Religon not as bad as you may think.

[§treet_§peed]

for one, i am partly religious. IMO I do think life was better when more religion was around. My grandparents would tell me about the times when you could leave your doors unlocked or even open and never have to worry about someone breaking in or trying anything. A long time ago you could trust people, these days its hard to trust your own friends even if you have known them for years. Now I'm not saying some have not gone over board with religions. Because that is evident from the past. All I am simple saying, was it not a better time and place when you could trust a complete stranger with your life, to now where it's hard to trust a close friend with a with a pile of shit? Just seems like a few things where better when more religion was around. There have always been bad people in the world, extremest, and what not. It just seems a few things where better off than they are today considering your more likely to get put down for believing than saying there is nothing. Just food for thought.

[qwick]

I think it might have more to do with society changing than it does with there being more or less religion in comparison from now to then. :2cents:

[speedminded]

for one, i am partly religious. IMO I do think life was better when more religion was around. My grandparents would tell me about the times when you could leave your doors unlocked or even open and never have to worry about someone breaking in or trying anything. A long time ago you could trust people, these days its hard to trust your own friends even if you have known them for years. Now I'm not saying some have not gone over board with religions. Because that is evident from the past. All I am simple saying, was it not a better time and place when you could trust a complete stranger with your life, to now where it's hard to trust a close friend with a with a pile of shit? Just seems like a few things where better when more religion was around. There have always been bad people in the world, extremest, and what not. It just seems a few things where better off than they are today considering your more likely to get put down for believing than saying there is nothing. Just food for thought.Religion has been the sole reason of crimes for thousands of years.

Ever heard of the gruesome crimes of gangsters, mobster's, and outlaws in the 20' & 30's? Especially during and after the depression. Can't blame that on video games & TV or lack of religion.

I lived in Dahlonega for nearly 20 years and my family never locked the house door unless we were out of town for the weekend or vacation. The murder rate today is as low as they were in the late 60's with it being over 50% higher in 1980 & 1990 then 1969 and 2000-2007.

http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/uscrime.htm

It comes down to the parental skills, religion or not. You don't need to have faith to know the difference between right and wrong, be nice & respectful to others, be there for those in need, etc.

Since the 70's, 80's, 90's, etc. people feel they need more than their neighbor. The desire to have more: bigger house, better cars, etc. leads people to working more and spending less time with their family's, no parents lead kids to growing up doing whatever they want.

[Bruce Leroy]

If you can't trust your friends, then you need to get new ones.

[§treet_§peed]

Lol i can trust my friends. i got rid of the ones i couldn't trust. i was just using that as an analogy and an example. More or less morals have gone to shit...

[ahabion]

It comes down to the parental skills, religion or not. You don't need to have faith to know the difference between right and wrong, be nice & respectful to others, be there for those in need, etc.

Since the 70's, 80's, 90's, etc. people feel they need more than their neighbor. The desire to have more: bigger house, better cars, etc. leads people to working more and spending less time with their family's, no parents lead kids to growing up doing whatever they want.

You have faith in something... if not religion, then faith in yourself, spouse, kids, family, friends... like all things, they'll let you down. Then where will your faith turn to?

I think Speed Street does have a point though in many ways though, even if it was the cause of many major wars through our worlds past, religion has brought us some sense of morality. Not to say everyone who doesn't have a religion don't, but like all things, it only takes a few bad apples to spoil the whole bunch. Faith is present, like it or not.

[afwfjustin]

Yes, morals have gone to shit, and I see what you're saying, but if a person needs religion to be moral than they are a sheepish moron. You can be moral and good without religion, too. Most people are just "average" in the smarts department, and let's face it: average isn't too smart. Most people just follow along with whatever is going around.

For example, a white "ghetto" acting kid in a rural area like middle America (those little towns you see when you're on a road trip and stop for gas in bumblefuck) try to act hard and might light a house on fire. Or, those black kids that live down my street (I'm the only white person in my neighborhood) that look at me weird, and always are outside no matter what time of the night it is, are probably selling drugs. However, we know that most black people are religious; even the most badass gangster ones are religious. These people can have sick twisted morals. People can interpret the bible completely different than another group.

There are no religious standards because there are so many religions. If you're thinking "back in the 50's" then yes, it was more standardized because most everyone was the same. Now, America is even more diversified and things like the internet make people crazy.

In conclusion, you're making a false analogy. It isn't directly religion that makes people good. Religion isn't holding someone back from being a sick, twisted weirdo that wants to violate your sister. They either want to do it or are the type of person that just stands back from afar, with all of his friends, and says "damn, I'd like a piece of that!"

Get my point?

Oh, and I'm a raging atheist :)

[ahhmyek]

If I'm not mistaken religion was started to do almost exactly what has been brought up here. "Religion is an opiate of the masses"-dont remember who said it but it was said. I can definately see where there would be less crime and more people with stronger morals if everyone followed their (if one) religion as it tells them to carry out their life. I personally was raised in baptist church and grew up best friends with a ministers son who is going on to become a preacher himself. I do not consider myself a member of any religion but I do beleive in humanity and karma to a point. Anyone ever experienced what people call "cali love" when in california or "southern charm" here in georgia? If you have then you have experienced humanity. The part of religons that get me are the people that are hipocrits and dont actually practice what they say they believe.

[BanginJimmy]

Religion and morals are not in any way connected. In the years after WWII the Vatican ran a set of safe houses, churches, from Germany to Italy to help Nazi's under indictment for war crimes, escape Europe. They provided new identities and money then arranged transportation, mostly to S. America where there was a very strong pro-German sentiment.

[ahabion]

I guess morals wouldn't be the proper terminology then... maybe more like "values" or "ethics"?

[Paul]

sorry but religion is the ruination of society - religion has been used to control and enslave people since the beginning of time. it has done far worse things for our world than man himself.

the problem with today's society is the extremes of views - left/right wing, conservative, extremists, etc. once these are allow to breed it creates a state of instability. the only thing that can restore order in this world is mass control (communism or the 2nd coming of christ)

[ISAtlanta300]

sorry but religion is the ruination of society



Wrong. Religion has been USED to ruin societies. But it has also been used to create moral laws, those same laws that you live and abide to these days.



the problem with today's society is the extremes of views - left/right wing, conservative, extremists, etc



I agree on this :goodjob:

[Paul]

Wrong. Religion has been USED to ruin societies. But it has also been used to create moral laws, those same laws that you live and abide to these days.


i fixed your quotes again (see attachment below for how to)


morals are created by your peers so religion still isn't needed.

[ISAtlanta300]

i fixed your quotes again (see attachment below for how to)


morals are created by your peers so religion still isn't needed.


thx for the quote fixin'.... imma fix you a beer next time I see you.. :goodjob:

i'm talking about society's laws, i.e. no murder, no bigamy, no stealing etc.

We could have just as easily applied eye for an eye law, justified killings etc, just like certain tribes do.

But religion was 'used' to create most of the moral laws, or code of conduct that 'civilized' society abide by today.

[zimabog]

civilized society doesnt let rapiests forcibly marry the women they rape though. guess civilized society isnt religious enough to obey that one.

[Paul]

But religion was 'used' to create most of the moral laws, or code of conduct that 'civilized' society abide by today.

it was used to enslave people and justify it by using its moral standards... the rise of Christianity was pretty brutal; during the beginnings of the fall of the roman empire is when Christianity was starting to create uprising against the state - which then began to persecute them but politicians figured out Christianity was the perfect tool to enslave the masses... later Christian teachings are set into law and the Empire is on a slope to destruction as the Church rises :goodjob:

we were far more civilized before induction of mass religion into society; there normally was a class system and people abide by those laws w/o question. greed + power has ruined modern religions.