The world is a better place without religion. Discuss

Agreed. But just thought I'd say - the very fact that you don't need a book to understand that it's wrong is presupposing an objective standard of wrong. Which transcends and applies to all men - and thus only be put in place by an objective moral law-giver outside our sphere. So if that's an argument against religion; well, let's just say The Bible agrees with you - Rom 2:15.

It has pros and cons, like many other things. There's some really good teachings and philosophies among the really quite crappy ones.



I could've sworn the first crusade started because the Seljuks (muslims) were invading the Byzantines. Although the Pope and his boys did decide to do more and that and invade Jerusalem so really there's blame to assign all over the place.

I'm not a Christian but just thought that was very nicely said. Only part I would like to add though is without God, some morals can be deduced from evolution which would help us adapt (natural selection). So because killing reduces chances of survival hence we can then say killing is wrong.

Cheers, but I'm not so sure about that way of thinking. After all, would not our natural adaption tend towards our own survival (after all, survival of the fittest). So surely we would be happy with all of the "weak" to be wiped out if we followed that "evolutionary morals" way of thinking. After all, it's for the best of the race and that's where killing would be positive evolutionarily. In fact, killing can increase chance of survival as you will have more food for yourself to survive, as there are less taking from you. But we know inwardly it's not right... there seems to be a disconnect.

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You just need to believe in him and he will make himself known to you

That's just a cop out answer. Oh just do x and He'll reveal Himself.

They say if you look for something hard enough, you will find it. Same goes for Jesus, and ghosts and demons. You need to believe, accept Jesus into your heart and he will show himself, not directly, but miracles will happen....

Don't have to go to church on Sundays - that's overrated.

Yeah that's a good point. It's not all down to evolution.

But if an animal has the genetic characteristic to care about its offspring then this feature will pass on and hence survive. On the other hand an animal that lacks this characteristic and does not have this feature to care about its offspring (the offspring is eaten/dies of hunger etc.) will not survive in future generations. So already we can view caring for your offspring as a good thing and not caring as bad.

Fair enough. Can see that aspect as part of natural selection. But if some morals are not transmitted by our evolution, where could they come from? I mean, it's not as if we say "It's good to keep your own kids alive, but it doesn't matter about other people or their kids". Again, just seems to be a disconnect that points to a transcendent inbuilt moral law. And, even if we ourselves view such activities as good, what makes it objectively good? Someone else could have another opinion on it, and there's no way you can claim yours is a better opinion - after all, who says evolution brings about the perfect "right and wrong" if it's just an unguided process?

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Fair enough. Can see that aspect as part of natural selection. But if some morals are not transmitted by our evolution, where could they come from? I mean, it's not as if we say "It's good to keep your own kids alive, but it doesn't matter about other people or their kids". Again, just seems to be a disconnect that points to a transcendent inbuilt moral law. And, even if we ourselves view such activities as good, what makes it objectively good? Someone else could have another opinion on it, and there's no way you can claim yours is a better opinion - after all, who says evolution brings about the perfect "right and wrong" if it's just an unguided process?

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But there is no evidence for an inbuilt moral law as societies actoss the ages have had wildly different concepts of right and wrong and they even vary now from country to country. While the obvious ones are probably due to evolution, the finer, more arbitrary ones probably come from societal norms and attitudes which are ultimately invented, just like religions and mythologies.

That's certainly true that many countries have had different concepts of right and wrong - I would see that as merely an example of people choosing to reject their inward consciences as a result of sin's corrupting influence. What's interesting is that all these cultures have had a sense of right and wrong in itself that they claim to apply to all people. The fact that people have always praised certain things and heaped judgement on certain things, That points to me to an inward inbuilt thing that has been throughout cultural history in the world that there is a right and a wrong that applies to all. Would you say that there Is there a scenario where it might be appropriate to torture a baby merely for the fun of it? In anywhere in the world, could you say that would be acceptable? I think there's an element to which the truths are self-evident. Societal norms and attitudes influence morals within a culture, sure, but the fact that these attitudes pervade cultures everywhere point for me to an ultimate moral truth which they either err from or hold towards.

Specific humans not humanity as a whole

Makes sense but we don't need a religion to assign those to, philosopher can come up with that just fine.

well i'm not really too informed of that, i just typed in google crusades and i didn't really see anything telling me about muslims in the first paragrah after a skim so

It was launched on 27 November 1095 by Pope Urban II with the primary goal of responding to an appeal from Byzantine Emperor
Alexios I Komnenos, who requested that western volunteers come to his aid and help to repel the invading Seljuk Turks from Anatolia.

But what moral truths are common to all peoples and civilisations that cannot be explained by evolution?

I'm pretty sure there have been societies where babies have been sacrificed though, which is essentially worse than torture.