Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Moria Jackson on January 17, 2011 at 3:51pm

I think it would look exactly like it does, since there is no god. 

But I suppose you mean how would people act in society without fear of punishment or hope of reward?  I think we would be more advanced, at least in a few areas.  Scientifically speaking, things would be more advanced.  Religion keeps people from experimenting and trying new things.  Stem cell research?  We would have created cures for tons more things by now!  There would be no more children dying because parents refused medical treatment in favor of prayers.

If there were still wars, they would be created by a need for power, not because of religion.  Women and men would be equal in all countries, because there would be no scriptures stating otherwise.  Morals and ethics would be made using common sense!  Perhaps there would be less local crime, but not sure I would go that far.

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Permalink Reply by james d on March 2, 2012 at 4:21pm

+5

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Permalink Reply by Reg The Fronkey Farmer on January 17, 2011 at 5:03pm

I agree with Moira. The question might be better stated as "A world without religion". I will do my bit to make it so.

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Permalink Reply by Loop Johnny on January 17, 2011 at 5:04pm

Yes. Two answers for this question:

 

1. A world without the supernatural God ( to which I agree with Moria )

2. A world without the idea of God

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Permalink Reply by Kenneth Montville D.D. on January 17, 2011 at 5:09pm

It's an interesting question and one at which we can only conjecture an answer. I believe it would look remarkably like what we have now. There would still be social inequality, there would still be war. We would have just one less reason for those things but that isn't to say that they would disappear completely.

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Permalink Reply by Bakari Chavanu on January 17, 2011 at 5:11pm

This is difficult to answer because as religion/god belief withers away, there’s no similar broad discussion of what to replace it with. And why should it be replaced with something? Well, in many ways, religion fills a sort of empty void in people’s lives. It provides a social cohesion in many communities, while at the same time blinding people of so many other factors about life. So yeah, as religion withers away, I think we could possibly see a resurgence of enlightenment where people free themselves from social biases and political strife that has been largely influenced by various religions. Where education would help people to start thinking more critically, using scientific methodology. Where we could be more open and accepting about our sexual desires and different sexual orientations. Where we build a world that is not divided by race and nationalism. But again, I think it’s hard to tell, because we’re still so far way from a god-less society or world. 

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Permalink Reply by Loop Johnny on January 17, 2011 at 5:32pm

fills a sort of empty void in people’s lives

Off the top of my head:

- the fear of death

- the infinite amount of needs and wants

- social recognition

- magic, and the power to move mountains with faith

- hell & heaven

- infinity

- infinity

- infinity

..

..

(repeat)

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Permalink Reply by noisician on January 18, 2011 at 9:04am

Unfortunately, I think there is also a good chance that it would be an easy "search & replace" of religion with an alternative dogma such as blind patriotism. Or some political, economic, or other philosophical viewpoint (communism, capitalism, libertarianism, green, etc).

 

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Permalink Reply by Reg The Fronkey Farmer on January 17, 2011 at 5:30pm

I think the world would be different. Religions have always kept power away from Women. Most religions posit that they are to be subordinate to men. They were, until recently not allowed to be educated and in some countries this is still the case. The religious elders generally disrespect them and this ethos has lingered in the general mindset of cultures even if some don’t realise it. I would rather have an Atheist woman in charge that a religious man. The education and empowerment of women would make the world a better place.

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Permalink Reply by Galen on January 17, 2011 at 5:40pm

The world would look a LOT different.  Remember that the Dark Ages held us back significantly.  There was a period of around 800 years where science and progress were considered heresy.  During that time, a lot of the scientific progress that had been made by many human cultures was lost.  The steam engine comes to mind, which was invented in the 1st century by a Greek scientist living in Egypt.  We didn't rediscover that for almost 2,000 years!  There were also things like mechanical doors, Da Vinci's famous designs for an airplane, etc.

 

Without religion, I believe we would've had the Internet, cars, cell phones, etc. sometime around the year 1200.  There's no way to imagine just where we'd be by now, if not for religion holding us back and even dragging us backwards!

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Permalink Reply by Galen on January 18, 2011 at 3:01am

And it's that small fraction that became technologically dominant after the dark ages, so I think they count :)

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Permalink Reply by Sarah N Mirza on January 17, 2011 at 6:00pm

I can imagine a world with no religion and it can only be a better one. Men would still commit atrocities as they always have,  however, they won't be able to readily do it in the name of religion of a made-up god. And, IMHO, the world will never be free from religion, there are entirely too many gullible people who need it and many more intelligent and conning ones who depend on it to control and prosper

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