| 
I wouldn't say religion itself is the root of all problems in society. Anything, whether it's religion or government or what, that either tells people that they're better than other people or tells people just to do what they're told, is just setting things up for trouble. I'm not saying organized religion is a good thing, but I don't think it's the root of all 'evil'. Maybe intolerance is, or any seperating force that causes people to perceive each other as different from themselves. Which brings me back to my original argument in favour of empathy.
But I entirely disagree that making everyone athiest would solve any problems. Maybe just the concept of everyone believing in the same thing promoting tolerance, but making everyone the same religion works just as well. Both have the same problem: surety(sp?). Religious people are sure of their religion just as atheists are sure that there is no higher power. Sureness and close-mindedness are promoted by most religions /and/ apathy. (There's always the exeption of Buddhism and more philosophical religions.) Which brings me back to my original argument in favour of skepticism. =P
Maybe agnosticism or some other set of believe that embraces the idea that you don't or can't know, but I wouldn't specifically center it around religion and so I stick with general skepticism.
After reading everything everyone else has to say and considering it, I think for the moment I'm sticking with my original two.
"For each time mankind progresses, man himself regresses."
|
