What are the benefits and harms of religions?

Are you religious? How does your religion, or lack of one, support your life?

In order to focus on religion this evening, we need to separate it from related concepts. What is the difference between religion and faith? … or between religion and spirituality? … or ethics?
What is the difference between religion and the church, or the mosque, or the synagogue, or… In other words, the difference between the religion itself and the organised social structure that seems to accompany most religions.

What is religion, anyway?
Can you be spiritual or have faith, without being religious? What does this mean?

Can you ever separate ethnicity from religious beliefs? Should you try? Many societies—nations even—across the world align themselves with a particular religion. To what extent does the ethnicity define religion?

What is the role of religion in people’s lives—and in society more generally?
What are the benefits and harms/dangers of religions—to individuals, to communities, to societies?

Can the claimed benefits of religion be obtained in non-religious ways?

Can the claimed harms/dangers of religion be mitigated without ditching the religion?

When comparing religions, (or lack of religion), what differentiating aspects or features determine their relative social benefits and harms?

How important is ‘belief’, provided there is participation in a "religious" community of some sort?

Suggested reading:

Alain de Botton, Religion for atheists—a non-believer’s guide to the uses of religion
Interesting (and hostile) review of this book, worth reading for its overview of the tendency of some people, like de Botton, the reviewer thinks, to say they don’t believe, but your believing is good for society:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/jan/12/religion-for-atheists-de-botton-review

Suggested viewing:

‘Is religion good or bad?’ Kwame Anthony Apiah argues that there is no such thing as religion (even though people are religious) (14:27)
https://www.ted.com/talks/kwame_anthony_appiah_is_religion_good_or_bad_this_is_a_trick_question

‘What comes after religion?’ A succinct little précis from The school of life (3:34)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL--1Z_g4DE&ab_channel=TheSchoolofLife

NOTE: This is one of our more contentious subjects! In Cafe Philo discussions we try to be inclusive and treat everyone with respect and understanding, even if we disagree with their views. Hopefully we listen and learn so that we leave better informed than when we arrive. Please come with that approach in mind to make it easier for our facilitators!

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