If you were granted one wish, what would it be? When
asked this question by an interviewer on television, some named these
lofty goals: an end to all wars; no more poverty; and health and happiness
for everyone. |
As I listened, it occurred to me that there is one
single thing that would help accomplish every one of those noble goals
-- an end to religion! Just suppose that everyone suddenly decided
they would no longer rely on an unproven, unseen being to control
their lives. |
This would mean an immediate end to many of the wars
currently taking place: the Catholic-Protestant clash in Northern
Ireland; the Israeli conflict between Jews and Palestinians; Muslims
fighting Christians in Africa and Indonesia; Muslim and Hindu sparring
in Bangladesh; battles in Sri Lanka. We would even see peace between
Shiites and Sunnis in Iraq. |
And think of the worldwide "war on terrorism"
-- without religious fervor there would be no more suicide bombers
or 9-11 attacks! |
Sometimes wars are fought to acquire necessary resources.
But whether the goal is obtaining oil or gaining territory for "lebensraum,"
it is caused by the needs of a populace that has exceeded its native
resources. World population, now roughly 6.6 billion, is heading toward
8 billion by 2025, requiring yet more space, more food and more resources.
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If religious opposition to birth control suddenly ceased,
our government could address this growth, resuming its commitment
to providing adequate family planning to the 350 million women worldwide
who lack it now. Poverty would be reduced, as well as environmental
degradation and resource depletion. |
Good health could become a reality for everyone if research
on embryonic stem cells were not frustrated by religious extremists
-- fanatics who resist many medical advances as thwarting God's will.
They once opposed anesthesia. |
These same religionists delayed research into cures
for the new disease of HIV/AIDS in the 1980's, because it was initially
thought to be God's punishment for what they considered sexual deviancy.
Even today, religious opposition to condoms and the diversion of funds
for teaching "abstinence" impede efforts to control one
of the most destructive health crises of modern times. The HIV/AIDS
crisis has killed over 25 million people and currently infects more
than 60 million men, women and children. |
Such judgmental condemnation of homosexuality, prevalent
throughout Catholic and Evangelical religions in our country, causes
untold emotional distress. Without religion, this psychological persecution
would end and would make the debate about gay marriage a non-issue. |
One of religion's most potent weapons to maintain control
over the lives of its congregations is the fear of everlasting punishment
in the afterlife, a doctrine that qualifies as child abuse when it
terrifies young children. Computer websites quoting Bible passages
vividly describe, in graphic detail, the eternal torments awaiting
transgressors in Hell. Without the protection society now automatically
affords religion, we could classify these sites as obscene, as well
as the book that preaches a god engaged in such sadistic torture.
With religion gone, both Hell and the Devil would disappear.
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A world without religion could concentrate on the greater
good for humanity, providing a pleasant earthly existence for all
of its inhabitants. The attention that many now give to God could
be devoted to preserving this fragile earth for future generations,
free from the damaging effects of religion. |