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Do you think that the world would be a better place without religion?
If you could snap your fingers and make religion instantly disappear into some hazy disatnt memory, would you?
I can't figure this one out.
Religion causes a lot of damage to the world. Hypocracy, the promotion of irrational thought, etc. etc.
But it also does good.
Many people would not act in a moral way without the idea of them being "rewarded" for their actions. Without religion, why should they act moraly? What's in it for them?
Secondly, many people would simply not be able to stand the idea of a pointless, finite existence. Would we find vast potions of our society slipping into depression ridden nihilism?
Perhaps religion is a basic human need to a lot of people?
By no means am I in doubt about the falsity of religion, but I most definately am in two minds about its worth to society.
(with regards to the assumption of the falsity of religion, I think that for the puposes of this thread we would do well to avoid any discussion of this matter. Religion should, in this context, be only talked about in "practical" terms, i.e. assume its falsity for the purpose of this argument, regardless of your actual beliefs outside of this thread)
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