>Comments are welcome and may be added.<


Religion's Misplaced Role in Society

One does not have to look far to see the impact religion has on the majority of the world's population. People in all cultures have developed beliefs, practices, and lifestyles that revolve around the “unseen reality” in some way. Despite the popularity of such beliefs, advancements in scientific thinking and the development of the Internet as a way to spread knowledge has rendered religion unnecessary.

In the not-so-distant past, people had very little knowledge of natural processes. People did not know what caused lightning, volcanic eruptions, or even rainbows. As a result, they devised elaborate myths to explain these occurrences; when a god was mad at “his” people, “he” threw lightning bolts down, or the rainbow is the visible reminder of “his” promise that “he” will never destroy the Earth again with rainstorms and floods.

Attachment 41569

In the modern era, however, information is readily available. Explanations about nearly any natural phenomenon can be found through research. Sadly, religions are behind the curve in accepting demonstrated science. Many religions reject the idea of human evolution because it contradicts their scripture. Proponents of these religions then try to influence what subjects are taught in school: they try to insert “Intelligent Design” as an alternative to evolution. This line of thinking is not only ignorant because it ignores facts about reality, but it is dangerous because it promotes dogmatic acceptance of claims which have no supporting evidence.

Another realm in which religion claims to have the upper hand is that of morality. Religious people say that science cannot answer moral questions, science cannot answer the question of what we “ought” to do, and it can help us achieve only what we choose to do. It is often thought that science cannot answer questions about good and evil because science deals with “facts” and morality deals with values. The truth is, the alleged separation between science and human values is an illusion. If morality is thought of not as an objective universal truth but as facts about the well-being of conscious creatures, then science plays an integral part.

We know there is a continuum of human happiness, ranging from abject poverty to satiated comfort. We know that there are right and wrong answers to how to move across this space. The only assumption one must make when embracing the secular moral system is that morality is linked to the well-being of humans, and possibly all other conscious creatures. Religious proponents make the claim that without an “objective” moral system coming from a god, any one person's opinion is just as valid as anyone else's.

One other important religious argument that must be addressed is that the question of *why*, in the objective sense, human flourishing is important. Due to the top-down, authoritarian nature of religious morals, it is difficult to understand this aspect of secular morality. A person's moral system might find it okay to torture children, and we other humans have no right to question it because that would be imposing our subjective opinions on him. The fact is, if someone's definition of morality does not include at least the well-being of all humans, then I do not know why the word morality is used. If the universe is indifferent to our existence—and the evidence points to that--then it is our job as humans to design societies in such a way that maximizes human flourishing and limits human suffering as much as possible.

Attachment 41570

If people can accept the link between morality and human flourishing, then the problems religious people have with accepting secular morals will be nullified. Horrendous acts such as suicide bombings would not occur. If people would abandon their religions and embrace worldviews grounded in evidence, they would not be brainwashed into believing they will be tortured forever if they do not please a deity, will see the world as it actually is, and future scientific efforts to improve quality of life will have fewer obstacles.

Excellent points. I think over time this thinking will become mainstream. Its progressed so far already and will continue to spread. I do hope that in its acceptance, that humans keep in tact the belief in a higher power, but a good, just and morale higher power and don't become a world of atheistic, empty souls in a poor attempt to combine science and religion.

And we wonder why society has gotten to such a poor level. When religion goes, so does society. There is always a god, be it a real God, or man or government or science. What we worship and how we worship is the only issues.

My brother-in-law raised his daughters without any religious or secular moral or ethical training, believing they would pick this up as they matured. Of course, it never happened despite attempts by teachers. As young adults they have no boundaries regarding keeping themselves or anyone else safe and out of trouble. Now they each have two small children from four different men, no real mothering/parenting instincts (since none were modeled for them) and I fear for those children.

The book you wrote as comments is interesting. However, there is God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. I am a Christian, and do know that the family, as part of the American way of life, is disappearing, from what I knew. I am 70 yrs old. Many, many children in the US don't live with a father, and the mother is taking care of them.
Religion will never die, as many, many people, worldwide will continue to believe in God, Pray, and attend church. I do wish you the best, and May God Bless you as He has me. Happy New Year.