What are the benefits and harms unsubstantiated religious belief causes to a free society?

Question

I plan to take these answers very seriously, in deciding what to do when confronted by those who subscribe to any particular religious belief.

Answer 1

"When you say a "free society", does that include the freedom for the sons and daughters, brothers and sisters of the society members to legally become, when they reached a certain age, strippers, porn stars or nude models in magazines, videos or in the internet, showing their "family assets" or "family jewels"for the sexual gratification of others (mostly males) and also for money?"

Ha! Is this guy above me serious? What's wrong with sex? *sigh*

Anyway, one of the main problems that we run into is the fact that religion often takes away a person's sense of personal responsibility for the environment and society as a whole. According to Christianity, for example, this world is transitory, and what is left when Jesus comes will be fixed by their god (or so some believe). Does this make a sustainable society a high priority for Christians? You tell me.

Also, religious issues are blown out of proportion. We waste a lot of time dealing with things like abortion, gay marriage, creationism in public school, separation of church and state. And politicians use this to their benefit. While they're loading their wallets by unethical practices, the public is distracted with secularly irrelevant issues. The result? We've barely attained a small percent of our potential as a society. Even as a world, we've only scratched the surface and then even forsaken what progress might have come from it because of "religious issues."

Compared to how happy and advanced human society COULD be, because of religion, we are still in the stone ages.

As for benefits, it can POTENTIALLY imbue a kind of temporary, contented numbness for believers. This, of course, only hides our problems. These people never have to search for true answers again. If there were more people concerned with where we as a race are going, as opposed to where we are going to be after we die, then maybe life itself could be more fulfilling. Maybe we'd value this life as it really is: our one and only chance to experience existence, and to make the most of it that we can.

*sigh* It's time for humanity to grow up and throw of the shackles of religions. We don't need it anymore. Maybe a few people here and there still do, but altogether, we're coming to the point where we can look out for ourselves. Tribulation is one thing...but self-abasement to the point of restraining human potential is unnecessary and, regrettably, all too prevalent.

Thanks, religion, for seeing us through more confused times, but it's time to hang up the towel and let us become...human.

Answer 2

Some beliefs can benefit people in that they can foster hope and love, but these are not exclusive to religions.

On the bad side, religions can foster, even if unintentionally, ignorance, enforcing a given morality, repressive/oppressive attitudes towards others, and in some cases violence against others.

Answer 3

When you say a "free society", does that include the freedom for the sons and daughters, brothers and sisters of the society members to legally become, when they reached a certain age, strippers, porn stars or nude models in magazines, videos or in the internet, showing their "family assets" or "family jewels"for the sexual gratification of others (mostly males) and also for money?

Answer 4

It depends who you ask. Since many false prophets have gone out into the world according to the Bible, I would say that you have many lies out there and one truth--the Son Jesus Christ-- in America for example because we are a free society.

One benefit of living in a free society is you can be a witness to Jesus Christ. Whereever you go, you can tell your testimony of Jesus Christ or the event on how you became a Christian. Unlike in a Muslim country, where you cannot witness to a Muslim. You can however witness to a Muslim in America.

Answer 5

Frankly, Einstein, I don't give a flying fvck WHAT you plan to do or WHAT you believe...I'm Episcopalian and have been all my life. It benefits ME and MY life, and that's all I can speak for with regard to MY religion. NO "harms" at all since I do not proselytize nor try to convert nor ask questions which are not really questions but rhetorical insults to those who actually have beliefs. Try it sometime, might make you a better person but I highly doubt it. So stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

Answer 6

When "confronted" just walk away. You are never going to change the fact that people believe in things just because you ask questions on Yahoo about it. People will always believe in different things and here in America we are all entitled to those beliefs. It's not going to change so accept it.

Answer 7

I meant to answer now but was just given work to do. I will give you a full answer when I get home today. Thanks for your patience.

Answer 8

Read this
http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?section=library&page=pzuckerman_26_5