time to renounce religion..

[uzziel49]

Big Tone, don't confuse the religious establishment with God. It's 2 different things entirely. Just because some misguided church folks did something several hundred years ago that we can now judge to be wrong and grossly ignorant in the light of our current knowledge doesn't mean that there is no basis for a life of faith today. One should always be wary when viewing historical acts through the lens of modernity, since it will always colour the scene.....

Faith and science will always be a distance apart. Science needs absolutes in order to base its theories on. Faith by definition cannot exist where only absolutes are found, since faith is the reliance on the unproven.

Back to the original question :- Ban religion? Sure, why not. A ban enforced by the state presumably, since it can hardly be enforced by the Church (of whatever denomination or religion). And what would be the next thing the state would tell us not to think, eh?

1984, anyone?

 

[sooey]

Back to the original question :- Ban religion? Sure, why not. A ban enforced by the state presumably, since it can hardly be enforced by the Church (of whatever denomination or religion). And what would be the next thing the state would tell us not to think, eh?

No one mentioned banning religion, that would be ridiculous. People should be free to believe whatever fairy story floats their boat. Teaching it to kids as fact on the other hand, should be banned. Schools should be secular and people should be allowed to make their own minds up as to what they believe when they are old enough to do so.

 

[uzziel49]

Since we don't know what the origins of creation are, why can't our educators teach that? There's nothing wrong with saying "We don't know....". It would be a falsehood to teach otherwise. Give people the facts and the options and let them decide for themselves. Otherwsie they're just as guilty as the condemners of Gallileo, forming the universe in their own image with no tolerance or respect for any other view.

P.S. Did you know that secularism is also a religion....? A religion is simply a set of beliefs that determine the way that we view existance and our place in it. Secularism is just as much a religion as any recognised faith. In fact, it's all faith. One man's faith in a Godless creation is just as much a faith as another man's insistance in a God-inspired creation. No difference, 'cos there's as yet no definite proof either way!

 

[Big Tone]

I could argue that Atheism is the oldest of all ‘religions’; certainly a lot newer that that new one called Christianity.

 

[skitzee2k]

I could argue that Atheism is the oldest of all ‘religions’; certainly a lot newer that that new one called Christianity.

You could also argue that breathing is the oldest religion....or blinking...none are religions so they would all be equal in merit.

 

[Big Tone]

Hmm, you kinda lost me there if I’m honest Skitzee. Those are biological functions whereas religions are not.

BTW thanks for not picking up on my deliberate mistake. I meant Atheism is older than those new religions like Christianity of course.

 

[skitzee2k]

I knew what you meant.

Well, what I was pointing out that breathing, and blinking are really not religions, the same as atheism is not a religion...so saying that blinking is the oldest religion is just as accurate as saying that atheism is the oldest religion.

 

[Big Tone]

Gotcha!

 

[skitzee2k]

Religions have doctrine.

 

[uzziel49]

Religions only have formal doctrines when a person or persons get around to documenting them.

Atheists believe that there is no God, and base their approach to life around that belief. Therefore, since a religion is simply a belief system, Atheism can be said to be a religion.

No subject like religion to get a good debate going!

 

[sooey]

Atheists believe that there is no God, and base their approach to life around that belief. Therefore, since a religion is simply a belief system, Atheism can be said to be a religion.

You are confusing LACK of belief with belief.

 

[skitzee2k]

Well the debate will be short. A religion is a belief system with a doctrine.

Atheist from the term 'a theos' simply means without god. It is not a belief. Like bald is not a hair colour. A doctrine doesn't mean written down either. It is about a common code.

Also atheists don't tend to live life by their non belief in god... in the same way you don't live your life by your non belief in cheese goblins.

 

[uzziel49]

There is neither proof that God exists, nor proof that God does not exist. Atheism is a belief system. It's a belief that God doesn't exist.

Are you saying that Atheists don't believe in anything, they just not believe in things?

 

[skitzee2k]

There is neither proof that God exists, nor proof that God does not exist. Atheism is a belief system. It's a belief that God doesn't exist.

Are you saying that Atheists don't believe in anything, they just not believe in things?

I am saying that atheists don't believe in gods. That is all.

 

[uzziel49]

I do live my life according to my non-belief in cheese goblins. If I did believe in them it would probably affect my attitude towards cheese, or whatever else these mythical cheese goblins correspond to. But because I don't believe in cheese goblins it still affects my attitude towards those things, but probably in an opposite manner.

Whatever we do or do not believe affects the way we interact with the world around us. What we don't believe is just as powerful in that context as what we do believe.