Where would the world be right now if religion never existed?

[sapphi_snake]

neerdowell said:

The United States wouldn't have a constitution.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights..."

It's hard to say where we would be in terms of technology considering many early institutions of academics were affiliated with religion (in order to educate priests/other religious authorities). Early on education was not valued so much outside of religion. Yes, science would no longer be restricted by certain religious teachings, however, the advent of science may have been put off by a couple centuries at least.

Laws would be much more difficult to establish as there were be no consensus on an authority to establish said laws. In particular I believe that foreign relations would suffer as people would be swayed more by cultural values rather than religious values, hence there might be even more prejudice; if this were the case there would also be less spread of technology from one nation to another and likely more wars.

And the list goes on. I am not particularly religious (I am not an atheist but I do not attend church or other religious activities), however, I find the notion that a lack of religion provides one more freedom absolutely ridiculous. When you take God away from people they will not live without a God, they will simply make one of themselves.

The United States wouldn't have a constitution.

Of course the US would have a constotution. LOL... just no mention of that creator thingy.

It's hard to say where we would be in terms of technology considering many early institutions of academics were affiliated with religion (in order to educate priests/other religious authorities). Early on education was not valued so much outside of religion.

Early education was valued outside of religion... up until Christianity rose in the Romnan Empire. In Medieval Christian Europe only those affiliated with the church had the possiblity to become educated.

Yes, science would no longer be restricted by certain religious teachings, however, the advent of science may have been put off by a couple centuries at least.

Wrong, the advent of science was put off by a couple of centureis by religion.

Laws would be much more difficult to establish as there were be no consensus on an authority to establish said laws.

Now this one is just plain stupid. Who's the authority establishing the laws today? I know for sure it ain't no deity. And I also know for sure no deity ever established any laws in the first place.

In particular I believe that foreign relations would suffer as people would be swayed more by cultural values rather than religious values

Culture and religion constantly interwine, see for example the wearing of the burkha in some predominantly muslim countries (like Saudi Arabia) and not in others (like Turkey).