Originally posted by: PaperclipGod
Originally posted by: CKent
It's hard to say how most people would act without their belief. It's easy to imagine it either way; a utopia without religious wars where science could progress uninhibited... or a lawless "wild west" because people who don't fear judgement have no incentive to behave.
On a personal level, I can't stand it. Right or wrong, I can't not react to 9/11, to teaching religion in public schools in a country which was founded with religious freedom in mind, to the discrimination I face as an atheist nor the absurdity and irony of being considered insane for NOT believing in a big invisible guy in the sky. I prefer to think our instinct to behave is based on empathy, an emotion deeper than religion, and that we'd be better off without religion. Religion certainly doesn't keep all people in line, it's all too easy to simply justify horrible crimes by doing it in the name of one's god.
Don't forget that your idea of religious freedom and the founders idea of religious freedom have two VERY different definitions. This country was, 200 years ago, 99% christian (ignoring the native americans). They wanted freedom to practice religion as they chose, and they wanted a separation of church and state, but to them that only went so far as to not have a state sponsored religion. They didnt care about prayer in school because back then everyone prayed to the same god. Nowadays people get nuts even when having to say something as benign as "under god." Now, if you dont believe in god, then whats the harm in others reciting that phrase in front of you? Is it suddenly making you a believer? No, its not. Is it hurting you in anyway? Nope. Whats the harm then? The state isnt forcing you to believe one religion over another.
