

(Answer: most have been started by Christian groups, take for example the "red cross" or your local hospital named Saint something. True Christianity has brought the ethic of loving your neighbor as yourself to the forefront. It's a shame when certain Christians ignore their calling)

Answer 9

Then we would be truly living as Jesus intended us to. Religion is made from fear and selfishness. Spirituality and humanity is made from love.

Answer 10

More POOR poeple would be helped.