Society would be better off without religion.

1) less war
2) less interference in provision of education and health
3) greater understanding between races
4) greater freedom to marry, and to have social intercourse
5) greater freedom in clothing and other activity like driving cars
6) improved efficiency in incorporating new ideas into life-experiences
7) more laughter, creativity and enjoyment
8) greater unity of humanity.

From the diary of a gentlewoman:

"Will humanity ever come to believe that women are intellectually equal to men? Surely not! It is such a comfort to men to contemplate their extra wealth and privileges and believe that they deserve these through their superiority; and such a comfort to women, when they are frustrated and defeated, to believe that this the fault lies in their gender and not themselves. How is it possible for women to understand why they are so permanently fixed in a subordinate position unless they first believe in their inherent inferiority? How can women seek a fulfilling life unless they acknowledge the biological drives implacably pulling them towards domestic duties and motherhood? So many things about the state of the world cannot be comprehended without a firm grasp of the inherent inferiority of women -- why would anyone ever want to give it up? For the truth? But what is true? As long as women consider themselves inferior to men then they will BE inferior; they will receive less education because they feel they need less education. How could that change? No, women will continue to feel inferior to men forever."

Patricia Bowden, 1869

I'm with E.Sykes!

Also, Foyle's suggestion www.godisimaginary.com is a hoot.

If you want to save time read 1 Kings, Chapter 18.

Peter the Believer, you can't have it both ways! ;))

What was the article about again?

Every person on this planet has faith in someone or something. Unfortunately due to idiotic humanistic secular belief that faith is often in corruptible man. Religion will remain forever because like every other prophecy in the bible that has come to pass so will the one that declares that every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. People will do it voluntarily in this life or at Judgement Day. The age of reason has now left us due to people putting their faith in idiotic pseudo science theories such as evolution. Anyone with a half honest heart can see that man has been designed which requires a Designer.

The author is partly right in saying that religion is wired in us. We see that by the way people worship the earth. What he fails to acknowledge is the clear sinful nature that he and every other person has is as obvious as the sickness of 'Henson' art. Instead of bowing our knee to the Only One who can forgive us we try and pretend that somehow we don't need a Saviour. The evidence is obvious for all to see,

When people like the author try to show us that religion is a good thing they use arguments. They appeal to our sense of reason and logic and hope to convince us that they are right because they think it is in the best interests of society and individuals that we too become religious.

This is fair enough and it is how we normally go about changing things for the better. We appeal to the reason and logic in our fellow human beings and if that does not work we often resort to more aggressive forms of persuasion. Religious people follow these same methods. They acknowledge the importance of reason and logic until they are challenged. When they are asked questions for which they have no answers they then claim that religion is fundamentally a matter of ‘faith’ or ‘belief’. This means that the normal rules of reason and logic no longer apply. Some even go so far as to say such ‘faith’ is a gift from God and it is not subject to human logic or reasoning.

If the goodness of religion is ultimately beyond the rules of reason and logic to which we adhere in every other daily activity then why bother trying to convince others by reasonable arguments? It is totally illogical to try and persuade by reason when ultimately it is all a matter of ‘faith’. It is this lack of integrity between what religious people say and what they do that suggests the only people they are really trying to convince is themselves. If they were really sure that religion is ultimately about faith there would be no articles at all on OLO about the value of what they do.

Well said E sykes. I too am more than happy to be God free.
However, I think it will be a long time before religion goes the way of the dinosaurs. Humans are tribal by nature and religion and belief gives a sense of community. Throughout history, anything that is not understood is rationalised by being ordained by a Deity and so myths and superstition develops. I cannot argue with some of the philosophies that are espoused by some religions, but one doesn't have to have to believe in God to agree with many of these.

It is impossible to have a rational argument against "faith" as the mere term implies an illogical belief with no practical answer or reason. That's why it is used and unfortunately will remain as the mainstay in all these discussions and will be impossible to shift.