I know that there is something called freedom of religion, but what about my rights? I for one find it offensive when I walk passed a Church or Mosque or Ghudwhara or Synagogue. I feel it infringes my rights. What about you? (Please give me your thoughs in the comments)
I can't get behind banning things. It also seems ridiculous to me that having to walk past a building infringes on your rights. It does not infringe on your rights anymore than gay people buying wedding cakes infringes the rights of evangelical christians. Unless they are stopping you on the street and trying to force you to go into said building, then no rights are being infringed. Unless they are confiscating your property to build a church on, or forcibly taking your money to fund the building, then your rights are not being interfered with.
Is religion generally a good thing? No, it is not. You could make that argument about all kinds of things. Tobacco, Alcohol, Pornography, Science Fiction, Rap Music, Punk Rock, Fast Food... all can be claimed to cause more harm than good. Should everything be banned? This is silly.
It could also be considered offensive for them to have an atheist walk by their building. About 12 years ago, I visited India and got to visit many ancient temples. The worshippers welcomed this long haired white dude to their holy places and to their homes. I made a huge gaffe by wearing leather boots when I walked a very holy mountain. The worst treatment I had was a crushed sugar cane drink at dusk on my my out of the city.
I find it a little bizarre that someone would consider having to pass a building infringes on their rights. Maybe find an alternative route if you feel that strongly about it? Sounds like a bit of deliberate triggering going on there? ?. As long as governments are secular individuals should be free to worship unicorns if they wish
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You can't ban ideas, even silly ones !! Anyway, Christians were banned in Rome and it didn't stop their movement growing, might even have helped ?
I voted no.
The religious have the right to put up their buildings too. In fact, some of the old cathedrals are quite beautiful and are architectural marvels.
As much as I despise religions, they all might as well be worshipping Bozo The Clown as far as I'm concerned, but they still have their rights for now.
Banning religion would just incite a violent response. Intensely violent. We know what happens when atheism is enforced; often, it just results in the kind of tyrannical regime that Europe has learned to avoid. Slowly but surely, religion is dying on its own. Let it. Europe will shine as a beacon to the rest of the world.
Part of me would love to ban it globally, BUT... if religion is the ONLY reason that some do not steal, abuse, rape, kill at will, I'll keep some religion. It would be nice if it was a somewhat watered down version that poses no threat to society, though.
The notion that anyone would only attempt to be decent because they fear 'hell' is beyond strange to me, don't you fear other people? the law? are you not aware that he who lives by the sword dies by the sword? Just beyond weird to me, especially while politicians claim to be christians, i don't know what better example there is of amoral, lying sacks of shit than politicians, how can you look at that and be like, oh yeah, being religious is for morals? Bizarre.
I am angry enough to think that banning religion would expose the religious for being the ignorant, sick, mentally unstable, racist, sexist, sheep-like zealots that they are... but that's like quitting something cold turkey. We need to bring a real philosophical dialogue and mindfulness back into popularity, we need to discuss the meaning of the words we use to gain common ground and normalize rational, personal philosophical inquiry, or at the very least dispose of the idea that heaven or nothingness awaits after death and get people caring about who and where they are right now and not just 'looking forward to retirement'.