Religion and Peace

[AJay]

Don't expect comments from me here. This is a survey I'm conducting and letting people debate on. I am tallying the results January 14th and within a week from then hopefully I will post the results on my VT blog as well as other places scattered across the internet.

Without religion would we be closer to world peace?

[kenoloor]

-deleted; my mistake-

[AJay]

Answer the question and debate.

[StoppingTime]

Honestly, if there was no religion, people would find other things to cause problems. So really, I don't think so.

[kenoloor]

I think that if all other variables were completely removed from the equation, yes, there would jbe fewer wars if religion didn't exist. Knowing humans, though, they'd find some other stupid idea to quarrel about.

[Modus Operandi]

Can you imagine a world without hypothetical questions?

Humans WILL manage to find something to get pissy over; removing religion won't change that.

[Genghis Khan]

Assuming ceterus paribus, yeah things would be that tiny bit more peaceful.

[scottnesss]

doubt it, human nature is to fight.

[Jupiter]

Honestly, if there was no religion, people would find other things to cause problems. So really, I don't think so.



this is the answer right here. honestly, if there was no religion.. then i feel that there might be some other problems.. because some people are only good because of religion. but, some people are fucked because of it. so, really.. it's a lose lose situation.

[kenoloor]

this is the answer right here. honestly, if there was no religion.. then i feel that there might be some other problems.. because very few* people are only good because of religion. but, most* people are fucked because of it. so, really.. it's a lose lose situation.

I took the liberty of correcting your post.

[Everyday Gamer]

No. I think without religion, people would replace that part of the brain with something just as debatable. It all comes down to "excuses" not religion.

[teenageapplelover]

If we all had the same beliefs, one religion rather than none, maybe we would be peaceful...on second thought, no, we fight within our own religions anyways. Human nature prevents world peace from being feasible.

[Genghis Khan]

I took the liberty of correcting your post.

You didn't correct it.

[Efflorescence]

this is the answer right here. honestly, if there was no religion.. then i feel that there might be some other problems.. because some people are only good because of religion. but, some people are fucked because of it. so, really. it's a lose lose situation.

This^.

I took the liberty of correcting your post.

No, dude.....the first time (just how Bogumil made it) was better, sorry.
More realistic.

I personally think that trying to remove religion would cause wars.
And anyway, there are hundreds of things that can very harmful if used in a bad way. It doesn't mean that just because something is sometimes used to fuel one's obsessions and cause shit, it in itself is a bad thing.
The Internet can cause harm if used in a bad way, even a knife etc. We just have to educate people so that they use religion well and not fuck it up to meet their own selfish needs.

[Azunite]

I'm tired of all this "Religion" topic.

Religions don't make wars. People who are stupid enough to misunderstand religions make wars.

[teenageapplelover]

I'm tired of all this "Religion" topic.

Religions don't make wars. People who are stupid enough to misunderstand religions make wars.
Truth.

[Allbutanillusion]

Honestly, if there was no religion, people would find other things to cause problems. So really, I don't think so.


I agree. people being the greedy, conceded, arrogant creatures that they are, I am sure that they would find something to fight over.

I'm tired of all this "Religion" topic.

Religions don't make wars. People who are stupid enough to misunderstand religions make wars.

That is well said, I agree.

Please don't double post, use the edit button - Kaius

[anonymous53]

No, I don't think so. Mainly because war brings power and makes certain people rich, there will always be war.

[Bharris13]

Religion is the excuse for war and terror. Without it another excuse would be in its place. Do not mistake religion as Christianity or Hinduism etc. as they are faiths. Most religion is evil and corrupting made up by men only, making their own rules and regulations in order to have power. This unfair representation of faith is a side effect of greed by people who want to gain wealth and power. Without it the same power hungry people would invent some other way to exploit people

[Maxxie]

Religion is not the root cause of all evil, but it certainly contributes.

Saying that if there was no religion there would be something else to take its place is akin to saying if there wasn't this type of dessert there would be this one. Because of bloody course there'd be another one, but getting rid of one heart attack inducing pound cake would certainly go a ways to reducing obesity.

(Poor analogy, but getting my point across.)

[gazazi1997]

As much as it pains me to say it (I'm a Christian), yes. There are people out there who take their religion too seriously and refuse to reason with someone who is of a different religion than them. Also, I know atheists who refuse to reason with someone who has a religion. I'm not saying I don't like religion or I don;t want it, but it adds a lot of confusion

[Gordo]

i don't think so. man will always find something to go to war for. Last year USA was in Iraq and Afghanistan, so there's two. Egypt, lybia and syria going nuts over the summer, war lords in africa, north korea and Iran don't like the USA, so something is brewing there. Then there is israel and iran, israel and palestinians.

Plus, war is big business.

[flumeendeavors]

In my opinion, not necessarily, because although religion has footed the cause for a good percentage of the wars that have happened around the world, it has also been the cause of peace and resolution in those wars. Some people are very ignorant about religion and choose to confront others based on their beliefs, but i believe that having something to believe in can and eventually will quiet the wars down, once we stop being so aggressive and ignorant about other people's beliefs and the fact that they dont always go along with our beliefs.

[PerpetualImperfexion]

Honestly, if there was no religion, people would find other things to cause problems. So really, I don't think so.

I think that if all other variables were completely removed from the equation, yes, there would jbe fewer wars if religion didn't exist. Knowing humans, though, they'd find some other stupid idea to quarrel about.

Can you imagine a world without hypothetical questions?

Humans WILL manage to find something to get pissy over; removing religion won't change that.

No. I think without religion, people would replace that part of the brain with something just as debatable. It all comes down to "excuses" not religion.

I believe the question was "Would we be closer to world peace", not would we have world peace. Although I do agree, we would find something to argue about, removing religion would make us that much closer though.

"With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion." - Steven Weinberg

In my opinion, not necessarily, because although religion has footed the cause for a good percentage of the wars that have happened around the world, it has also been the cause of peace and resolution in those wars. Some people are very ignorant about religion and choose to confront others based on their beliefs, but i believe that having something to believe in can and eventually will quiet the wars down, once we stop being so aggressive and ignorant about other people's beliefs and the fact that they dont always go along with our beliefs.

If you are talking about the middle east, I don't think its so much our problem with their beliefs as much as it is their problem with our beliefs. Their beliefs literally state that they have the right to fight anyone who does not hold their beliefs, so as to force their beliefs on that person or group of people. That's not the extend most people take it to, but unfortunately people tend to be extreme over something as simple as religious beliefs.

[antiabort]

I think if everyone became Buddhist or some other peaceful religion wars would be infrequent.

[PerpetualImperfexion]

I think if everyone became Buddhist or some other peaceful religion wars would be infrequent.

The same would be true if everyone became muslim, christian, atheist, or adopted any other believe. If everyone believed the same thing there would definitely be less war, in my opinion.

p.s. Yes I realize atheism is the absence of believe stfu I know.

[huginnmuninn]

i would go with buddhism as my first choice

[Genghis Khan]

i would go with buddhism as my first choice

Taoism's the one for me. It's a great philosophy. Although I don't associate myself with it, if I was to ever embrace religious philosophy it would be Taoist teachings.

[huginnmuninn]

Taoism's the one for me. It's a great philosophy. Although I don't associate myself with it, if I was to ever embrace religious philosophy it would be Taoist teachings.

tbh i dont know that much about taoism but from my 30 second google/wiki search i just took it seems like a good way to establish peace and has a good philosophy.

[antiabort]

tbh i dont know that much about taoism but from my 30 second google/wiki search i just took it seems like a good way to establish peace and has a good philosophy.

I've noticed that most eastern religions are like this... wonder why?