To atheists or agnostics...What are the benefits of Religion?

[biscuitsbrah]

First of all im sorry for the inevitable offense this will cause to all religious people. This is not my intent but merely a by-product of my views.

This question is not geared necessarily to theists because im expecting a bunch anecdotes from their personal experience on what religion does for them.

I consider myself an anti-theist in a way, and I once read from Atheist and others alike how there is potential in religion to do good for society.

What I ask is how?
Does the comfort of a God and the fear of punishment really make up for the religious wars, the irrational decisions (hate gays, cover women, dont depict muhammed, scientology cults etc), and general strife between religions?

The only time I have seen religion actually help people as a whole is through their foundations in which the officials are already super comfy and rich so they have nothing better to do with the donations but to give back to the people.

Or when drug addicts and prison-types completely do a 180 with their life due to religion.

Are we that low as a society to accept irrationality and delusion as a viable means to motivate the less fortunate? Or trick people into doing the right thing through fear?

All I see religion do is divide people and justify people being completely irrational fools

 

[Nut Shell]

Funny costumes.

 

[BearGrounds]

Thy question seems loaded.

 

[biscuitsbrah]

Thy question seems loaded.

Well it basically is. Im not looking to be convinced unless its a very strong argument.

 

[InvestigatorIL]

Listen, As a militant atheist it is difficult for me to see any benefit in religion. I must however concede that in some instances people are brought together to accomplish very positive things. A congregation of 500 can raise a lot of money for a good cause. It also helps people cope with death which is a very difficult thing even for me as an atheist to deal with sometimes.

If my 6 year old daughter were to ask me where I'm going when im dead I may just say heaven because it is an easier concept for her little brain to compute. If I was to tell her how I really feel and that daddy is going to buried under 6 feet of dirt with bugs and maggots eating my insides then she would be potentially traumatized.

Religion is a coping mechanism for children and really nothing more. Adults can deal with death because we understand that it is a part of life, but you can certainly talk about heaven without all the other crap

 

[TheBox]

Depends on the religion, obviously, but generally:

1) Deters some people from committing negative actions due to fear of punishment.
2) Encourages some positive actions e.g. charity.
3) Develops strong community and social bonds.

 

[sub_thug]

I'm not religious, but I've seen religion do some good for people.

For some, they rely on their faith to give them strength in a time of need. Their belief that a higher power is looking over them has given them strength that they didn't know was there. My mother had cancer in the early 1990's, back when her type of cancer was basically considered a death sentence (her nurse even asked her how it felt to be dying of cancer). However, she prayed, felt like her god wouldn't allow her to die and leave behind her family, and became one of the first people to survive her type of cancer. Using a different take, I know guys who have strong religious beliefs who have said that prayer and their belief in their god gave them incredible strength on the battlefield. If not for some of these guys, I might not be alive today. I've read plenty of stories about guys who crawled for miles (taking hours or days), saying that they repeated the same prayer over and over again. They believe that it was their faith that allowed them to survive and keep crawling when they thought that they couldn't move another inch. I know plenty of other guys who aren't motivated by such things who are equally resilient and/or heroic, but for some, religion inspires them to be strong.

For others, their faith has served as an excellent model for how to live their lives. I'm obviously not talking about the people who use their hate as a way to hate minorities, homosexuals, or do terrible things against living, breathing people. What I'm talking about are people who believe that they are becoming one with god by living lives of charity. Look at someone like Mother Theresa. She spent her whole time on this planet making other people's lives better at the expense of her own. Religion or no, we should all strive to have this sort of positive impact on the world. In her case, you can't say that level of altruism would have been achieved without her religious beliefs.

These are both pretty broad brush strokes, but while religion may not be for me, it might be something good for others to have.

 

[InvestigatorIL]

Depends on the religion, obviously, but generally:

1) Deters some people from committing negative actions due to fear of punishment.
2) Encourages some positive actions e.g. charity.
3) Develops strong community and social bonds.

I would disagree that people do not perform negative actions because of fear of punishment from god.

Just like the death penalty does not deter crime

 

[Diamond Jim]

I'm a non-believer and see that charity is a big plus. I'm not saying a world without religion wouldn't be just as effective but in the time and world we live in now, a lot of good charity is done by religious people.

Other than that, I don't see much else it's good for.

 

[InvestigatorIL]

It also provides people comfort when their backs are truly against the wall. People may find strength in the idea that someone is watching out for them and it may all be great in the end.

Prisoners come to mind in this scenario

 

[biscuitsbrah]

Depends on the religion, obviously, but generally:

1) Deters some people from committing negative actions due to fear of punishment.
2) Encourages some positive actions e.g. charity.
3) Develops strong community and social bonds.

I'm not religious, but I've seen religion do some good for people.

For some, they rely on their faith to give them strength in a time of need. Their belief that a higher power is looking over them has given them strength that they didn't know was there. My mother had cancer in the early 1990's, back when her type of cancer was basically considered a death sentence (her nurse even asked her how it felt to be dying of cancer). However, she prayed, felt like her god wouldn't allow her to die and leave behind her family, and became one of the first people to survive her type of cancer. Using a different take, I know guys who have strong religious beliefs who have said that prayer and their belief in their god gave them incredible strength on the battlefield. If not for some of these guys, I might not be alive today. I've read plenty of stories about guys who crawled for miles (taking hours or days), saying that they repeated the same prayer over and over again. They believe that it was their faith that allowed them to survive and keep crawling when they thought that they couldn't move another inch. I know plenty of other guys who aren't motivated by such things who are equally resilient and/or heroic, but for some, religion inspires them to be strong.

For others, their faith has served as an excellent model for how to live their lives. I'm obviously not talking about the people who use their hate as a way to hate minorities, homosexuals, or do terrible things against living, breathing people. What I'm talking about are people who believe that they are becoming one with god by living lives of charity. Look at someone like Mother Theresa. She spent her whole time on this planet making other people's lives better at the expense of her own. Religion or no, we should all strive to have this sort of positive impact on the world. In her case, you can't say that level of altruism would have been achieved without her religious beliefs.

These are both pretty broad brush strokes, but while religion may not be for me, it might be something good for others to have.

Good points. But does this really out weigh the negatives?

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

Religion gives a lot of people meaning and direction...something that many of us strive for...some of us try and find it in books, philosopy and family...but we strive for a meaning bigger than us...

Religion also provides a great framework for a sense of community and belonging...

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

And we all have those Facebook friends who went "crazy religious" and post ad nauseum about God and Jesus...

My 2 friends who have done so, found God after a terrible addiction to Meth. They filled the void from drugs with God.

 

[TheBox]

I would disagree that people do not perform negative actions because of fear of punishment from god.

Just like the death penalty does not deter crime

When people say the death penalty does not deter crime, they're saying it doesn't have a deterrent effect greater than life imprisonment. It's not being compared with "no punishment".

The fact of the matter is that many, even most, people behave better when they believe they are being watched and can be punished.

 

[2DUM2TAP]

Good points. But does this really out weigh the negatives?

Your thread title asks what are the benefits of religion, not whether the benefits outweigh the negatives. When it comes to that, I guess each person will have to determine that for themselves.

I think there is a lot of benefit to spirituality. Whether that is found in organized religion or not.

There is a sense of community; salvation; support; direction.

It's really when big religion takes over that this becomes an issue.

 

[Gunny]

Structure is helpful to people. The notion that one has everything about life and death all figured out is highly soothing to our existential angst. The thing is though, this is a sword that cuts both ways and atheist sooth themselves with insistence of certainty exactly the same as theists do. The actual reality - that we don't know squat about the deepest aspects of our existence - is far more unsettling as there are no materially objective answers. Most people on both sides of the religious debate are doing everthing possible to avoid confronting this reality.

 

[sub_thug]

Good points. But does this really out weigh the negatives?

I'm not arguing this at all. It's a question that we can't really answer completely though. Would all the Holy Wars that have been fought never been fought in the first place? Would all the evils done in the name of religion have never happened? Would the lasting effects of religion in some atrocities (such as the use of religion in justifying the American Slave Trade and thus adding to the racist overtones of it) be gone? It's hard to imagine what the world would look like without religion. The apparent cost of religion has been high though.

 

[SaucyJack]

Personally, I see people with direction and a desire to do good that they might not have had without an organized set of beliefs and a community to be involved in.

I also do work for a large Christian charity that is improving the lives of millions, though I'm not happy with the indoctrination part of it.

 

[Ultrashogun]

It gives people a comfortable "ideological package" that works fairly well without having to be figured out with logic and reason. I consider myself an atheist, but I sincerely think that this is a good thing, life is hard to figure out, religion gives people a set of principles that is simply legitamized through "god".

 

[45ACP]

I would disagree that people do not perform negative actions because of fear of punishment from god.

Just like the death penalty does not deter crime

TBF, as a believer, I don't strive to do good and follow God's laws due to fear of punishment. Though that may be true for some, I believe my sins have already been paid for and as long as I acknowledge them, ask for forgiveness, and try not to make the same mistakes I won't be punished for my failings.

For me, following God's laws have to do with two things.

1. I believe God is the most gracious and loving father I could ever imagine so naturally my aim is to please Him.

2. I believe He knows what's best for me much better than I do and therefore following His laws will lead to a lesser amount of pain and disappointment in this life than if I had based my decisions on my own personal desires.