Does religion give people better morality?

[MetalHeadz]

The question was posed in Richard Dawkins' most recent publication,' The God Delusion' and I'm wondering what people think.

I don't want to shine too much light on what I actually believe until I've heard what others have to say, but some points to consider:

-What principles are included in religious texts and whether they are relevant or beneficial to todays society.

-Are some religions 'ok' and others bad?

-Is there a point at which religious belief becomes detremental? Fundamentalism/Extremism?

-What acts are done in the name of religion. Terrorism, political agendas and charity are good examples to focus on.

-Other possibilities for our understanding of good, bad and morality.

-If you conclude that we do not derrive morality from religion, does religion serve any purpose?

Note, this isn't the typical 'Science vs. Religion' debate, it's more about the wider social impacts of religion.

[RednaZ]

Write your own papers

[NewbOfTW]

Write your own papers

Makes sense now ^^

[Pressure Drop]

no

[Galleleo]

If religion works for you, all the more to ya. Just keep it the fuck out of my face.

[Liquid Blue]

Write your own papers

lol

[Ronn]

Well Christianity was basically abolished during the sixties and now compare the morals of our society with say the 1950s, id say the morals have taken a massive downward turn.



Defeated Christianity ^

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False...peace_sign.htm

[Galleleo]

For the Dutchies:

De intocht van Jesus Christus in Amsterdam. It's a parody on the bible which takes place in Amsterdam in 2004. It has stuff like van Gogh incorporated into it. Extremely funny.

[Da1andonly]

This is Displaceds religion.

[Money]

Write your own papers

haha owned

[MetalHeadz]

Lol, I wish I got essays like this :turned:

My opinion on the matter is that no, we gain nothing for religion in terms of values or principles. I believe that morality is something achieved by evolution through a process called 'reciprocol kinship'. In previous stages of the human race; tribes which were good to eachother (e.g. shared food, ate tics of others backs) were more likely to survive than those tribes who were selfish. This basically means that we are a race of people made up of tribes who were good to eachother (keep in mind that this is social evolution and would have been a process over millenia). We intrinsically associate being good with something beneficial and being bad with being destructive because 'Apes' with 'bad' principles were automatically predisposed with a less likely chance to survive. Also see 'selfish gene' theory.

There's the science behind it, now for the consequences.

Well, surely if we don't derrive morality from religion then it can be deemed worthless in societal terms. But the fact of the matter is, it's actually detremental. Religion goes against the good of our evolutionary predisposition by enforcing a fundamental consciousness to the way people view their daily lifes. The twin towers weren't collapsed by atheists and neither did atheists nuke Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Nationstates are now coping with the fundamental mismatch in the principles of religious extremism (predominantly in the monotheistic religions admittedly) and genuine humanity. Unfortunately such fundamentalism is not being tackled with intelligent diplomacy but with more religiously fuelled militarism. It's the mindsight of the religious fundamentalist that they are unquestionably correct which is so irrational and breeds a sense of moral arrogance almost. Moreover anyone who weilds guns and bombs who believes they will be met by 72 virgins (in Islam's case) or just plain old heaven (in Christianity's case) on the condition of martyrdom is surely dangerous. But it's not just terrorism, it's the more social aspects of religion which are perhaps even more contemptable.

Is it any surprise that religious followers think in such ways? Homosexuality is forbidden and punishable by death in Christianity and Islam. Women are seen and always referred to as a secondary gender throughout the bible, see wedding vows. The Qu'ran, specifically jihad, advocates the stoning of adulterers and execution of atheists. Not the principles of people I want to be associated with in any fuckin' way thank you very much. Unfortunately figureheads in such religious groups corrupt the minds of children into believing this century old shite, they don't allow independent thinking. Does God not like free thinkers?

I laugh at the blushes of moderates. Fuck religion.

[Bioture]

sounds like a lot of bullshit using big words. you'll do just fine.

[Ronn]

Hey what about the 60,000,000 million people killed by Communist Russia? They were athiests and so was Nazi Germany. The thing about people killing eachother because of religion is an illusion (catholics muslims are pagans therefore dont count).

You want to talk about women being second class etc and then you want to talk about evoltionary psycology LOL?!?! Throughout the history of mankind women have been making babies staying in the home and "second class" this does NOT make them lesser or give men the right to treat them so, diffrent but equal! muslims stone women PAGANS!

Unfortunately figureheads in such religious groups corrupt the minds of children into believing this century old shite, they don't allow independent thinking. Does God not like free thinkers?

The current trend my friend is Athieism the only non free thinkers at the moment are the ones that follow these wishy washy false trends. Athiests believe anything they hear from an old man just because he has a posh english accent talks about "science & evolution" and is on tv pouring out propaganda. If you want to follow the trends and not think for yourself do so but dont say religion brainwashes people when you are clearly brainwashed yourself.

Live in your imoral world, please help it "evolve" eventhough its going backwards...have fun in hell!


1 John 4:7, 11-12

Love not the world neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the father, but is of the world.

[deathking]

Hey what about the 60,000,000 million people killed by Communist Russia? They were athiests and so was Nazi Germany.

Hitler was definitely not atheist, neither was Nazi Germany. He spoke positively about Christianity and his heritage.

besides, there are mass murders everywhere, it depends on people's moral conscience, not religion. Murder of populations of jerusalem by Crusaders? Holy wars? acts of terror?

Paganism and Islam were religions last time i checked. There are extreme cults in every religion, and so it's unfair to sterotype because of few individuals. Christianity might be your faith, but its def not the only religion.

It is the your and other ignorant peoples' bigotry that set the world apart, not fundamental religious beliefs.

[MetalHeadz]

sounds like a lot of bullshit using big words. you'll do just fine.

Didn't understand? You shoulda just piped up sunshine.