I Wonder What This World Would Be Like Without Religion
I am not a specifically religious individual, although I was baptised Catholic and have lived in a Catholic family and household. It was never part of my daily life and I rarely think about how religion can affect me on a regular basis. However, thinking about the world without religion leads me to believe that the role of religion in shaping the world’s ethics and culture has been paramount.
What would the world be like without religion? Well, for starters there would be a radically different view on morality and ethics. Whether you believe in the Judao-Christian ideals of morality or not, you cannot dispute the fact that these values directly shaped the creation and implantation of most Western laws, including the laws in the UK, Canada, and USA. The Ten Commandments are the basis for most laws and social normalcy, for example “Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal” etc. Even the Ten Commandments that are not considered illegal are seen as social no-no’s and are also considered immoral, for example “thou shalt not covet your neighbour’s wife”. Although adultery is not a crime in most civilised nations, it is however considered immoral and “wrong”.
The laws of the many Arab nations are based on the beliefs of Islam, whether they are beneficial or not. Without the Islamic influence on Arab nations, we would see a radically different political region. Perhaps better, perhaps not.
I have explained why religion is a benefit to society, but how is it a negative? The obvious answer is the acceptance and tolerance, or should I say the lack of. Many religious extremists have a tendency not to be tolerant to those with a different belief structure. This is where religion is a negative on society. Without religion, we may see a world of tolerance and acceptance which would lead to the perfect globalised state.
This is all speculation; religion is here and it’s here to stay… And on a happier note, I have just gotten paid for the image work that I did on those exhibition stands last month. Turns out that Tom was right, and the purple was much more attractive.
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