Religion, has it been a benefit?

[Father-Ted]

Has religion been an overall to benefit to mankind or would we have been better off without it.

[tamborine]

We may be unique in personality but we are part of a community for the benefit of mankind. We learn from each other to enhance our uniqueness.

If there was no religion would jews still meet a bitter end ? Was it not religious officiates who gave Jews Israel & muslims Pakistan ? Didn't the Berlin Wall fall in the name of faith ? China is still locked to outside faiths but there is revolt stirring.

[beso]

bert_h //For myself, I know perfectly well that "mankind without religion" is a contradiction in terms, but there's no way to convince the anti-religionists of that, so they'll carry on posting their prejudices. //

That sounds like a remarkably prejudicial attitude. This is typical of the religionists. They "know" what they believe without an ounce of evidence and are not interested in contemplating any alternative viewpoint.

The unbelivers by contrast have carefully considered the evidence provided by science and concluded it is far more plausible than the nonsense offered by religion.

[beso]

The quality of some of the posts on this thread has be excellent.

[vetuste_ennemi]

And while Beso was posting his answer I was writing this:
<<so they'll carry on posting their prejudices>>
Prejudice, Bert H? That's defined as "unconsidered opinion" or "unthinking hostility" in my dictionary.
I've read three posts by atheists and while they are clearly restating their attitudes (as asked for by the questioner), I think they each gave reasons for their attitudes. You may disagree with their conclusions, think their premises wrong, their reasoning faulty, that they are lacking in balance, or whatever, but the accusation of prejudice is unfair. Would you be kind enough to give your reasons why they are wrong and you are right?

[jake-the-peg]

\\Didn't the Berlin Wall fall in the name of faith ?\\

Not as I recall!

As I recall the Soviet Union basically imploded from within, there were religious issues but they were incidental.

I don't recall seeing many priests knocking down the wall.

There are religous and non religious charities - just citing good work by religious charities is no validation of faith - I have no doubt that without religion those same people would be working for the Red Cross or for Oxfam or the NSPCC.

Or do you think they only do these things because they want to please their God and not because of their inherent desire to help those more needy than themselves?

[vetuste_ennemi]

E.g. Médécins sans Frontières, Jake.

[solvitquick]

(i) No, religion has hindered the progress of mankind for millenia. Yes we would have been better-off without it (notably see birdie1971).
(ii) How do you make out that "mankind without religion" is a "contradiction in terms"? It's not a very bright phrase but there is no contradiction in-built.
Mankind can live with or without religion. Mind you religion cannot live without mankind who invented it (to our sorrow).

[B00]

100% agree with baza's comment on the previous page.

[Father-Ted]

Good evening Sith 123, do you have any reasons for answering as you have or would you rather not say?

[vulcan]

http://4.bp.blogspot....on-War-Cartoon-01.jpg

[naomi24]

I like solvitquick’s take on it, but if he doesn’t mind I’ll rephrase it slightly. Man can live with without religion, but religion can’t live without man. That says it all.

[MarkRae]

Religion has produced some stunning art, literature and music.

[naomi24]

//Man can live with without religion, but religion can’t live without man. //

Oops. A rogue 'with' there. I'll try again.

Man can live without religion, but religion can’t live without man.

[mibn2cweus]

//Religion has produced some stunning art, literature and music.//

Art, literature and music is produced by artists, writers and musicians, i.e. people, not religion . . . although religion admittedly inspired (and indeed had control over much of) the subject matter and themes addressed by much of what was produced during the period in which it had a stranglehold over the means of and financial rewards for production while destroying everything it could get its hands on which conflicted with it purpose and objectives.

[Joanne130]

No religion hasn't been a benefit to mankind it's been detrimental a catalyst for hatred, irrational belief, superstition, murder & war, we would have been better off without it

[sith123]

i agree with markrae.

[naomi24]

Sith, so your reason for saying that religion has benefitted mankind is because it has inspired stunning art, literature, and music. Good reason. We'll ignore all the horrors. :o/

[emmie]

in some ways of course. It did spread not just the word of God, but education for many that would not have had access to it. That said i believe it has done more harm than good. Belonging is what seems to be the ethos of any religion, and anyone not adhering to the one faith, whatever that is, has been summarily ostracised, murdered on an industrial scale. You can cite The burning of witches, The Crusades, and never ending wars in the name of religion. Telling you what to eat, wear, how to think, who to marry seems a poor exchange for belonging.