First of all, we will never completely eradicate religion. Second, I wouldn't even bother trying.
Based on our evolution, I think that "god" is our "default" program. So removing that would be next to impossible. However, I do think that if he we really think about it, we could come up with a very compelling mythology based on physics, that would help us transition from "god" to reality. But the only way this is going to work is if we take it in steps. Just as in addiction we cannot stop cold turkey... the same is true with "god." We've got to make our way toward "science" a step at a time. And stories (which is what mythology really is) are the best way to do that.
[amazon.com]
Not really. Like my son said "some folks need to fear something in order to behave; the rest of us just get it" and sadly there seams to be more of them than us
No. Although I believe that there are no gods, we must respect what others choose.
I would eradicate it in ALL forms of government, ALL educational institutions. Keep it to yourself AT HOME
How would you eradicate them and how would you keep them from re-forming?
Yes I would, it's holding humankind back in my opinion...
I can't remember who said this first: "Religion is the biggest stumbling block to progress."
Yes. There is zero need for this kind of fairy tale.
What a boring world without fairy tales!
Yes, and replace it with humanism
I just hope it won't be the same dog with a different collar
Yes. It has held back the development of the human race and does so today. It has caused more hardship,pain and death than all the wars of economic basis. Religion today still causes family breakups, war in the middle east, Africa and South America and religious plight in the USA of a political nature. Religion is the worse thing ever dreamed up by humans.It has been a source of power to subjugate everyone!
I don't think so. I don't need it and never have, not even as a child. But some people do. Whatever gets you through the night. <shrug>
In a NY minute!
But, it will never happen. People need to start thinking for themselves, and there are too few people that do. Everyone is 'external' rather than 'internal'. All feelings/actions/reasons/excuses are because of someone or something else. We are a society that takes all those things and instead of empowering the person with the knowledge that we control our feelings/actions/reasons/excuses not external stimuli, we give that power to a god or a demon. We don't take personal responsibility and we don't look internally for hope, progress, happiness or love. We look to everything and everyone else for that. And until every person in this world realizes that some invisible man in the sky or some invisible demon in the ground aren't the ones with this power but HUMANS are the ones with this power, I'm afraid religion is here to stay.
John Lennon says so, "I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will live as one"
No, I think it may be useful to help the conversion of primitive people, like our ancestors, into civilised people, like ourselves. Once that task is done, the religion is largely superfluous. The 10 Commandments, which are really just common-sense rules, have been enshrined into laws.
Yes, although opportunists would just find another way to try and manipulate the gullible and new excuses would be found to exclude people who are different.
There are people for whom religion is all they've got in terms of a support system. This is one area where non-believers are at a disadvantage because it is more problematic to form the kind of support systems that churches offer. We will never be able to replace religion until we meet some of the needs it does meet for people, whether that's charity work or providing emotional and practical support for people without family.
Superstition and mysticism seem to be hard wired into the human spirit. It takes effort to separate fantasy from reality. I would eliminate all organized religion if possible but that would not necessarily make the world a secular humanist's paradise. That would require eliminating anti-intellectualism and the search for easy answers.
No, people have the right to believe whatever they want wrong or right. Even if the world may be a better place without religion, my answer stands as is.
your tattoo says LOGIC yet you seem unable to think just 1 step ahead of your argument... If adults have the right to believe what they want, are they also free to commit child abuse of their offspring by feeding them lies from birth, by denying them critical medical care due to their own idiotic Medieval beliefs? Do they have the right to be religious role models for their children, while they practice various barbaric acts on them, such as gential mutilation, ritualistic beatings/cuttings? Are you ok with all of this? Because if you're not, how could you possibly say religion is ever ok for anyone?
typo *genital
Belief and action are two different things. If you would like a more clear statement. People have the right to believe whatever they want right or wrong as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else.
Yes. I don't see organized religion as having any real value. It was created to control the masses and to instill fear so that people would obey. Humans don't like unanswered questions, such as "where did it all begin?". The truth is no one has the answer. But if any entity will ultimately find it, it will be science. Religion wraps it all up in a nice neat bow and placates the masses, the sheep. Religious people scare me.
If I could, I would.
If I could say a magic word and have the whole world forget its superstitions, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
Right afterword, I'd start spreading the "gospel" of critical thinking and scientific method before the void starts filling in again (like it would in a heartbeat).
I always say what is good for me is not necessarily good for others. Like someone else mentioned, belief in a superior power is ingrained in our basic "program". Many theorize that it's an evolutive feature to help us cope with the anxiety of accepting our own mortality. As humanity keep evolving and we see more and more people getting rid of supernatural beliefs, I think at some point religion will not be necessary. It may seem as something impossible now but just like other things like the end of slavery, women's vote and participation in politics, and other important paradigm shifts it will eventually happen. I hope I live long enough to see it.
No. If a 12 year old finds his shoes are hurting his feet because he has outgrown them, it would probably never occur to him to say Shoes hurt so all shoes should be done away with. He would simply get shoes that fit instead. We need religion, just like we need shoes, and for about the same reason; we are no longer natural animals. We need external support, and always will. We have outgrown our religions (in most cases) but we are afraid to tamper with them because we think they are sacred, so we hobble along in pain. Religions need to be updated to fit modern humans; not unceremoniously discarded so we have to go spiritually barefoot forever. The problem isn't "religion". The problem is ignorance. I would eradicate ignorance.