That...would be a world that one couldn't even imagine. Everything would be so much different.

Is there a question really?When you have a headache you should take your head off or just take some painkiller?We can't just banish religions because some choose to use them as a subterfuge for their evil deeds.After all ppl will always fight over trifle things...It's in our nature

Uhuh *nods* On TV you see a paradise with fountains, sunshine, beautiful trees etc etc.. It's ironic that THAT view could be true if the human race never existed

people seem to be thinking religeon = morals.

It doesn't

Without religion there would be no exstreamists so we would be better off without it

Hmm. Rather disturbing that a majority of posters seem to believe that the end of religion would mean complete moral and social collapse around the world. Because, of course, every atheist today is a thief, murderer, or rapist, right?

Both morality and religion are aspects of culture, a quality unique to the human race. This does not mean they're mutually dependent. Culture developed in early humans (neandertals) because of the necessity of social interaction and social roles to foster the survival of the group and the upbringing of children. Because early homos had so few children, it was necessary for the survival of the species that all members of a group work together to raise, nurture, and protect their young and themselves, leading to the establishment of society and its norms, the basis of culture, for interaction and behavior. Religion does not tell people how to be moral, does not decide what is right and what is wrong, but rather changes over time to reflect the dominant society and the practical necessities of life in close quarters with other human beings. Look at the ten commandments, for example. Though shalt not kill. Okay, it's probably not going to do your species a lot of good if you go around murdering each other, so this should be a no-brainer for any organism. Though shalt not steal. Alright, humans in a collective social grouping that is mutually supportive, which is to say, society, work together to keep their community vital, with agriculture, trade, etc. There is a social contract involved here, that if these people focus on growing, these people on trading, these on defending, society will run more efficiently than if all people did everything for themselves, but in exchange, they all have to enjoy the fruits of each others' efforts, fairly. If someone were to throw this into unbalance by stealing, their society would be handicapped, and could be more susceptible to more human and natural threats. A culture with strong taboos against theft is obviously vital to the social animal. Even ants share their harvest. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Okay, basic Mendelian stuff here, you have too many individuals with the same genes in the pool, the offspring are going to be especially susceptible to recessive linked birth defects/disorders, and a lot fewer kids are going to make it. It's called inbreeding, and it's why we have so many bugged out, almond-eyed individuals from the lovely region of Appalachia. Honor thy father and mother. Well, as I've said, this all follows from the very intellectual concepts of society and culture, which require so many norms and abstract guidelines, the average individual probably couldn't have been fully indoctrinated at least until adolescence. Unlike any other animal grouping, the norms of human society are not governed primarily by instinct and physical processes, but by factors that vary from grouping to grouping and often go unsaid. In the days before central health commissions and whatnot, folks didn't live very long, and it would be an absolute necessity to honor the elders and try to keep them going as long as possible (usually not past 30), in order to teach the mores of culture to the younger generation and let them become fully functional members of society. Though shalt have no other gods before me. Well, this one is really a failsafe for society. While you're in our society, you have to worship our god, follow our customs, speak our language, or else there's nothing to distinguish between you and a potential enemy. All the other commandments about sabbaths and various coveting can be explained in the above arguments, and the pillars/verses/tenets etc. of all your other religions don't really differ very much from this handful of basic rules.

That is not to say that religion is completely unnecessary. For countless individuals, the sense of community, belonging, and general well being they get from attending worship services and interacting with others who share their beliefs is the most fulfilling aspect of their lives. Religion is an excellent networking device, and the personal adherence to an abstract system of deities and statutes allows many to put a greater sense of meaning and purpose into their every day lives. Not only this, but the promise of heaven and threat of hell (for the religions in which these apply) often motivates individuals to adhere more strongly to the golden rule (do unto others as to thyself) and other various religious tenets and the associated positive behaviors than they otherwise would, making them generally friendlier and more agreeable folks.

True, religion can often overemphasize its more abstract aspects and lead to the type of extremism that has given us the Crusades, the KKK, and the Taliban, but I think it probably has more positive than negative potential (I'm agnostic, for the record). I think a world without religion would be essentially the same. People would still hold the same moral values of their respective societies. Terrorism would most likely continue unabated, the leaders exchanging the pretense of religious righteousness for the political/economic aims that are really behind most displays of terror. War would continue likewise. And I think folks in their communities would find other means of social networking, just because man is such a social animal, and needs that extra interaction. Maybe an influx of bridge clubs?

A world without religion to me is a better one imo. but then people argue that religon is needed because we are the only race that thinks about what happens post-death. We all want to be assured that theres something after death.

For me though.. Not so much, i just try to live in the moment and spread all my memories and imprint them onto my peers before i pass away. Thats why i want to get better with women and talk to lots more people.

uhhmmm... "every atheist"?
isn't that overgeneralization?
not all atheists are evil... much like not all religious people are nice...
i myself am atheist but i do my best to help other people...
i dont force my opinions onto others (not saying that you or anybody here does) and i dont criticize theists because of a few who bad apples...
so... please DONT overgeneralize and say ALL atheists are thiefs, murderers and such...


anywho...

hmmm....
if there were no religion?
i think it would be better... for a while...
but even if there were no religion in this world, most would need a driving force..
they would eventually create something that they can lean on..
something like an imaginary friend...
the harder the problems, the more dependent they become and the more they need that imaginary friend...
and it will keep on going that way until religion is once again created..

people need religion... if there is none, they will make one up...
although there are some that see flaws in that holy being and either create a new concept of "God" or stop believing and think logically...

I can't imagine, oh well. I know.
The world will be stupid and lots of people are darn ignorant and worse.
Even many people will have no time to remember when will asteroid damage the Earth.

i think we will be better of without religion cause religion brings war especially way over back then even today look whats happening in i think lebanon!!!!!

There words that I thought is 'social control'. What strikes me the most is how effective and efficient 'religion/belief' as means to achieve social control. It is by far the oldest and cheapest form of control. It is also by far the most acceptable form of social control. A person may claim even the silliest thing in the name of 'religion/belief' and can still gain respect from his/her peers. Can common sense do this?

It is not because a person would turn into a rapist, thief, or murderer without 'religion/belief', it is because even without a common sense a person can still be affected by 'religion/belief'. On;y with social control can then a society can progress and advance (though it may not necessarilly do so).

Um, since I've already been quoted twice on this matter, and it seems apparent that I overestimated my fine cr peers' affinity for English language/idiomatic conventions, I'd just like to point out that the first paragraph from my post was sarcastic. I'd have thought that, in context, saying that all atheists were criminals would set off immediate warning bells, "hey, this guy is making a joke, parodying all the religious nuts on here, haha." I classify myself as an agnostic, just because I feel that's the closest general term to my personal views on god and religion, but my actual stance on divinity and whatnot is actually much closer to atheism.

To reiterate, the point I'm making is that religion is not particularly responsible for social/moral conventions, and even if it were eliminated, the forces around the world, both positive and negative, that are executed in the name of religion, would most likely continue, just under another ideological banner, because most such forces have political/economic/power purposes underlying them anyways.

worse....religion guides people...no matter what religion it is ,it always teaches us to do the right thing eg.catholic,muslim,buddhism etc.

In some cases yes. In others not at all. Buddhism Maybe, the other two, I lol'd. You fail>_>;

Very long post but I read it all and I agree with what you say. I think religion just achieves in creating different social groups following certain sets of morals and even without it humans as social beings would still be divided into different societies with different cultures following different morals/laws. I think it's naive for people to think wars and terrorism would just end if there was no religion because there would always be a culture/society believing their set of morals/laws are better than another culture/society and there would always be people taking those ideas to the extreme.

My biggest issue right now is dealing with religion. I don't know what the world would be without it. However, if no one had ever heard of God or the Devil, it would mean one less dilemma for me.