benefits of religion.

[joko]

are there any?

can anyone tell me what benefit religion has on our lives - other than simply believing it it.

what practical day to day use is it?

what does it give us that we could not achieve if religion have never existed...
what would change in our lives if it just vanished tomorrow and had happened?

we know its existence is not required to make us good people.
charity would still exist without it.

i cant really think of anything that relies solely on religion for its worth and that would make the earth a worse off place if it wasnt there...

any ideas?

cheers

[thenry]

There may be moments in life when all practical solutions, logical conclusions and well thought out plans are of no more use. There may seem to be no answer to the problem. It is at times like this that people may say to themselves "God help me !" It doesn't matter who "God" is, it is simply having faith in something beyond the self and the known. This is not religion, it is survival but religions have claimed this territory for years.

[wildwood]

We have a family friend who is quite religious. She has last year lost two baby grandchildren and she finds solace in believing that God has a better plan for them.

Totally a case of grasping for a reason for cot-death, but it gave her something to cling onto and I believe it somehow lightened her misery.

Go figure!

[joko]

i meant something other than simply believing.

those things are the comfort of believing.

i want to know if there are any more definable benefits.

is that really the only benefit of religion then? its a comfort to people when theyre having a tough time or are upset?

[naomi24]

Can't think of any practical benefits. Without it fewer babies would be born with horrendous diseases, women would be treated as human beings in their own right, children would be taught the truth, the Middle East situation wouldn't be happening, and the world would be a better place.

[Clanad]

For starters... all of the political movements that acted to free people in history (at least modern history) were religious in their concept. Here in the U.S. (and Britain, for that matter) the end of slavery came about solely because of religion (as the organizing force). In England the end of slave transport by ship came about because William Wilberfoce's perserverance to end it. He was an Evangelical Christian and wrote and spoke freely and often about the abuse and almost singlehandedly forced the new law against the trade.
Here in the U.S., the Underground Railroad, which provided transport for runaway slaves via safe houses was supported by several denominations. The Civil War, during which 1/2 million lives were lost was primarily a Christian response to ending slavery.
We (my family) has financially supported a young couple who went to Nigeria as newlyweds over 20 years ago. They began a school for children and the wife, being a Registered Nurse opened a free clinic in rural parts of the country. They have had three children, all born in Nigeria. They are part of a legion of missionaries around the world seeking to help the peole they serve, prompted primarily because of the tenets of their faith.
Most of the early scientists, Newton, Kepler, Galleli, Descartes, Pascal, Linnaeus, Faraday, Mendel, Pasteur, George Washington Carver and a host of others were all Christian and were motivated by their faith.

Many of the great minds who were authors were Christian... one of my favorites is England's own C.S. Lewis, who had influence on millions.
Many of the great univerities both in Europe and here in the U.S. were started and flourished as Christian institutions... Harvard, Yale, Princeton and manyothers, while in England Cambridge, Oxford, and St. Andrews in Scotland.
Many hospitals here in the U.S. were begun solely as Christian institutions... I suspect the same for England since our histories tend to run parallel in matter religious.
These are but a few. Look, it would be easy to say that non-religious or even athiest entities could have begun or been all the things listed above... but they weren't or didn't.

[naomi24]

//it would be easy to say that non-religious or even athiest entities could have begun or been all the things listed above... but they weren't or didn't.//

They weren’t or they didn’t because religion was the status quo – but great men would be great men with or without religion.

[starone]

I agree with Naomi. I am a non-believer but I can see a use in religion in that it helps some people to get through life. I would never take that away from them as for some it is a need or even a necessity. So my philosophy is live and let live, if it helps you to get through life then go ahead but don't expect me to join you.

[joko]

well yes... who is to say that those things couldnt and wouldnt have been done by atheists - had there been many about in those time - or just quite simply because it was a good things to do... ?

the world now is full of charitable atheists who do wonderfully kind things.

my point was - what things can ONLY be of benefit through religion , what things need religion to be of benefit... none of what you mention 'needs' religion to have happened, and mentioned a load of good things that happened doesnt really answerr the question.

along side all those things there is doubt many good things done regardless of religion just because they are right...

some of the people who do those things may have been religious but they are doing good because they want to - it doesnt necessarily mean they were motivated by it

[wildwood]

If you're gonna be picky.....

There is no doubt in my mind that the 'last rights' performed by a religious personage is of comfort to many, even some atheists.

[wildwood]

^^ Sorry, before the spelling police sees this - it should read 'last Rites'

[joko]

wildwood... i am not being picky but i quite clearly stated in my post that i wanted answers OTHER than COMFORT.

i am well aware that religion offers comfort to people - but that is in their heads, and applies only to them.

you have again given me an answer that amounts to nothing more than comfort in someones head.

that is not a practical day to day benefit

[modeller]

Many charities have been set up Solely because the founders were relgious.

The Red Cross and the Red Crescent were set up by religious organisations.

All the missionary schools were set up by religious people. I know several people who teach in them under difficult conditions and it is their religion that stops them giving up.

The Salvation Army hostels and canteens and help centres are run by religious people.

Some of these may have happened without religion but religion acted as driving force.

[Le Chat]

Well my answer would be that being a committed Christian (or whatever) takes the worry out of life. All problems, uncertainty or indecision can be handed over to God, so that the bearer of the problem need no longer spend time fretting about it. The answer will come to them via prayer or the problem will (by the hand of God) be sorted one way or the other.
Answered as someone who was involved with evangelical christians for quite some time endeavouring to 'find' God but never did, so pretty much an atheist now.

[joko]

but as i have said le chat, thats in your head, it doesnt actually change anything, it just means you are not worrying

as i say, that is not what i have asked

[naomi24]

//religion was the driving force.//

How do we know that? It may have been done under the banner of religion, but perhaps an innate sense of humanity was the driving force, and those that instigated all of these things simply happened to be religious – as were most people in the past. There are plenty of religious people who don't appear to have a scrap of humanity in them - so I think it takes rather more than religion for a human being to genuinely empathise with his fellow man and to care enough to do something about it.

[beso]

Religion has always been a fantastic tool to raise an army.

[jomifl]

Clanad, the god fearing christians that you gave as examples of religion inspiring good works were not christians out of choice. They were christians because they had little choice. Anyone who had atheistic tendencies was rejected by the 'great and the good'. Look at how King Edward was manoeuvered out of his position as king by a manipulative and scheming Archbishop of Canterbury, just because he didn't like his lack of enthusiam for the church. If you are going to claim the good stuff for religion then you have to admit responsibility for the bad stuff too.

[jomifl]

Beso, a good blessing of tanks and bombers is always good for morale.

[modeller]

naomi I didn't say it was the driving force but rather acted as driving force.

As you say there there may be other forces involved. If I could put it another way how many of these things would have happened without the religious element.