Is religion good or bad for humanity?

[Weasel]

This idea for a debate came to me after seeing our resident kindergartners/off-topic posters (@Rommel & @Sent) argue about something related to this in another debate.

Let me set something straight first: this thread is not about which religion you believe in, and also it's existance is not being debated. There are already enough threads about those subjects.

Even though it's a hard one to debate, the question itself is easy to understand. As the title says, is religion good or bad for humanity? I mean this in terms of freedom, progression, hope, well-being, etc. Let me give an example.

Most religions have supressed science for a long time. Without it, we made have progressed way further in terms of technology. However, religion also have laid down some basic "rules" for people on how to get along with eachother (don't turn this into a discussion about extremists, please). Believing in something gives some people hope and strength, which without it wouldn't have been there.

So, let's debate!

 

[MayoMayn]

Good:
Religion gives many people structure in their life, because they get RULES to follow.
Bad:
People believe in a religion for various reasons, most of the time, it's because they were forced to as a child. (mostly muslims)
Religion is an illusion, due to the reason it was created by humans themselves.
I.e Islam gets blamed for the terror and chaos caused by ISIS, when it's because the followers of ISIS, got a distorted version of the Quran.
CIA is responsible for funding ISIS.
Religion is an easy way for the government to control what they're allowed to do.
Even the worlds biggest corporations and government believes in a religion.

cba to explain further, just do some research.

You must be registered for see links

You must be registered for see links

 

[LeChris]

If people were capable of following basic rules (Don't kill, Don't be pricks, etc) without religion

It's also horrible due to the great limitations it set on science, I mean many great and knowledgeable people were murdered by Christians and other religions just for going against them (only to be proved correct later on). Religion is only good up until it goes past it basic rules and kills those against it.

A world without religion, but still following the basic guidelines set by it would be perfection

 

[Weasel]

Seems like some of you are misunderstanding the questions. It's not to discuss the good and bad things of religion, or what would be the perfect situation, but what the world would be like without it. For example this comment: "A world without religion, but still following the basic guidelines set by it would be perfection"

Yeah I understand that would be perfection, but what would make people follow the basic guidelines?

Please stay on-topic of the debate.

 

[LeChris]

Seems like some of you are misunderstanding the questions. It's not to discuss the good and bad things of religion, or what would be the perfect situation, but what the world would be like without it. For example this comment: "A world without religion, but still following the basic guidelines set by it would be perfection"

Yeah I understand that would be perfection, but what would make people follow the basic guidelines?

Please stay on-topic of the debate.

You don't understand your own topic. If it's a debate you're goal is to list the positives and negatives, as a great debater would acknowledge both exist. We't not here to discuss what it would be like without religion, because the topic isn't What would the world be like without religion but Is Religion Good Or Bad

 

[Weasel]

You don't understand your own topic. If it's a debate you're goal is to list the positives and negatives, as a great debater would acknowledge both exist. We't not here to discuss what it would be like without religion, because the topic isn't What would the world be like without religion but Is Religion Good Or Bad FOR HUMANITY

The part you left out is actually quite important. As I stated before, listing all the positives and negatives of religion isn't a debate. The definitions of "good" and "bad" are different for everyone, especially when it comes to religion. The purpose of this thread is to discuss if religion has been good for humanity or not. Like I said in my previous comment for example, if there was no religion, what would set some basic guidelines for humanity? If there were no basic guidelines that religion have set throughout time, would we have society or would everyone still follow their primal instincts?

Instead of being childish of the subject of the debate, you could have asked me to clarify the purpose of this debate.

 

[Ethereal]

I think humanity would have benefited greatly if religion had never come about, in my eyes, it stagnated thousands of years of possible scientific breakthrough and technological advancement. It essentially created the rejection of medical science and implanted the strange notion that we are a species that is unable to progress beyond the confines of nature.

From a different perspective, I suppose some religious teachings where beneficial in times and places where law wasn't enforced well. My thought: "A society with poor policing, but a strong belief in a compassionate entity is more likely to be themselves compassionate, much more so than society that believes in nothing but science."

 

[Markshall]

Bad, obviously.

 

[NeedForSpreed]

What's the point of religion? Religion is there to answer questions humans can't answer, "Does god exists?", we can never answer that question but religion can help us out. Who created the world? Who did what 2000 years ago? It helps us humans get answer to questions we can't answer ourselves. It's when manipulative people start manipulating retarded little kids, that religion becomes bad for humanity because apparently people have started abusing the term and meaning religion. Isis claiming to be muslims start killing people "under the name of allah", which all just makes 0 sense. Just like Sent mentioned, when people twist the rules of religion and the meaning of religions when religions becomes bad for humanity because those in power twist the rules to make em' fit them and fit the poorer less. So it's both good and bad for humanity! It's supposed to always be good though but retards make it bad

 

[griimnak]

In my eyes, religion should be your own philosophical ideology on life.
Life is a big mystery, or, our awareness of this life rather, is a big mystery. But no matter what, I think we've all had atleast one of those moments where we just stop in awe at the beauty of this existence we all share. It's something no machine, or object will ever be able to feel.

Once you enter this mindset, you appreciate woman for more than their body. You value all life, regardless of what it has done because you now feel mentally superior, because you are at peace with yourself, and that enemy aswell. One christian outlook on enemies that i really admire is the "Pray for your enemies" one, because in the end we are all fools if we are not building, loving and living. Everyone expires.

So is religion good? Yes. I think it should be your own philosophical ideology on life, not taken from some book or dependent on a story of "who is the truth? jesus or muhammed, buddha etc".

 

[ab0ve]

Bad, source of many conflicts on this world...

Religion will always remains because people need to believe on something.

 

[Marcel]

I grew up as Orthodox, but went through times where I didn't believe such things as a "God".
You for one, cannot come up with arguments against religion and not expect to be hit with a comeback or vise versa. As I normally say, God set the universe as a time watch and put it in start mode. Religion is religion, atheism is atheism. No one can change that, and it can't be changed. It's neither "bad" or "good".

Religion is what shapes people, by that I mean morals are given. These morals obviously depict your personality and your behaviour, so you can be shaped in a good way by religion, also by a bad way... for example, where in the bible where it says

“If a man lies with a male as with a women, both of them shall be put to death for their abominable deed; they have forfeited their lives.” (Leviticus 20:13 NAB)

Somehow the bible contradicts itself too, Thou Shall not Murder. The aim for a Christian is to put themselves in Christ's position, and to take it from there, what would He do. How about the fact that Christianity teaches not to rape? We still have people within our religion who commit this act of crime. Although, same goes for atheists. And if you personally think we'd be ahead and more advanced with technology, not at all matey. All scientists who have made us reach this point were devoted Christians (catholics) who practiced their faith whilst reasoning the world. E.g, my nigga who died a virgin, Isacc Newton. He continuously quotes God, even though the Church was going against him.

Anyway I think I've lost track and went off topic. Religion is good and bad. Atheism is good and bad.

 

[Kak]

obviously bad, have you seen isis?

 

[Haid]

obviously bad, have you seen isis?

ISIS use religion as a cover to push an ideology that is completely unrelated to said religion.
I think religion is such a positive thing for so many people who need it to get through struggles and bad times in their life and it's a shame that, what is in the big picture, such small pockets of people give it such negative stereotype. Not religious at all myself.

What annoys me is when anyone tries to push religion on me and the question "why don't you believe in god" is so annoying. It's not my job to prove he exists, it's yours.

 

[MayoMayn]

I grew up as Orthodox, but went through times where I didn't believe such things as a "God".
You for one, cannot come up with arguments against religion and not expect to be hit with a comeback or vise versa. As I normally say, God set the universe as a time watch and put it in start mode. Religion is religion, atheism is atheism. No one can change that, and it can't be changed. It's neither "bad" or "good".

Religion is what shapes people, by that I mean morals are given. These morals obviously depict your personality and your behaviour, so you can be shaped in a good way by religion, also by a bad way... for example, where in the bible where it says
Somehow the bible contradicts itself too, Thou Shall not Murder. The aim for a Christian is to put themselves in Christ's position, and to take it from there, what would He do. How about the fact that Christianity teaches not to rape? We still have people within our religion who commit this act of crime. Although, same goes for atheists. And if you personally think we'd be ahead and more advanced with technology, not at all matey. All scientists who have made us reach this point were devoted Christians (catholics) who practiced their faith whilst reasoning the world. E.g, my nigga who died a virgin, Isacc Newton. He continuously quotes God, even though the Church was going against him.

Anyway I think I've lost track and went off topic. Religion is good and bad. Atheism is good and bad.

Religion is only good for one sole purpose: structure of life

Other than that, religious people are just naive.
The only close thing to something related to that or of any kind is spirituality.

Wouldn't surprise me if some douchebag named Jesus was some schizophrenia kid who heard voices and thought some kind of "God" was speaking to him. You never know, it might aswell be the truth, or he would be a magician.

 

[Marcel]

"Religious people are naive"
Wouldn't it be the other way around, I have a religion, that'd be something more than not having a religion.

Well yeah that's the thing, Jesus has been proven to have existed and walked on Earth. As well as His tomb, which still exists and the people that followed Him, proven to have existed as well.

"Wouldn't surprise me if some douchebag named Jesus was some schizophrenia kid who heard voices and thought some kind of "God" was speaking to him."

One last thing, Jesus is God. So don't say crap which doesn't even fit in correctly.

Anyway we shouldn't be getting off topic.

 
"Religious people are naive"
Wouldn't it be the other way around, I have a religion, that'd be something more than not having a religion.

Well yeah that's the thing, Jesus has been proven to have existed and walked on Earth. As well as His tomb, which still exists and the people that followed Him, proven to have existed as well.

"Wouldn't surprise me if some douchebag named Jesus was some schizophrenia kid who heard voices and thought some kind of "God" was speaking to him."

One last thing, Jesus is God. So don't say crap which doesn't even fit in correctly.

Anyway we shouldn't be getting off topic.

 

[griimnak]

"Religious people are naive"
Wouldn't it be the other way around, I have a religion, that'd be something more than not having a religion.

Well yeah that's the thing, Jesus has been proven to have existed and walked on Earth. As well as His tomb, which still exists and the people that followed Him, proven to have existed as well.

"Wouldn't surprise me if some douchebag named Jesus was some schizophrenia kid who heard voices and thought some kind of "God" was speaking to him."

One last thing, Jesus is God. So don't say crap which doesn't even fit in correctly.

Anyway we shouldn't be getting off topic.

 
"Religious people are naive"
Wouldn't it be the other way around, I have a religion, that'd be something more than not having a religion.

Well yeah that's the thing, Jesus has been proven to have existed and walked on Earth. As well as His tomb, which still exists and the people that followed Him, proven to have existed as well.

"Wouldn't surprise me if some douchebag named Jesus was some schizophrenia kid who heard voices and thought some kind of "God" was speaking to him."

One last thing, Jesus is God. So don't say crap which doesn't even fit in correctly.

Anyway we shouldn't be getting off topic.

Perhaps i need to read the entire Bible to know the context but John 3:16 states that Jesus is the son of God.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
source:

You must be registered for see links

Anyways that whole argument of who is God etc is irrelevant to this thread:

Let me set something straight first: this thread is not about which religion you believe in, and also it's existance is not being debated. There are already enough threads about those subjects.

Even though it's a hard one to debate, the question itself is easy to understand. As the title says, is religion good or bad for humanity? I mean this in terms of freedom, progression, hope, well-being, etc. Let me give an example.

 

[Marcel]

Perhaps i need to read the entire Bible to know the context but John 3:16 states that Jesus is the son of God.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
source:

You must be registered for see links

Anyways that whole argument of who is God etc is irrelevant to this thread:

Yeah its irrelevant, and yeah Christianity is confusing when you get into it. It's the Holy Trinity, the father the son and the holy spirit, and all three are one. So when God said I'm going to send my son down onto Earth, He just sent himself down in human form and had a ciggi with the lads.
Just search up is Jesus God himself and you should find heaps of results to read upon.

 

[JayC]

Religion is a way for people to cope with things such as the loss of a loved one, or their own death. Each religion in the end has a way to make people feel more comfortable about life (Reincarnation, Heaven, etc.)

 

[LeChris]

Religion is a way for people to cope with things such as the loss of a loved one, or their own death. Each religion in the end has a way to make people feel more comfortable about life (Reincarnation, Heaven, etc.)

The topic isn't what religion is and used for - it's if it's good for humanity.

As pointed above, no as it puts in barriers and prevents moving forward with innovation