“If religion didn’t exist, neither would good people.”
Come again? I don’t understand how anyone could possibly believe this.
- In general, I’m a sweet person.
- I donate to who ever needs it when I can.
- I say “please” and “thank you”.
- I hold the door open for strangers and allow them to pass in front of me on line if they seem to be in a hurry.
- I never steal or “borrow without asking”.
- I respect people from the moment I meet them, unless they give me a reason not to.
- I’m courteous, I’m non-judgmental.
- I put the needs of others, strangers included, before my own on a constant and daily basis.
- I have never and will never refuse someone in need.
I don’t, personally, believe in a religion. Therefore, I couldn’t possibly be a good person. Right?
My mind is blown. There are so many jumbled up thoughts and pieces of thoughts buzzing around in my head right now, it’s probably impossible to put them into a logical state.
I understand why religion exists. For a lot of people, it is the reason to be a good person and to do good. What happens if you don’t follow a religion, then? You’re a danger to society? You’re a child molester? You rape and murder people for shits and giggles?
Where? What? Why? I had little to no response to this because I didn’t believe it merited one.
Sometimes it’s better to just walk away.
Katnip and Koffee 
I always find it annoying when christians act like they have a copyright on the notion of not being a dick to people.
The really sad thing is that, in their way of thinking, if one does not believe in the cookie at the end of the rainbow, there is absolutely no reason to be a decent person. They are suggesting that they need that promise of cloud carpet and wings as an incentive to not be a total twat. And, they simply cannot comprehend that others may think differently.
rape is only evil if you’re not a christian. otherwise it’s god’s little gift.
I don’t know how anyone can spend a day in life much less look to history, recent or long past, and believe that religious people have the corner on being good. In fact it is often that a religious person does things against goodness but claims his or her actions or words are good because they are based on religion. It’s putting the cart before the horse and it is evidenced every day. Islamic terrorists and white supremacists such as the Klu Klux Klans are extreme yet clear examples.
@agnophilo – a little off topic, but not by far. besides, i think everyone will enjoy this. check out the various banner tabs. http://ronswanson2012.org/
@complicatedlight – Never saw the show.
@agnophilo – that’s right he was in parks and recreation. i’d forgotten about the show, but i ran across this site and oh man. i lol’d.
@complicatedlight – LOLwut?!
exactly. you’ve probably heard about this, but… http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-pn-mourdock-rape-20121023,0,3802264.story
@complicatedlight – No words.
the good book says my father’s mansion has many rooms. i hope my father sees fit to house the likes of mourdock on the other side of the manor. or better yet, the basement.
“If religion didn’t exist, neither would good people”It’s scary to think I used to think like this. Not anymore thank goodness!!
Whoa whoa whoa. Whoever said that, their theology was way off….christianity says (is supposed to say) that good people DON’T exist….(we all have sinned at least once in our life, therefore nobody is 100% good.) We’re all a mix with capacity for good and not-good stuff. I think you’re A-OK, and whoever says otherwise needs a verbal spanking. Or a punch in the face.
@agnophilo – Yes. They believe in what is a variant of Pascal’s doctrine of the wager.
@howsaboutsomemilk – it’s funny how this point-lapsarianism-seems to be lost on christians (protestants). But i hear that people in general are more ignorant about their own religion than any other.
I’m religious myself, but I’ve never seen that as a necessary condition for morally upright people to exist. People who believe that without religion telling them what to do, they would be psychotic and crazy are the kind of people you want to keep a healthy distance from, in the event they lose their faith.
I’m presently reading about philosophers Locke, Hume and Hobbs. They were very influential to America’s Founding Fathers.But Hume and Hobbs had a dismal view of human nature. Locke was more optimistic. But all three men did not believe that man’s behavior was divine in any manner.
@complicatedlight – The basement. Next to the boiler.@howsaboutsomemilk – What this person was saying was, basically, if religion wasn’t around society would turn chaotic. Everyone would steal, murder, rape, pillage, etc. Extreme, extreme. :[@QuantumStorm – I agree.
just stay positive and your wonderful self….let religion keep in check the weaker willed
@Pandiie_Bear – To quote richard dawkins, we wouldn’t have much respect for someone who was only good because of The Great Security Camera In The Sky.
@agnophilo – Granted that not every religious person uses it as their excuse to be “good”, but all the same…ugh. Irksome.
People like that scare me. Is religion really the ONLY thing preventing them from going on a mass killing/raping spree? That’s a little worrisome…
I don’t think you need to believe in a religion to be a good person. There are some people who believe in a religion and they aren’t very good people. I don’t think it’s religion that makes someone good or bad. It’s the individuals choice on what they want to do, whether it be bad or good.
@Pandiie_Bear – Well, it seems to me they’re trying to say where morality comes from…but morality doesn’t come from religion. religion is a man-made system used to understand God. I’d say he’s confused about where morality comes from.
@ascultafili – ha! I had to google lapsarianism, because I’m dumb. I believe you’re referring to calvinism…? Not a fan. I am a christian though….free-lance.
Sounds like something one of those religious fanatic morons would say,
Yeah I’m a blood donor, community volunteer, feed the hungry, and so on but according to this one gal I met, am going to hell because I don’t believe in God. Hmmm now if only I believed in Hell.
I can understand how, in times past, religion was an effective way to help enforce social order. Fear of eternal suffering, for example, could be a useful way to help people respect other’s property.These days, though, I’m not sure it is necessary and in some ways (or, at least, in some circumstances) it holds society back. It used to be that religion was the provider for the poor, the ill, and the outcasts in society. Nowadays, it seems to be used more as a way to distance one’s self from those segments of society. Illustrating that point, a 2010 study published in the journaly Socialogical Inquiry delved into why religious institutions remain the most segregated spaces in America.
“A man’s ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.” Albert Einstein
The thought process is that we are all evil at our core. That yes, we might do “good” things but it only takes one “wrong” thing to cause enough evil to separate us from God. Another thought process is that when it comes down to it, we’re really NOT giving, kind, sharing, etc… We do things to get something out of it. (I don’t tend to agree with that one).Regardless, I believe there’s some truth to it, but not in the way you’ve said it here. I don’t believe that good can exist without GOD (not without religion), for I believe that God is the embodiment of all that is good and that EVIL is the absence of God. Regardless, it’s not quite the same way you’ve heard it said. A real Christian knows the verse in the bible, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
no ray ban wayfarers were harmed in the making of this blog entry.
“If religion didn’t exist, neither would good people.” who’ said it? Indonesian people don’t have religion, only on ID card & don’t understand and not doing their religion.
@plursheep – Yes, I’ve gotten that too. Quite a few times haha
@christao408 – Absolutely. I understand why it was created way back when, but times have changed and it’s evolved into something slightly different as we have also evolved into something different. I early times it kept order and law. It’s just worrisome that some people still believe it’s the only thing that does.@ridwanafandy – A woman I was talking to yesterday. I don’t even remember how we got on that topic, as we started off talking about those stupid Bic pens “for women”.
@Pandiie_Bear – U r nice girl…
You are an excellent person. Do not get confused by religious crepe.
CHAINED to the boiler. oooh…and maybe i’ll get the run of the place and a complimentary poking stik! sigh. i doubt a B+ will get me that far. oh well. at least i can hope for a room with a view. 🙂
the nicest people i know are not affiliated with any religion.
@ridwanafandy – @ExcitingAds – Thank ya 😀@complicatedlight – LOL. A room with a view and a poking stick.
Yes, the whole idea that you need to blindly believe a book and all sorts of unfounded metaphysical claims (i.e., crazy supernatural stories) to be a good person is completely without merit. In fact, as others have pointed out, being moral just because you’re being watched and threatened with punishment for bad behavior and offered rewards for good behavior is not something to brag about. Quite the opposite, actually.