A world without Religion

[BOgg]

Imagine the banishment of all religions in humanity, what and where would humanity go from there? Would Corporatism become our new God, could Science truly give us hope and morals? Just a thought, what could happen if tomorrow no religions, no spiritual guidance, no form whatsoever of preaching would be allowed about any subject possible? What would the world be like? (I am completely neutral about this.)

[Lux]

I want to point out that everything I say here is conjecture and opinion, since I can't know for certain what the implications of a non-religious world would be.

Humanity is not ready (and I don't know if it'll ever be, although I do hope it will, someday) to abandon religion. If anyone tried to "banish" religion from the world right now, it would result in little if any advancement, and more than a few riots around the globe.
Any change that big needs to be a slow, voluntary transition.

That being said, suppose we got to a point where most people have voluntarily turned away from religion. Certainly there would be pros and cons.

I, for one, don't see a loss of moral values in that case. As an atheist raised by atheists, I can assure you that if our parents/tutors and our society teach us a set of morals, we can abide by it as much as we could if it was a church teaching us.

On the other hand, I realize there are people that stop themselves from doing things that could be prejudicial to themselves or those around them because, and only because, of their belief in god. I believe these people are a small minority, but they are still there.

The great advantage I imagine for a world without religion, is less divisions. No more "we are going to heaven, they are going to hell", no more "you must kill christians", no more "jewish people are an inferior race". No more parents telling kids not to talk to their atheist neighbours.

The OP asks if science can give us hope. Hope in what, exactly? Hope in humanity? Certainly, at least for me. The advancements made by science give me great hope in human kind, and there is so much yet to discover and invent.
We will never know all there is to know about the Universe, but I think that for as long as mankind exists great discoveries will be made that will unlock the possibility of great knowledge and improve our lives. That is the kind of hope I have, that science gives me.

[atruthseeker]

I'm not sure that the banishment of religion would be a positive thing. However, I do think it would be a wonderful world if all religious people received a large heaping helping of common sense and abandoned religion on their own. There would certainly be considerably less conflict in the world. So many lives have been lost due to religious conflict.I doubt that morality in general would decline because I believe morality is cultural and not from God. I really can't think of a negative effect coming from the absence of religion, only positives. I see nothing positive about believing in fairy tales.

[Flail]

Imagine the banishment of all religions in humanity, what and where would humanity go from there? Would Corporatism become our new God, could Science truly give us hope and morals? Just a thought, what could happen if tomorrow no religions, no spiritual guidance, no form whatsoever of preaching would be allowed about any subject possible? What would the world be like? (I am completely neutral about this.)

Those who have been indoctrinated to use religion as a guide, moral compass and a motivator might go wild...those who are not religious would be fine.

[justifyothers]

Imagine the banishment of all religions in humanity, what and where would humanity go from there? Would Corporatism become our new God, could Science truly give us hope and morals? Just a thought, what could happen if tomorrow no religions, no spiritual guidance, no form whatsoever of preaching would be allowed about any subject possible? What would the world be like? (I am completely neutral about this.)

Though I believe in God, I'm not religious really at all. The end of wars fought in the name of God is VERY appealing. I see that being the biggest change. My day to day wouldn't change much.

Does science give us morals????

Oddly enough, I think religions would find their way back

[ChaosBorders]

On the other hand, I realize there are people that stop themselves from doing things that could be prejudicial to themselves or those around them because, and only because, of their belief in god. I believe these people are a small minority, but they are still there.

Such as myself. My beliefs give me a reason to view humans as having objective worth, even if I do not particularly like said human (or would otherwise outright hate said person). Believing they have objective worth allows me to be much more forgiving of their flaws and tolerant of a person doing things I think are stupid or annoying.

Probably we are indeed a minority, but I bet it would only take a few sociopathic geniuses who despise the rest of humanity to really screw things up for the rest of you.

[Zzyzx]

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. . . I bet it would only take a few sociopathic geniuses who despise the rest of humanity to really screw things up for the rest of you.

The world has its share of sociopaths (genius level or not) -- known as politicians, militarists, corporatists, and prophets -- who "screw things up" for everyone and the environment. Whether they profess to be religious or not seems irrelevant.

[Slopeshoulder]

Humanity would immediately ceate new secular religions with either 1. similiar challenges, or 2. even more dangerous messianic visions. And by banning religion, we'd also lose it as a repository of the human struggle with many key issues and would have to relive it all again on our own. Then, after drak ages, apolalypses, and endless bloodshed, someone would post something very much like the OP, adn it would happen again.
Humanity seems to be hardwired for meta-myth-making. It's a question of finding ones that seem reasonable and workable.

[BOgg]

Humanity would immediately ceate new secular religions with either 1. similiar challenges, or 2. even more dangerous messianic visions. And by banning religion, we'd also lose it as a repository of the human struggle with many key issues and would have to relive it all again on our own. Then, after drak ages, apolalypses, and endless bloodshed, someone would post something very much like the OP, adn it would happen again.
Humanity seems to be hardwired for meta-myth-making. It's a question of finding ones that seem reasonable and workable.

Bravo, I agree with this entirely, and by the way I am not a follower of any given religion. I dont believe science could ever fill the philosophical and spiritual voids humans inherently have, we need to be given hope in things much bigger than ourselves. We need to be guided, taken almost by the hand for us to be secure in our choices and challenges. If religion ceased, Science would automatically become a pseudo religion of its own. This goes for all religions and preaching/teachings of life (buddhism, judaism, hindu, etc...).

[Crazy Ivan]

On the other hand, I realize there are people that stop themselves from doing things that could be prejudicial to themselves or those around them because, and only because, of their belief in god. I believe these people are a small minority, but they are still there.

Such as myself. My beliefs give me a reason to view humans as having objective worth, even if I do not particularly like said human (or would otherwise outright hate said person). Believing they have objective worth allows me to be much more forgiving of their flaws and tolerant of a person doing things I think are stupid or annoying.

Probably we are indeed a minority, but I bet it would only take a few sociopathic geniuses who despise the rest of humanity to really screw things up for the rest of you.

Do you acknowledge a biological wiring in the perception of "worth"? Consider animals that protect their young. Why are you quicker to assume religious beliefs are the origin of that feeling in you, as opposed to that inclination (seeing "worth") having been previously repressed by whatever reason, and religious beliefs simply work as a catalyst in bringing out what is natural?