Religion's (Particularly Christianity) place in modern society

Now now, I don't want anyone to start a war about whether religion sucks or not, okay?
And before you post, remember that religion is what stopped peeopl from killing each other all the time.

So the question is:

Does Religion have its place in modern society?


My opinion:

As much as religion helps in society, with charity and other stuff, I still think its getting ridiculous. The good thing about religion is moral, THAT is the useful part.
However, the Church keeps rejecting things which modern society has the common sense to accept, like condoms, etc... And they keep insisting on their own version of human history and the like, which anyone with decent common sense can realise is a story from which you learn a lesson.

What I think is Religion will eventually die out, silently. And when that is gone, hopefully new ways of thinking will emerge. Ones more based on moral, a bit like Boudhism (a "peaceful" way of thinking) but with less reality defying acts.
The thing is, humanity, for a few hundred years or so, has been advancing at an exponantial rate. At some point, if we don't have "moral" conscience, than something bad will happen and the world might/will go bad, and possibly even more violent.

People are starting to not think of consequences, like certain polluting companies. Governments are turning corrupt, and/or basically bad.

If I was a member of any church, I would insist on both scientific and theological versions being taught, and make sure the students know what facts belong to which version.

IMO, religion should definitely remain in some form or another until the end of human history, but it definitely needs to loosen its grip it sphere of influence. Records, documents, scripture, etc. should definitely remain until the end of human history.

Strict religions need to move from being dogmas to being sets of good morals. Devout followers can remain strict, but shouldn't scold anybody for not being so. Honestly, devout followers should be able to be fine with others not being strict, and only provide slight reminders. Purposely long-winded, annoying, I-am-totally-holier-than-thou slight reminders that are intended to be comical. Then they should get serious and acknowledge the practical and not-so-practical aspects of being strict.

People need to realize that the earth has long had its bounds defined, and we are dangerously dancing on them. I believe that religion can help with that, but there are also other ways. I'm rather sure that religion is one of the more popular ways.

• A (pretty) religious way to put it is that we are ruining the gift we have been given by our creator(s). The reason we are finding less and less evidence of Him/Her/them is that we have not taken care of their gift. S/He/They is/are losing hope in us.
• A non-religious way to put it is that the earth has long since been infinite. We are literally poisoning the world, and we are leaving our children to cope with it. Carpe diem isn't an infinitely repeatable process.

This is a subject with so many different and detailed views, my own personal opinoins on religion are quote long, but i would like to consider justified. I wouldn't want to type it all out but I might make a short sound file explaining it, if I can be bothered. Watch this space for an edit really soon.

As long as religion is no more than helping people in many different ways (education, charity, etc...) there is no matter.

But churches and sects keep putting their shoes in everything. Politics, for example. I am a "member" of the Catholic Church, but I won't go to masses any more because clerics are using their religious potency to control us to do even exaggerate things. (For example they tell us who to vote in the referendum).

Sects (for exampe Jehova's Witnesses) are worse: they even have agents who keep coming to us, ringing our door bell and saying "Why don't you join?"

At least nowadays, things like Science are proving that most of what religions have said over the past forever is incorrect. I think that eventually religion will die out too.

Also, if you go to a mass, for me it seems like everyone there is wasting their time doing meaningless chants and eating a piece of processed something that doesn't even remotely resemble bread. This is why I made confirmation class my worst enemy, so now I get to stay at home while my parents and sister go to church.

The main problem with religions is that so many contradictions are appearing. Somewhere around 65% (saw it on an official-looking website) of Americans believe in creationism. (For those of you who don't know what that is, that is where one day the world was empty and then *pop* a whole crapload of everything living appeared suddenly.) Meanwhile, scientists are finding tons of evidence supporting evolutionism, which currently only about 25% of Americans believe in.

There are other examples, but I agree with Will. Religion will eventually outlive its purpose. But another question arises: will science eventually turn into a religion of some sorts to fill the void?

Well, religion keeps things in check, morally. When we didn't have a clear cut answer to anything, we created things, and had faith and believed in them. Science can only prove so much. So the Big Bang created the universe... but what created the big bang, and further more, what was there before the universe? ETC.

Really, religion isn't that out of hand. Yes, they stress the importance of marriage, etc, but really, they see the Bible as there to include morals. To teach something. The catholic church does NOT read the bible literally.

For example, we do not believe that God created the world in just 7 days, etc. It's there to teach a lesson, not to be historically or scientifically acurate.

I don't see religion as doing anything to harm society. All it does is good.

Radical religious sects definitely cause massive amounts of harm, but it's not really religion by the point it can be called radical, only something masquerading as religion.

Yes, sects are creepy, and very annoying too.

The Church though, I don't see anything wrong with it...

They're just stressing false teachings instead of teling them as stories with morals.

Originally Posted by Teh_Ephy

Radical religious sects definitely cause massive amounts of harm, but it's not really religion by the point it can be called radical, only something masquerading as religion.

Well said!

Originally Posted by brad.dude03

Well, religion keeps things in check, morally. When we didn't have a clear cut answer to anything, we created things, and had faith and believed in them. Science can only prove so much. So the Big Bang created the universe... but what created the big bang, and further more, what was there before the universe? ETC.

In a linear universe, before everything, whether you beleive in a religion or only in science, there had to be nothing at some point. Something cannot come from nothing, therefore the universe's lifespan is not linear.

So, we can logically deduce the lifespan of the universe is circular in nature, and it's end is it's beginning. A circular universe or lifespan is a popular idea in Eastern theology, you will note.

-*meow*

Hopefully I'm not too late to input =o.

I have grown up in a religious family. Even went to a Catholic private school for, say 9 years. And I can today see how much I was kept inside my little religion school and house, protected more or less, from the rest of society. And, although my mother is still very religious, I'm not too religious anymore, although I would not turn my back on my Jesus, God, etc., I'm just more open minded than some people are in my religion.

But all in all, I'd rather there be a place in today's society for religion, but there just seems to be too much "Corruption" in my eyes now for there to be a large place for it like it used to be.

Originally Posted by Neiko

but there just seems to be too much "Corruption" in my eyes now for there to be a large place for it like it used to be.

A bit of what I was thinking too, Religion has had its share of dirty "evil" acts, and still do. But now it seems they're getting desperate, or just plain close minded.

Originally Posted by WILLTHEALMIGHTY

A bit of what I was thinking too, Religion has had its share of dirty "evil" acts, and still do. But now it seems they're getting desperate, or just plain close minded.

Like particular zealots who say things like

Originally Posted by Fred Phelps

GOD HATES FAGS

In my opinion, God hates people who spread hate in his loving name.
"Given" (please note the quotes):

• Jesus of Nazareth = Only way to God
• Jesus loves you

IF Jesus of Nazareth = Only way to God THEN Jesus of Nazareth ~ God
IF Jesus loves you AND Jesus ~ God THEN God loves you
IF "you" == unspecified THEN "you" = "everyone"
If God loves you AND "you" == "everyone" THEN God loves everyone

'Nuff said. Well, other than this: GGZEALOTSLOSE.

Yea, I think that the church is just starting to get greedy and trying to get as much money from everyone as they can.