Do you think modern religion does more harm or more good?

"Poll: Brits View Atheists As More Moral Than Believers, Religion More Harmful Than Good

An eye-opening survey conducted in the UK reveals a truth many in the United States will find shocking. When asked if atheists are more or less moral than religious people, our allies across the pond favor atheists.

The British feel those who identify as atheists are more likely to be good people. In fact, 12.5% of Britons believe atheists are more moral, while only 6% say atheists are less moral.

Fewer than a quarter of Britons believe religion is a force for good. On the contrary, over half believe religion does more harm than good. Even 20% of Britons who describe themselves as ‘very religious’ are on record stating religion is harmful to society.

The poll, conducted by Survation for the HuffingtonPost UK’s series Beyond Belief doesn’t address why Britons have come to this conclusion, however faith in God and religion is falling in America as well. Jerome Baggett, a professor at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California told The San Francisco Business Times why he thinks people are retreating from religion in the United States,

“Religious institutions themselves have lost their legitimacy in the eyes of many Americans due to sexual and financial scandals, or political overreaching ‘by the so-called Christian right.'”

Linda Woodhead, professor of the sociology of religion at Lancaster University, told The Huffington Post UK she found the results of the poll “striking,”

“This confirms something I’ve found in my own surveys and which leads me to conclude that religion has become a ‘toxic brand’ in the UK. What we are seeing is not a complete rejection of faith, belief in the divine, or spirituality, though there is some to that, but of institutional religion in the historic forms which are familiar to people.”

Woodhead explains the reason Britons are distancing themselves from religion are “numerous” and include: sex scandals involving Catholic priests and rabbis, as well as Islamist terror attacks and conflict in the Middle East,

“I’d add religious leaderships’ drift away from the liberal values, equality, tolerance, diversity, [which is] embraced by many of their own followers and often championed by non-religious and atheist people more forcefully”.

Andrew Copson, chief executive of the British Humanist Association had this to say,

“This survey just confirms what we know is the common sense of people in Britain today – that whether you are religious or not has very little to do with your morality. Most people understand that morality and good personal and social values are not tied to religious belief systems, but are the result of our common heritage and experience as human beings: social animals that care for each other and are kind to others because we understand that they are human too. Not only that, people understand that religious beliefs themselves can be harmful to morality: encouraging intolerance, inflexibility and the doing of harm in the name of a greater good. We only need to look around us to perceive that fact.”

In an unrelated video, noted American author, philosopher, and neuroscientist Sam Harris offers a detailed explanation of why he feels morality based on the Christian God is lacking."


http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/11/08/poll-brits-view-atheists-as-more-moral-than-believers-religion-more-harmful-than-good-video/


*All religion

First, let me say I quite like the Holy Grail reference.

Okay, MODERN religion, I'd imagine you are referring to most organised religions.. They are.. Something man, I'll tell you that. I love reading old religious texts(those I can understand), I love learning about the history of it all. But I would never classify myself as a Christian, Buddhist, Atheist or anything. That is the opinion of a lot of people, but we live in a country where you can be whichever religion you like. That is at least.. One good thing about this country.
But why pick one? I am just as much every religion as I am not one.
I am a spiritual person because I have experienced some things that have opened my eyes.

One thing is that compassion overrules. Maybe biological, however biology is just as spiritual to me as any other kind of spirituality.
Right now, it does more harm than good. Look at all these fights. It is because people are raised in these cultures and have to follow the state religion or there will be dire consequences. Then there is the brainwashing and the killing.... Ugh..

Causes so much harm. there does not need to be one unified religion and there definitely doesn't need to be a bunch of them arguing. It's just like that south park episode with the otters fighting about what the name should be of their atheist alliance. So neither of those are solutions.
People need to find self religion. Once you have a spiritual awakening, it is VERY obvious. You can call it God, Brahman.. What have you. However it is going to teach you that compassion is the very foundation of all of our biology. And there is something cute about that.
Jesus preached compassion. Jesus wasn't a Christian either.

Compassion is the religion that needs to be followed. And it is not to be taken advantage of.
I fear/know that something is about to happen and this worlds population is going to decrease ten fold. With good reason. If I die in the toils of it, oh well. So be it. At least there will be a new start and maybe we will get it better next time.

For now we are a disgusting race. Not everyone is included in this either which is the sad part.
I would die fighting for something I believed in, but I have always been extremely subjective and would never bend and believe a will of another man if I was told to do something that didn't sit right with me(I say that but then psychology comes in, technically I could live in a cave for 20 years and completely forget English).

This is a very hard question. It does not need to be abolished, but people need to wake up and stop acting like they know God based off of other peoples' experiences whether they are EVEN TRUE OR NOT.
Some 'religious' people I have met have had intricate stories as to why they believe that, and that's okay. Because they had learned about compassion and bettered themselves BECAUSE of it.

Religion isn't a bragging right or an object or an excuse to 'sin' and then be forgiven by praying to your imaginary friend, religion is a deep spiritual connection with the source that can be interpreted in so many different ways(hence why there are so many religions).
There is so much esoteric knowledge involved as well, some people are skeptical of that but I have seen some things that make me think twice.

Just my two cents. Let's argue n shit, I'm awake!!

I concur with your observations.
I believe man kind has, in our quest to understand our position, lost our true purpose for existing. We are now taught to follow rule of man without question. Darwinism is taught through our curriculum and "more modern" interpretation of our religious relationships/history have been defined and obscured. Survival of the fittest is indoctrinated in to us. Money and status has become man kinds prime focus. Any and all deviation from the original message of compassion, has been driven by mans anti-belief, if that makes sense to you. Why do I exist? I believe I exist to observe and understand. My original purpose probably would've been to tend to the earth and keep predators in balance. I also believe evil in this world is necessary to exercise our character and expose our vulnerabilities.