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@tynan
Agreed, I am not sure a non-religious history could have ever even happened, as much as a history free from rape, food shortages, disease and conflict might be shown to be unattainable, not in a technical sense that these things could not be overcome but in the sense that without these things we would not be what we are today.
I think that is exactly what it is, not in any self-aware/deliberate way (although I am sure there are examples), but more so the culture of religion.
Much like large corporations don't set out to pollute the environment, impoverish swathes of people and lower working conditions - their intention is to make money - but pollute the environment, impoverish swathes of people and lower working conditions is what they are known to do.
Absolutely agreed. I think I have said more than once in the various religious threads that pop up every now and again - that firstly I think religion is corrosive and poisonous (without mentioning the nonsense of its knowledge/truth claims/epistemology) - but also that I don't think it is possible that it can be eradicated any more than we can eradicate crime or comedy - nor am even sure it would be a good thing.
What I do think would be a good thing is that religion is kept as a private enterprise amongst consenting adults, if these people wish to modify their genitals in the name of their superstition of choice or attempt telepathic communion with the godhead or prostrate themselves in a large barn every Sunday in the hope that they will modify their deities decisions for the week - then I think they should be allowed to do just that - and I would go further, I would stand up and protect their right to do so.
Where I draw the line is when the agenda broadens and these people attempt (in any way) to force their erroneous thinking onto others, whether it is the misogynistic treatment of women, Church of England bishops placing the cause of extreme weather events on homosexuality or 'faith' schools teaching impressionable children falsehoods as scientific truth.
Can the history of mankind be free from religion and leave us where we are now ? I agree with you here, I doubt it. Can we now finally throw off superstition and magical thinking ? I think we cannot afford not to.