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Debate Info

30
28
Yes! No!
Debate Score:58
Arguments:38
Total Votes:59
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Argument Ratio

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 Yes! (19)
 
 No! (19)

Debate Creator

kyauta(46) pic



Religion has failed our society

People say that religion has failed our society. Is it true?

Yes!

Side Score: 30
VS.

No!

Side Score: 28
2 points

Organized religion, yes.

"I put no stock in religion. By the word religion I have seen the lunacy of fanatics of every denomination be called the will of God. I have seen too much religion in the eyes of too many murderers. Holiness is in right action, and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves, and goodness. What God desires is here [points to head] and here [points to heart] and what you decide to do every day, you will be a good man - or not."~Hospitaller (from 'Kingdom Of Heaven')

Side: Yes!
1 point

Religion fosters superstition, hatred for minorities, covers up crimes committed by prieste (paewdophilia in the Catholic Church and encourages hypocrisy and falsehood.

Side: Yes!
saprophetic(390) Disputed
2 points

So you've chosen to ignore the millions who had and continually have their lives enriched by religion?

You write as if you believe that religion has caused these atrocities, that if there was no religion, we wouldn't have to deal with crimes like paedophilia.

Side: No!
1 point

Saprophetic speaks words of wisdom here, your view however is extremely naive that all priests are paedophiles and perverts, in fact I have never even heard of a paedophilic priest except in films.

Side: No!
CJames(16) Disputed
1 point

You ignore the part about supersition and ignorance, which are both near guarenteed in religon. Religon has protected those guilty of pedophilia, and worse, actually encourages anti-logical, anti-scientififc thought which is probably its most dangerous aspect.

Side: Yes!

Religion has and will always fail, for it is a false sense of hope.

Side: Yes!
saprophetic(390) Disputed
1 point

Are you speaking specifically to one religion, or generally? Because not all religions promise great happiness upon death, or 40 virgins. Many just promote moral fibre and satisfaction in living - is that "a false sense of hope"?

Side: No!
1 point

First, what name specific religions that don't promise great happiness upon death?

Second, religion is a indoctrination.

Side: Yes!
CJames(16) Disputed
1 point

Well the two most popular religons, Christainity and Islam, do; thus it is reasonable to say that people belive them for the reward, and that it is a dangerous sense of false hope.

Side: Yes!

If religion is meant to free people, it has enslaved them.

It does this by creating a perception that minor "mystical" experiences which frees people from their worries are dependent upon a dogma or the church, and thus like an addict people turn to the church for their fix.

If religion is meant to cure people of social ills, it has supplanted their previous ones for new ones.

Consider the previous drug addict that now shuns and fears diversity and pushes his religion even if it violates others rights(like intelligent design or creationism in schools), after all most popular religions in our society has converting others as a duty.

... and so on.

Side: Yes!
1 point

Religion is filled with promises, but the promises are empty. We're told that Jesus died for our sins, and that the Prince of Peace would bring "joy to the world." But after a 2000+ year experiment we find that Christianity has failed on that promise, along with every other religion. If religions are effective, they should be producing positive results on earth, not just promising that their effect will be seen in "the afterlife." Yet on the ground we find that religions are at the heart of the majority of conflicts of the past few millennia. This is true in the Crusades, The Spanish Inquisition, the Egypt-Israel conflict, Northern Ireland, and thousands of others. Religious leaders also fail to provide positive role models or any kind of meaningful leadership. Whether it's priests molesting little boys, or Rabbis convicted of trafficking cocaine, or

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/6654466/Millionaire-rabbi-convicted-of-cocaine-possession.html

an islamic Imam convicted of aiding terrorists.

http://www.wpxi.com/news/28039658/detail.html

There is no effective counter-argument, we only get the same tired assertions that the prince of peace died for our sins to bring peace on earth, but that peace has yet to be seen.

Side: Yes!

I would say yes..... I believe humanism/atheism is just as much a religion as Islam or Christianity. It is this worldview that has failed society. The people that follow this worldview believe that morality is relative. They believe that what is legal is moral...that morality can change and does to fit culture. They beleive in doing what they think is right for them, they exclude everything else. They beleive that everything happened by random chance...that somehow something came from nothing. They blame others for what is going on in the universe and see themselves as the non responsible party. Sometimes they cant see the difference between right and wrong because truth for them is in the eye of the beholder. They call people of faith in God hypocrites, yet they force their false sense of morality on the masses. They say there is no God...making an absolute statement of fact, yet they can't begin to prove it. They have just as much faith in athiesm as one who believes and lives like there is a God. They want all symbols and references to God gone from society. They don't even want to hear the word God and are so offended that religious references have been taken out of our schools, public places, even our military.

The deteriorating moral climate of the world has not been caused by just those of faith in God but those who have none and live like it.

The religion of atheism is the real destroyer because it lends itself to tyranny, and that is where we are headed. Nietzsche’s message to the world is the one we mostly hear today. We are headed for ruin.

As a Christian I believe in Christ and I live that worldview. Any failure comes from my part or others to live like Christ commanded. We are the ones who have failed not God. Being a Christian is all about a relationship...not church membership or how many bible studies one attends...or the good works we might do. It is about our relationship to Christ....a one on one personal relationship that does not involve anyone else. It is about living the life Christ commands us to live. George Barna wrote a great book called Thinking like Jesus. If you do this....you treat everyone equal and you treat them with love. How many people do this who have accepted Christ? So while I believe athiem/humanism is what is taking us down today....I place a good deal of the blame on the Christians of today who do not stand up against it. The blame also lies with the pastors of churches who are more interested in remaining silent in opposition in order to fill the pews. Christianity has not failed society...those who do not stand on it have.

Side: Yes!
1 point

Religion is supposed to make society peaceful correct? It has not achieved this. I would definitely say it has failed. If anything it's proven to be quite the opposite making opposing religions less peaceful and less at rest.

Side: Yes!
5 points

If there is any failure, it's because of people, not because of some shit like religion.

People are fucked up. They come up with things like religion in order to fuck more shit up.

Side: No!
3 points

Before in Britain the church played a very important role in villages and towns. Such so that we still have Parish councils which are based around churches and vicars, the may not have played an important part in religion itself but they've helped sustain and govern British villages for years.

Side: No!
3 points

Before in Britain the church played a very important role in villages and towns.

And Hitler had a very important role in leading Germany. Does this mean Nazism didn't fail Germany?

Such so that we still have Parish councils which are based around churches and vicars

Irrelevant. We have words that come from Latin too, but that does not render Latin a superior language to English.

but they've helped sustain and govern British villages for years

There is no additional benefit to a theocracy than to an elected democracy. None whatever.

Side: Yes!
Axmeister(4322) Disputed
1 point

"And Hitler had a very important role in leading Germany. Does this mean Nazism didn't fail Germany?"

Hitler did help rebuild Germany's industry during the begining of his time in power, so yes Nazism didn't fail Germany, Hitlers sadistic mind did on the other hand.

"Irrelevant. We have words that come from Latin too, but that does not render Latin a superior language to English."

Are you stating that Latin words have failed the English language?

"There is no additional benefit to a theocracy than to an elected democracy. None whatever."

That only applies in the world of Today, where we are brought up to say that we don't need religion and most of us are taught the relgion is wrong.

Side: No!
2 points

Religion hasn't failed us. It is us who have apparently failed religion. Including the Religion of humanity. A holy scripture guides us in and out of what we usually assume might be Right or wrong. Every religion changes a little when it comes to the methods of the Religion. People choose those topics to fight about. And definitely... We are a part of Religion, Religions do not require to be part of us.

Side: No!
3 points

It is us who have apparently failed religion.

How the masses might fail a system designed to subvert them and call it a defeat, I cannot conceive.

A holy scripture guides us in and out of what we usually assume might be Right or wrong.

What manner of drone needs a holy book to tell him not to rape people?

Side: Yes!

This implies that religion is actually distinctly distinguishable from society, and I don't think that's possible. Religion is an important aspect of our society, so ingrained into our cultures that it's practically unfeasible to imagine society without it's influence. Religion hasn't failed society; we have.

Side: No!
2 points

This implies that religion is actually distinctly distinguishable from society, and I don't think that's possible.

Is slavery indistinguishable from American society? I understand that was quite popular back in the day.

Side: Yes!
saprophetic(390) Disputed
1 point

Slavery played an important part to society in that era; it's influence was that which helped shaped society. They both grew together, intertwined, and if slavery had not been so popular American society would not have been what it was, what it still symbolizes.

And I still believe religion has succeeded in it's purpose - offering a sense of meaning in existence and as a catalyst for bringing a community together.

Side: No!

No, People have failed this society. Any attempt to blame religion, race, age group or sub-culture is just a way to take blame of oneself. It's like blaming video games for school shootings... Sure, it's violent, but it is solely their fault.

Side: No!

Religion has not failed our society, we have failed religion. Regardless of what doctrine of belief, religion has caused hostility in differences, but despite the differences, it is the belief in a higher power.

Side: No!
1 point

Religion and society are constructs of human nature. We have no choice in either. However, I do believe we've outgrown religion. I don't begrudge anyone their delusion on their dying bed or after a great loss. I take exception on how god is used as a social tool by religious charlatans on about 99% of the instances this superstition is evoked though.

Side: No!
1 point

I would say not, on the whole. Is every good deed done by a religious person points in religion's favor? Conversely, is every evil deed done by a religious person a commentary on their entire faith?

And what does it mean for religion to fail our society? Fail our society in what capacity? In reducing war? Yes, screwed that one up royally. In raising money for charity? No, organized religion does pretty well there. In giving people a sense of purpose? Doing pretty well there, too. In making our political rhetoric more reasonable and lucid? Religion does the exact opposite, and did we ever expect anything else? We can't say religion has failed us without first knowing what we as a society expect from religion and how we're going to measure its success.

Side: No!