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I noticed that there are some hot and often ugly debates here, mostly Christians against Muslims. I want to draw your attention a little.
Religion had its role in society long time ago when people didn't know any better. But what about religions and modern society?
Here are my thoughts why religion is not suitable for a modern society.

1. Religions divide people. (My god is the true god - without real proof this debate has no end)

2. Religious ethics and morales are outdated. They don't suit current situation. People should make social rules based on the current situation, not on what people thought is ok thousands of years ago.

3. Religions impede scientific development and education. Blind faith and science is incompatible. Most people are used to believe teachers and scientific manuals - but true science is not about believing. It's about testing and seeing for yourself. Without it most of the knowledge is superficial and useless.

Most of what is written in religious books has no hard evidence to back up the facts so may be considered fiction.

Bibble, Torah, Bhagavad Gita and other religious scriptures are no exceptions.

That's why there will never be one true religion and people will always be divided. The scriptures are so vague that even in one religion there are different sects.

Atheism in this respect has a huge advantage.

In fact, science and facts prove the exact opposite that what is taught in religious tales. Evolution is the typical example.

Well, there are indeed many issues with religion being misused and leading to people to hold bizare beliefs. This occurs in Islam and Christianity, and also other religions too.

A true religion for me should be logical and should not ask adherents to hold illogical beliefs - for me, God does not require people to hold beliefs contrary to logic. This applies to scientific as well as sociological explanations/commandments of religion.

Some people believe in Rapture, some people believe that the world is flat (we have funny examples in Muslims too) - and there's even people who are adamant that evolution did not occur and that there is a big conspiracy theory that is misleading people to believe that the earth/universe is older than a few thousand years.

However, religion is still relevant today as it was always. I have yet to find one teaching of Islam relating to how Muslims should live their lives and worship God that is incompatible with modern day life or is illogical. There are harsh punishments and metaphorical verses in the Quran - but on the practical side on how to live one's life, treat others, principles with which to be just etc - and how to worship, meditate etc - no conflict with logic or laws at all.

Yes, we can all laugh at the Biblical literalists, extremist bloggers/posters and the fewer Muslim equivalents - but you don't judge science by the kooky few - so don't apply this rule to religion.


Cheers,

Shafique

DFT wrote:Most of what is written in religious books has no hard evidence to back up the facts so may be considered fiction.

Bibble, Torah, Bhagavad Gita and other religious scriptures are no exceptions.

Here I disagree. The Bible has proven to be an important historical book backed up by archeology to at least 2000 B.C. An amazing feat. The Quran on the other hand is worthless as a historical book.

shafique ,
on the practical side on how to live one's life

Yup, you are just right about that! I just read in Herve's book how the kuran tells everything, even how muslims blow their nose every morning to flush out the devil who slept in their nostrils at night.

Flying Dutchman wrote:The Bible has proven to be an important historical book backed up by archeology to at least 2000 B.C.

This is irrelevant, bible may have some facts about how people lived and what happened in those days but many fiction books use true events and facts in their plot.

It also doesn't mean that we should base our moral principles and world views on it. It is a very old book and we have higher quality knowledge these days, we have great methods and technology for testing our knowledge, which ancient people didn't have.

Shafique wrote:for me, God does not require people to hold beliefs contrary to logic

What if there is no such thing as God the creator?
Here is why people tend to believe in the existance of god.
From birth we are used to the fact that things around us are made for us, all the toys all the clothes and food etc. This belief that everything is MADE for us develops with age in the belief that someone should have created this nice world for us. But if we would leave the civilization , where everything is made by PEOPLE for comfort living, and go live in jungle... We would quickly understand that nobody created this world specially for us. Natural selection makes more sence in jungle.

Also there is this ENORMOUS desire to live forever, to live after death, to be born again etc. People just can not handle the truth. What happen to a computer program with unique data on a flash drive if you completely destroy the flash drive? It does not go to the cloud. It simply disappears. The same happens to human conscience, there is nothing after death. And that is why we should appreciate every living moment and life in general. Be brave and accept it. Life is precious and unique, every one has just one life and it should be respected. Most religions in this regard are like con artists which use the victim's greed to con them. You give up your current life to get a better and longer life in heaven. And the more you want that second life the more of your current life you give up.

And finally regarding the usability of religions in modern society - there will be a time, when a meteor will be coming straight toward earth - and no amount of praying will change its course. Only science and technological advancement will be able to help us then. Again people really want to believe that God or Allah or Krishna will not allow this to happen. But it happened in the past to earth, it was observed how it happened to other planets in our solar system... and there is not a single reason why it would not happen again, it's just a matter of time.

shafique wrote:However, religion is still relevant today as it was always. I have yet to find one teaching of Islam relating to how Muslims should live their lives and worship God that is incompatible with modern day life

I don't know Quran so I can not say more, but from the obvious things the dressing code and the attitude towards intimate relations is incompatible with modern life.

shafique wrote:But on the practical side on how to live one's life, treat others, principles with which to be just etc - and how to worship, meditate etc - no conflict with logic or laws at all.

What Quran and for that matter other religious scriptures say about playing computer games? Can a muslim play WOW several years in a row, day to day? What about letting kids watch movies with violence? Driving without seat-belt? Having your own opinion about everything, and asking important questions like "How do you know"?

The quran represent the dark ages, it cannot cope with the facts of modern life.

The virtual world and the digital age, computers changed the face of human kind by providing for the first time a tool for the human mind.

Many other facts leave muslums totally unprepared, like human cloning, biotechnology and artificial creation of life. In general and as a result, there is not a single contribution to human kind from muslums, if there is I would like to know which one.

islamic nations don't build planes, cars, dishwashers, there is no muslum nobel prizes.

Guys, Urgue with those who have knowledge according to our religion..

--- Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:40 am ---

Herve, most of the contributions were by muslims.

herve wrote:In fact, science and facts prove the exact opposite that what is taught in religious tales. Evolution is the typical example.

LOL evolution has been refuted herve, didn't you know? today even evolutionists don't have faith in this theory..

http://designanduniverse.com/articles/f ... ecords.php

Darwinism came out as a scientific philosophy with the rise of European Renaissance, in order to break through church resistance against scientific and industrial development. Darwinism needed to back up growing liberal political movements so as to stop public opposition. Once church power had broke, something needed to fill its position and that was atheism which is equal to Darwinism.

herve , why you are accentuating Islam only? This topic is about all religions, and what you are saying is true about all old religions. Of course there are new religions invented recently that may be compatible with science and new technology - but... This process itself, of making up religions, only prooves that it is in human nature to invent such things to cope with life and that most probably old religions are as well an invention of ancient people to cope with life, to maintain order and so on.

Berrin wrote:evolution has been refuted herve, didn't you know? today even evolutionists don't have faith in this theory

This is simply not true. Modern biology and medicine for that matter is based on evolution. Bacteria and viruses always evolve. The article you are refering to is written by people that do not understand what evolution really is.

some clarifications on what evolution is:




--- Wed Dec 14, 2011 2:36 am ---

And here are some examples of human mutations that happen in the present that if would have provided real benefit for survival and reproduction would have resulted in evolution of Human Kind.