While people involved in religion do teach "moral values", those same people that aren't involved also teach those same principles. Don't hurt people, don't be greedy, don't go around stealing stuff. Religion isn't needed for these essential moral values to be passed along to children while they are growing up. I won't commit murder not because I am afraid of hell, or any other repercussions promised to me I will not do it because I know its wrong. Same goes for any other morally questionable act. While I can agree that religion can be used as some sort of moral underlaying structure to help people with their daily lives guiding them towards whats right, I strongly feel that the same can be accomplished by non religious people doing the same sort of guidance.
NO. You cannot say for sure how things are going to develop in a society that does not live under the mark of religion, because it is all present in the mind of the people. Essentially, unless we find a way to imbue the human genetic code with morals at birth, then any human being is susceptible to being corrupted by any thoughts that come to mind. A human who is not born with a set of rules might develop instinctual habits that could end up hurting the ones around him (a theory just as potentially valid as the world where humans are naturally born with morals, which is what you suggest).
Religion isn't needed for this, non-religious people can raise their kids with the same morals and even open them up to the beautify of our universe and whats possible out there as there is no need to live in the box. You're forgetting that atheists are people with perfectly sound morals that live their lives sometimes even more thoughtfully than religious folk, free of the need to judge others and or believe in some higher power that will ultimately "judge" them. There is no need for a creation story, there is no need for a higher power to judge you, punish you, make you it's bitch if you make a mistake. Raise your kids with wholesome qualities and ideals and they won't need god to enforce those rules... 99.9% of humans are naturally good and will live moral and productive lives. Radicalized religions don't offer those same benefits for example.
While people involved in religion do teach "moral values", those same people that aren't involved also teach those same principles. Don't hurt people, don't be greedy, don't go around stealing stuff. Religion isn't needed for these essential moral values to be passed along to children while they are growing up. I won't commit murder not because I am afraid of hell, or any other repercussions promised to me I will not do it because I know its wrong. Same goes for any other morally questionable act. While I can agree that religion can be used as some sort of moral underlaying structure to help people with their daily lives guiding them towards whats right, I strongly feel that the same can be accomplished by non religious people doing the same sort of guidance.
NO. You cannot say for sure how things are going to develop in a society that does not live under the mark of religion, because it is all present in the mind of the people. Essentially, unless we find a way to imbue the human genetic code with morals at birth, then any human being is susceptible to being corrupted by any thoughts that come to mind. A human who is not born with a set of rules might develop instinctual habits that could end up hurting the ones around him (a theory just as potentially valid as the world where humans are naturally born with morals, which is what you suggest).
Religion isn't needed for this, non-religious people can raise their kids with the same morals and even open them up to the beautify of our universe and whats possible out there as there is no need to live in the box. You're forgetting that atheists are people with perfectly sound morals that live their lives sometimes even more thoughtfully than religious folk, free of the need to judge others and or believe in some higher power that will ultimately "judge" them. There is no need for a creation story, there is no need for a higher power to judge you, punish you, make you it's bitch if you make a mistake. Raise your kids with wholesome qualities and ideals and they won't need god to enforce those rules... 99.9% of humans are naturally good and will live moral and productive lives. Radicalized religions don't offer those same benefits for example.