Religion: Outlawed

[Forever Atlas]

Originally Posted by bamak93

Exactly.

Ergo, it doesn't do it's job properly.

Or maybe that's not its purpose as you interpret.

[Angel]

Originally Posted by Forever Atlas

Or maybe that's not its purpose as you interpret.

then what is it's purpose?

I want to hear your theories.

[Forever Atlas]

Simply to seek/explain things they believe as truth. While it may offer some comfort, primary reasons are truth and answering the many questions to life. Though all can't be true, most people that are in the religion usually believes what they have is truth.

It's like science, when something is proven fact, people believe it, for the most part, correct? The same is with people's faith. They believe it to be fact for whatever reason they have personally.

Personally, when I started digging more for myself, what I found didn't exactly offer me any comfort or solace, still, I felt what I was learning was truth. Now as time has progressed, there have been many benefits to what I learned which include comforting me many times I need it. I still believe (know) man is mortal and that when we die, that's it for now.

[Angel]

Yes, I suppose you have a point.

However, I maintain that the Bible is a great written work [s]of fiction[/s].

[Forever Atlas]

That's fine (though history acknowledges that a large number of verses are based on fact too). Many people view the Bible as just a story. Remember though, the Christian Greek and Hebrew scriptures are not the only "Holy" Books out there. Though I personally do believe it to be the correct one, it's not the only one. As there are many religions, there are many books, and the topic is dealing with religions, not just Christianity.

Anyway, back on track with the topic at hand.

I noticed many of you mentioned something along the lines of, no body can stop you from having a religion. In a way that's true, yet, you can be stopped from doing certain things. No person can stop you from believing what you believe in, no person can stop you from personal prayer, etc., etc.

Still, religious buildings can be seized. Group meetings can be banned, every individual could be on their own with their faith or at least with their family (if the family shares the same beliefs).

Now, I do agree that most people would have a problem with a ban on religion as it would take away "rights" and things that nations were "founded on." That hasn't stopped governments in the past, and present from carrying out what they feel is necessary to further their political agenda.

Religion has been the main thing that holds up barriers around the world. If nations came together and agreed that a ban on religion would be the start to "world peace" then would they not think it would be advantageous to take action?

[Raz]

Even if it was banned, people will just worship in secret. It's been done before.

[ikkuh2]

That would be useless. The freedom to voice and have opinions and views is extremely important. As long as people don't force others into views it's fine. Forbidding it would actually have a reverse effect, people find illegal things exciting to do. Besides, there are no absolute truths, everything is a model and some models are more valid then others.

Wrongdoings however should be strictly punished. Plain insults and violence towards others because they have a different view is such an example.

[Smile]

This reminds me of history lessons about Soviet Russia.
People need something to believe it. Personally, I think it's better it be in a higher power than a fellow man.
Outlaw it? Nah. But there needs to be serious uprooting of corruption from there.

[Dogenzaka]

Why, Dogen? Why?

Because it's a right we should have.
Or are you going to argue with me about why humans should have certain unalienable rights?

Why should we have the right to free speech?
The right to pursue happiness and a peaceful life?
The right to own property? Why?

Frankly because, without these rights, we're nothing but an ant colony run by the government, or a government run by an ant colony.

In the end, you can't restrict someone from believing what they want.
Even in Asia where they murder and martyr Christians for their belief in the worst ways possible (I have a book with some true martyr stories...and another about a brave Chinese Christian woman called "If I Perish"), they'll still hold onto their belief until their last breath.

[Dantés de Divinity]

Take away one freedom and you will witness others fall in time. Banning something like religion is like trying to control what a people can or can't think in a country. I personally think Humanity needs to believe in something.

Religion is something people made to give moral guide lines and an explanation of what created themselves and the universe around them. You can believe in God and forsake all the guide lines just as an atheist can follow the guide lines and not believe in God.

I firmly believe that like government people crave some sort of religious dogma that tells them what to do and believe in. To you that thing might be science but to me it's God.

Truly there would be nothing to gain if the world outlawed religion. People are stupid and will always be stupid. We'll find something new to kill each other over eventually.

If you don't harm (Mental or physical) more than 50% of the people you intend to help is that acceptable?

I don't see science can comfort a person more than religion can. In fact I don't see them on the same level. They are and will forever be separate things.

Science explains the things around us and Religion explains what we are and what we should be trying to achieve.

Some people apparently can't make the distinction between the two and they try to use one to prove or disprove the other.

There are tons of things humanity will never know no matter how elaborate a formula or religious description is.

If you take away the freedom of practicing a religion than you are taking away just that. A FREEDOM.

Stupid atheists see that a world ruled by religion is the worst thing that can happen and that in all its flaws will make the world worse off. How would a world without it be any different?

No one in the world will ever be perfect so the world will always be flawed.

If you want to lead an anti God or pro God campaign then be my guest. Just don't bitch and moan when you find out that you perfect world is just as evil, flawed, and filled with idiots as it used to be.

[Forever Atlas]

You guys talk about freedoms being taking away by governments like its never happened before (and now). That's including the U.S. government along with other so-called free worlds.

[Dantés de Divinity]

Originally Posted by Forever Atlas

You guys talk about freedoms being taking away by governments like its never happened before (and now). That's including the U.S. government along with other so-called free worlds.

Oh it’s happened before. Russia and Germany have shown us that. It was usually for a purpose though. All or nothing scenario. Taking away freedom of religion and just that freedom is idiotic and would serve no purpose and the amendment would be turned over just like with alcohol.

It would also be ironic for America to do so for the most part because the country was partially founded on freedom of religion.

Atheists only make up about 10% of the American population and out of that 10% I would assume that only around .3-1% of those people are public speakers and out of that almost no one would be as bold as to lead a campaign against religion to such an extent.

How many of the atheists on this site would go up in front of a crowd of people and try to convert a large protestant mass?

Not to mention that it would have to pass through congress and the president. And even at that the bill would go up against the Supreme Court to determine if it's constitutional. I would think that it's not, wouldn't you?

The public would be outraged. The drinking age being lowered to 10 has a better chance of being passed.

[Phoenix]

If you're opening argument is right, then religion is getting less and less powerful, so why would it be banned?

[Shade737]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

If you're opening argument is right, then religion is getting less and less powerful, so why would it be banned?

Well worse things has happened in history where one group puts down another group extremely and now since Religion's power is so called weakening then it would make it more vulnerable to such a thing.

[Dogenzaka]

If you start removing the freedoms countries like America bless us with, we'll just end up like the Soviet Union, North Korea, or other countries with miserable citizens and failing statuses.