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Poll, Has religion made the world better?


Grandpa Greenman

Does religion make the world a better place?  

57 members have voted

  1. 1. Has religion made the world better or worse?

    • Better
    • Worse
    • It is irrelevant and does neither.


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Better, worse or neither. What do you think?

Edited by Tiggs
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worse.. Because it clouds reality..

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I voted 'Worse'

That's 'Worse', people. Which means I'm not saying it's the worst thing ever to grace us, but non the less it has added to the damage and is no better than other things that make the world 'Worse'. (War, Disease Yada, yada and for good measure...Yada)

Might I add, Religion has done good as well.

Science has been the result of some bad things too (atom bombs etc.). There is bad and good in everything, some just contain more bad than good and vice versa.

Edited by Sean93
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We'd find some other reason to hate each other and to be pompous about ourselves.

We can still try to weed out as many reasons to hate as we can. Not trying does......what?

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Religion/spirituality has made all humans what they are today. I like humanity and humans, so i voted better. We would be much "worse" / limited as people and as a race without this element.

Peole who dont like how we are might see religion as making us worse or limiting us.

In my view we would not be humans, without spirituality; and spirituality leads naturally to religion. It is like logical thought and technology That can lead to good or evil ends but it is an essential ingredirent of wha twe are as a species and all these things and others define what we are.

The question is as complex as asking would we better of without logic or without technology. The answer is that the question is impossible, because we cannot exist without these things, and still be human beings. Our humanity creates in us logic, spiritual thought, and the abilty to create and use language, tools etc. In return these things define us.

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Mr Walker says it. We are but children, and making mistakes as well as being imperfect is our way of learning from the world. If you dont reach far, even at the risk of not seeing everything and being ignorant of many things in-between, you're not gonna grow past certain point. It's not just religion, I think that lack of being able to have faith, other than faith in hard-solid proof, will hinder you from growing and you might want to ask these things because you'd like to project your reality on others, but deep down you know it's not going to work because you can't escape from yourself, trust me drugs and religion and anything you try, wont work. You can run, but it'll always be there. You can choose how you handle yourself though.

Religion could be seen as such an escape too, in some cases, and when you take it to extremes or much beyond what you believe in other levels too, getting lost if you dont keep it to a contrast. You know how everything can be used as a weapon, but you should know that there's also a more benign and constructive use for everything, even for suspiciousness and doubt too.

If you try to force people to answer yes or no, what do you think it tells about your way of thinking this matter? Want an easy way out in something which you'd be better off just to keep looking instead of finding.

The question is as complex as asking would we better of without logic or without technology. The answer is that the question is impossible, because we cannot exist without these things, and still be human beings. Our humanity creates in us logic, spiritual thought, and the abilty to create and use language, tools etc. In return these things define us.

You can always find substitutes though, and new ways to fulfill these drives. It's just your own illusion or view, whichever, if you want to stick to yours.

These things can create images of us, but who we are is different than what we do and create. These things support us, but they are just a way to channel your own identity. It's good to have channels like that, but they dont define who we are. They are just reflections we create from ourselves, and definite only in their own existence.

Edited by Mikko-kun
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Religion is a man made presence in our world. By and large I think it's a wash - it has been responsible for great evil but also has led to kindnesses and mercy that otherwise might never have been. But the one true and positive influence is the love of our Creator being expressed through His Holy Spirit in our lives. The urge, deeply felt in many, to love others as He would love them. That is independent of any religion. And as Euphorbia so succinctly said - not trying does, what?

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Most people dont understand the real purpose of religion. This goes for both religious and non. If you could see it correctly its the best thing in the world.

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I believe that Religion has had a valuable place in our evolutionary past, as it was necessary to keep order in our primative societies.

As we grow wiser and more evolved as a species though, there is less of a need to perform certain religious rituals and to visit supposed religious places.

Moral standards are more innately understood, and societal laws are enforced by the judicial system.

Sure, there is a lot of more room for improvement, but we're getting there.

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Religion/spirituality has made all humans what they are today. I like humanity and humans, so i voted better. We would be much "worse" / limited as people and as a race without this element.

Peole who dont like how we are might see religion as making us worse or limiting us.

In my view we would not be humans, without spirituality; and spirituality leads naturally to religion. It is like logical thought and technology That can lead to good or evil ends but it is an essential ingredirent of wha twe are as a species and all these things and others define what we are.

The question is as complex as asking would we better of without logic or without technology. The answer is that the question is impossible, because we cannot exist without these things, and still be human beings. Our humanity creates in us logic, spiritual thought, and the abilty to create and use language, tools etc. In return these things define us.

I can see where you are comming from. Our humanity is undoubtably tied to our religious past..

Where I am comming from however is the fact that religion has limited our growth.

Religion/belief/faith has been used to control the masses thoughout history.. I'm not saying that all of the evil in the world his a result of religions, but what I am saying is that imo much of the evil and wrong-doings of today can be blamed on religion.. And if religion didn't exist in our past I can imagine that Humanity would be on a higher level of existence.. God is used a good excuse to murder your neighbours or take that which doesn't belong to you because of religious belief.. That imo is a good enough reason to say that religion has made the world Worse off.

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I believe that Religion has had a valuable place in our evolutionary past, as it was necessary to keep order in our primative societies.

As we grow wiser and more evolved as a species though, there is less of a need to perform certain religious rituals and to visit supposed religious places.

Moral standards are more innately understood, and societal laws are enforced by the judicial system.

Sure, there is a lot of more room for improvement, but we're getting there.

They should have been there a long, long, long time ago.

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They should have been there a long, long, long time ago.

We'll get there eventually as a species, it takes time to iron out the bugs. :)

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I don't know if religion itself has made things worse or peoples interpretation of it has. People have been burned at the stake, beheaded and untold number of horrible things done in the name of religion but good things have also been done in the name of religion.

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It's not religion itself that's the real problem. I agree with Hilander, it's the negative manner in which people act in the name of religion that concerns me.

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Mr Walker says it. We are but children, and making mistakes as well as being imperfect is our way of learning from the world. If you dont reach far, even at the risk of not seeing everything and being ignorant of many things in-between, you're not gonna grow past certain point. It's not just religion, I think that lack of being able to have faith, other than faith in hard-solid proof, will hinder you from growing and you might want to ask these things because you'd like to project your reality on others, but deep down you know it's not going to work because you can't escape from yourself, trust me drugs and religion and anything you try, wont work. You can run, but it'll always be there. You can choose how you handle yourself though.

Religion could be seen as such an escape too, in some cases, and when you take it to extremes or much beyond what you believe in other levels too, getting lost if you dont keep it to a contrast. You know how everything can be used as a weapon, but you should know that there's also a more benign and constructive use for everything, even for suspiciousness and doubt too.

If you try to force people to answer yes or no, what do you think it tells about your way of thinking this matter? Want an easy way out in something which you'd be better off just to keep looking instead of finding.

You can always find substitutes though, and new ways to fulfill these drives. It's just your own illusion or view, whichever, if you want to stick to yours.

These things can create images of us, but who we are is different than what we do and create. These things support us, but they are just a way to channel your own identity. It's good to have channels like that, but they dont define who we are. They are just reflections we create from ourselves, and definite only in their own existence.

religion is one form of expression. But i was saying that our innate abilities, such as an ability to think logically and to think spiritually, which come from the nature and complexity of our neuro linguistic capabilities, ARE what make us human and define us as a apsecies. Without them we would be less than human. Religion is just one form of codification of spiritual thought as philosophy is a form of codification of logical thought.

We are, in terms of our identity, what we chose to be, because our mind defines us, not our biology.

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I can see where you are comming from. Our humanity is undoubtably tied to our religious past..

Where I am comming from however is the fact that religion has limited our growth.

Religion/belief/faith has been used to control the masses thoughout history.. I'm not saying that all of the evil in the world his a result of religions, but what I am saying is that imo much of the evil and wrong-doings of today can be blamed on religion.. And if religion didn't exist in our past I can imagine that Humanity would be on a higher level of existence.. God is used a good excuse to murder your neighbours or take that which doesn't belong to you because of religious belief.. That imo is a good enough reason to say that religion has made the world Worse off.

How do you remove religiousity from human spirituality and the other drivers of religion such as the psychology which causes people to join groups of like minded people and to fear differnce.

IMO if you took religiousity out from humanity, it would also remove creativity imagination and that sense of wonder and questioning which makes us all that we are. I just cant see how we could attain a higher level of existence without those things. For me personally, the higher level of existence, and being all thatIi can be involves linking myslef with the cosmic consciousness to become one with god, the universe, and all sapient life. What makes us able to reach a higher level of existence is the same thing which makes us spiritual, and thus religious, beings. And finally, we wouldnt have the worlds greatest and most enduring art, music, buildings, poetry etc., if we were not spiritual/religious people.

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How do you remove religiousity from human spirituality and the other drivers of religion such as the psychology which causes people to join groups of like minded people and to fear differnce.

IMO if you took religiousity out from humanity, it would also remove creativity imagination and that sense of wonder and questioning which makes us all that we are. I just cant see how we could attain a higher level of existence without those things. For me personally, the higher level of existence, and being all thatIi can be involves linking myslef with the cosmic consciousness to become one with god, the universe, and all sapient life. What makes us able to reach a higher level of existence is the same thing which makes us spiritual, and thus religious, beings. And finally, we wouldnt have the worlds greatest and most enduring art, music, buildings, poetry etc., if we were not spiritual/religious people.

Primative societies needed religion, evolved societies rely much more on spirituality.

In the distant future there will be no need for religion.

It is spirituality that drives the highest of our beneficent achievements.

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Most people dont understand the real purpose of religion. This goes for both religious and non. If you could see it correctly its the best thing in the world.

What is the purpose of religion?

Primative societies needed religion, evolved societies rely much more on spirituality.

In the distant future there will be no need for religion.

It is spirituality that drives the highest of our beneficent achievements.

If you look at the religion of Aboriginal people I find they are spiritual for the most part. I think fundamental dogma has really killed the spirituality of modern religions. I think that kind of religion will fall to the wayside and a more spiritual out look will develop. I see it happening now in my tiny view of the world.

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It is interesting to me that English has two words, "religion," and "religiosity," which mean the same thing but also mean things almost opposite.

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Most people dont understand the real purpose of religion. This goes for both religious and non. If you could see it correctly its the best thing in the world.

And some do not chose religion because they DO understand the real purpose.

But as has been pointed out, it all depends on the religion.

Christians did not get to were they are today without slaughtering a few on its way and indoctrinating the rest who survived.

Today we have islam throwing their religious weight around.

To me, they are all part of a religion, something i think this world would be far better without. If you need someone to listen to you, there are enough humans on this planet out there who are willing to do that. But if you can not or do not want to trust a fellow human, (jesus was a human being too) then get a pet.

Edited by freetoroam
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