It is the human (sin) nature to declare one’s own superiority and assume authority and mastery over others weaker or less motivated than ourselves. And it is only the ethical and moralistic values (inspired by religion) that hold back this basest of human instincts, without which no society or eco-system can long survive.
What would it be like … a world without religion … a world without a future beyond our mundane human existence … a world where death leads to nothingness? What would constrain us from exercising, or attempting to exercise, our perceived superiority over the rest of society? Perhaps apathy for anything outside our own sphere of influence. Perhaps a self-imposed or superficial concern for our fellow man. But certainly not a fear of an eternity after death, for the only fear would be the death event itself, one that we will all equally face.
Atheists dream of such a society and call it utopia. Their proponents seek it as the “secular” alternative unbound by religious precepts and doctrines, and where morality and ethics are whatever the authority, not necessarily the majority, say they are and subject to change at the whim of that authority. Could atheism then be a tool whereby the perceived “fittest” have removed the societal controls that constrain them? Without question atheism, by its lack of consistent individual direction, does have the effect of increased lawlessness and wanton behavior among individuals and society as a whole. In other words … what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine to take … the odds of getting away with it are vastly in my favor. Isn’t that todays headline?
Regardless of one’s personal beliefs, the ethical and moral constraints imposed by religion generally have the effect of creating a societal standard that is more equitable and peaceable among and between all people groups than a secular “do as you please” form of society. Of course we must keep watch for those who would manipulate religion for their own personal gain. Even so, religion and its eternal precepts are essential to our survival.
Gary Morgan
Manson, NC
I posit that religion creates a ‘Perhaps a self-imposed or superficial concern for our fellow man.’ Are people who do good in order to achieve eternal paradise or to avoid eternal punishment really good? Or are they working to their own ends?
Atheism doesn’t make a person more prone to violence or lawlessness than being religious. In fact, there are many things certain religions that teach evil and encourage evil but label those things ‘righteous in the eyes of god.’
D,
You re correct and actually supporting my point of view.
The point being is that the premise behind religion provides a compassionate standard to follow in treating our fellow man. Good works in your own words are “good”. Religion also provides an unaccepable consequence for misbehavior (e.g., criminal activity). The belief in a hell and eternal torment is very compelling.
Atheism on the other hand (which by the way IS a belief system or perhap even the religion of non-belief) promotes, by the removal of a most unacceptable consequence, living solely to appease ones own appetites. And no matter what you believe, that can’t really be argued. Example: If only 10% of the people refuse to commit a particular evil/sin because of their religious belief in hell, then that belief system has had a positive effect on society.
Also, you are right about the horrors that have been done in the name of religion, but in fact they were caused by people using religion as a cover and not religion itself. You see it in churches today and within non-religious organizations. But many many more horrors have been committed by athiests when you consider just two (Stalin & Mao). There are many more such athiests and when you consider them on the scales of justice the body count is probably 1000:1
To not believe is your right. But to deny that unbelief has a negative impact on society is a position based on emotion and not reason.
Gary Morgan this is the mantra as penned by John Lennon in 1971.
Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace
You, you may say
I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A *********** of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world
You, you may say
I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will live as one
If we lived in this world in 1980 John might still be here as would George Harrison. Sorry to say this, over the eons of human history more people have been killed, murdered, maimed in the name of some mythical god than for any other single reason including natural disasters.
Anonymous,
Nice song. I too am a dreamer and dream of a similar world. But in the depths of these words there is the requirement for an ethical and moralistic foundation that produces the heart to live out the life encompassed within the words. That means “structure” and a “code of conduct”. Even John Lennon knew that as his words “I hope some day you’ll join us” indicates. What’s he asking us to join? Simple answer: He’s asking that we join his religion with it’s standards and rules.
There is a world where these things will be realized, and we are being prepared for it here on earth. At least some are. And it is heaven. I have a saying …. you can’t know until you know!”.
I happen to know, and by asking sincerely, you can know too.
Not much of a Lennon fan are you. Lennon was asking us to imagine a place where things that divide people (religion, possessions, etc.) did not exist. He felt that would be a much better place.
Dreams may be nice, but reality exists, we need to accept it and try to improve it.
I believe what Mr. Morgan is trying to say is that as a whole we are much better off being followers of Christianity and the moral standards it provides than choosing a path that will not allow for one to walk within the boundaries of a somewhat righteous life. That if people feared the Lord we would not be seeing many of the problems we have today. People would care more for their fellow man and so forth. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Psalm 25:14: The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.
Why should you fear a god of love and peace that you profess is the christian god. How many witches were killed by followers of good christians? Galileo discovered two moons circling the planet Mars which was not circling earth and upon threat of death by followers of good christians he had to alter his observations. If you must fear a god of love and peace what should be your reaction to a god of hate?
Anonymous,
If you can separate yourself from (A) man’s actions and (B) the focus (point) of Christianity, you’ll be able to see that the error lies not in the religion but in the sinful man. Religion puts restraints (legal and spiritual) on the sin nature which is better than no restraints.
Gary what are you saying?
Early man invented religion and gods to answer questions such as why the sun and the moon. Man invented religion and gods to explain floods, volcanoes, droughts, lightening, earthquakes, the stars, clouds, winds, the visible planets and the list goes. Man invented religion and gods to explain diseases spawn by bacteria and parasites, cancer, death, plagues, meteors, and more. Man invented religion and gods to explain what happens after death and where babies came from. Man invented the word sin to establish religious legal and spiritual restraint on human endeavors.
I have separated myself from man’s invention of religion and sin and did so without adding mythical deities or gods.