If you could change one thing... Options

[ParanoidAndroid]

Maybe getting rid of the human trait, greed, would be nice. I mean, sure we can share our wealth to other nations, but that won't stop things like stealing or corruption, etc. You can give a millions of dollars to a leader of a country for him to improve the economy but he can get greedy and use it for his own good. If there wasn't greed in the first place, then we could share our money...

[*Kathleen*]

I think too much. I tend to ask myself questions like this all of the time.

My answer? I have many answers, so choosing one that is most important would be rather difficult.
Hmm.
I guess I would say I wish people were made to be more appreciative of others' differences. This flaw of mankind has always been the main cause of minor and major disputes all throughout history. If we were able to be ourselves without fearing other people (not just cruel remarks from fellow peers, but even war!), then we would be much happier. There would have been less war and deaths through history, and everyone in the world would be a free people.

YES. No religious wars. Women would be equal to men from the get-go... No ancient wars killing off people of another race.. just because they're of a particular race (i.e. China and Japan). In modern day, people would accept others more freely. There'd be no outcasts just because he doesn't dress cool.. or looks different. That would be nice. The only thing is that that wouldn't have prevented slavery. But yes, I fully agree. Sorry for stealing your answer.

I'd definitely choose to make the people in the world more informed, more alert, less ignorant. It's pathetic how many (or little) people out there actually stand out above the rest.

[goodcharlotte]

Women were worshiped by the Sumerians and other civilizations near that time around 3000 and 2000 BCE. Anyway, I would change the attitude on life in general. People commit suicide and other things without realizing the value of life. It pisses me off sometimes.

[*Kathleen*]

^ I didn't know that, but as far as I know.. that's about it. Yes, we had female goddesses and deities and all that jazz, but common women weren't respected as much and had many disablities (political/power-wise).

[goodcharlotte]

Actually the women held many of the same positions as men in the Sumerian times. In fact they held every postition a man could and did.

Okay moving on. I also want to eliminate the negative perspective on things. Sure they are useful but people become to catious.

[NoSex]

"The idea of God is the sole wrong for which I cannot forgive mankind."
-- Marquis de Sade, Aline et Valcour

Uhhmmm. This one is easy.
I would destroy all spirituality. Religion would be so gone.

[Mistress Bags]

"The idea of God is the sole wrong for which I cannot forgive mankind."
-- Marquis de Sade, Aline et Valcour

Uhhmmm. This one is easy.
I would destroy all spirituality. Religion would be so gone.

You are the most brilliant person I have seen on this forum. Every single one of your posts that I have read has completely impressed me.

[angelrevelation]

i would change having to always be politically correct in school and other public things...

and there is STILL lots of racism around, so i would stop that.

[x_curse_of_the_c...]

I'd make everybody accept that PLUTO IS NOT A PLANET ANYMORE.

its classified as a dwarf planet its still a planet!! im a showoff!

[*yrrnotelekktric*]

i would change people's ideas.
somehow.

[*mipadi*]

You are the most brilliant person I have seen on this forum. Every single one of your posts that I have read has completely impressed me.

I don't mean to offend or call anyone out, but how exactly is it "brilliant" to post a rant against religion and spirituality without even explaining one's position? There's a pretty big anti-religion bias among the "intellectual elite" that seems misguided in a way. I don't see anything wrong with a person holding religious or spiritual beliefs. Organized religion, of course, is misguided, but organized religion is hardly about religion—it's about politics. Quoting from Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash, page 64:

"I know. That's exactly the problem. Ninety-nine percent of everything that goes on in most Christian churches has nothing whatsoever to do with the actual religion. Intelligent people all notice this sooner or later, and they concede that the entire one hundred percent is bullshit, which is why atheism is connected with being intelligent in people's minds.

Indeed, organized religion is little more than a virus; quoting again from Stephenson, Snow Crash, page 187:

Hiro puts his head in his hands. He's not exactly thinking about this; he's letting it ricochet around in his skull, waiting for it to come to rest. "Wait a minute, Juanita. Make up your mind. This Snow Crash thing—is it a virus, a drug, or a religion?"

Juanita shrugs. "What's the difference?"

Being against organized religion makes sense. Organized religion is nothing but a rigid hierarchy meant to control people. But I don't really see why spirituality or religion itself is such a bad thing (especially spirituality). If it gives guidance and meaning to a person's life, and it stays personal, what's so bad about it?

[Mistress Bags]

I don't mean to offend or call anyone out, but how exactly is it "brilliant" to post a rant against religion and spirituality without even explaining one's position? There's a pretty big anti-religion bias among the "intellectual elite" that seems misguided in a way. I don't see anything wrong with a person holding religious or spiritual beliefs. Organized religion, of course, is misguided, but organized religion is hardly about religion—it's about politics.

I'm not against religion, and I don't think she's brilliant for being against religion, I just think it has caused so much unnecessary issues in this world.

[Jeng]

I'm not against religion, and I don't think she's brilliant for being against religion, I just think it has caused so much unnecessary issues in this world.

that she's not a she, she's a he. :]

[*mipadi*]

I'm not against religion, and I don't think she's brilliant for being against religion, I just think it has caused so much unnecessary issues in this world.

Organized religion, yes, but what's the problem with a person's spirituality?

[EddieV]

I would change times, move us into the future.

[Mistress Bags]

that she's not a she, she's a he. :]

Ooops!

And Mipadi, you've got me there. I wasn't really clear, but yes, that's what I meant. I didn't intend to be offensive, but I wasn't thinking when I made that comment.

[goodcharlotte]

i would change people's ideas.
somehow.

Use a mind controlling device.

[*yrrnotelekktric*]

^
go make one !

and then we could rule the world!

[goodcharlotte]

^
go make one !

and then we could rule the world!

Yes master.

[*yrrnotelekktric*]

so, tell me one you`re done.
or build a magic wand!
and then people can obey you and stuff!
yeah ok i`ll stoppppp.

[NoSex]

Organized religion, yes, but what's the problem with a person's spirituality?

I should have made my statement a bit more clear.
I'm against dogmatism. Spirituality can only survive within dogmatic parimeters.
To be a spiritualist it is inevitable that you are going to hold beliefs in face of contrary or inadequate evidence. I think spirituality decapitates more meaningful human relations. I also think it is a dangerous and negative force in many people's lives. Organized religion and individual spirituality are both baseless systems. They are upheld by nothing but human emotionalism, insecurity, fear, and false hope. I don't think life should be shrouded in lies, let alone unfounded and misguided lies. I think that, as human beings, we could work towards a more meaningful, more progressive, and more beautiful future given the demise of dogmatisms such as spirituality.

How can you find something wrong with organized religion, but not individual spirituality? They are two sides of the same coin. They are both self-built prisons. One is just supported institutionally, while another by unmitigated personal and emotional ignorance.

Further, if organized religion is about "politics," what is simple "religion" about?
Is not spirituality a drug in of itself? Is not organized religion simply a distribution system used to traffic said drug? Should we just loathe its distributors? Or should we loathe the drug itself?

I just don't see how the poison of organized religion is not shared inside individual spirituality? Are they not held in the same dogmatic vain? Do both not obscure reality?

I find organized religion to be rather destestable, but I find it detestable for many of the same reasons that I detest spirituality in general. Where is it that you find this significant and distinct seperation? Where exactly is it that organized religion is misguided where individual spirituality - still blindingly unsubstantiated, driven by faith - is not?

[clarity]

I'd have to say world peace.
What? I do care.

[xMayleex]

Hum.

Spread awareness throughout the world, stop ignorance, people seem to be ignorant towards things they don't understand. They will say whatever they will without even trying to understand what they are talking about. Seems to me also that people will belittle something they don't believe in, so .. yeah that =]

[*mipadi*]

I don't think spirituality necessarily equates to dogmatism. One of the core concepts of Snow Crash, which I'll synthesize and expand upon here, is the idea of informational viruses; that is, information that spreads from one carrier to the next, unchanged. Organized religion is more often than not an example of this. Religions often dictate that the "word of God" be written down unchanged. Islam promotes this; Christianity does, too, especially with handwritten Bibles—monks were strictly forced to copy the Bible exactly.

But those are teachings of organized religion, not spirituality. Believing in a God or gods does not necessarily mean that a person holds a set of principles as "incontrovertibly true" (to quote the definition of dogma). Jesus never really suggested this. People were never meant to idolize Jesus and believe only his word; that's why his tomb was empty after his death, as a sign that his teachings should be learned, and that he shouldn't be idolized.

So there's no reason why spirituality has to equate to dogma. A person can be spiritual and still examine his beliefs, still analyze what he was taught. If a person is learning, not merely following, then it's not dogma—and not all spiritual systems, not even most, force a person to blindly follow their teachings. The organization of that spiritual system might, but the system itself generally encourages a person to look at things more closely, to not blindly follow.

And in the end, what is science, or philosophy, or things of that nature, but a belief system of a different variety? The Truth is difficult to prove. Science might try to explain things through observation and experimentation, but in the end it requires a lot of faith in certain core concepts, too. And likewise, a person who blindly follows scientific knowledge, or philosophical thought, without thinking is just being dogmatic as well.

The key idea is the generation of new thoughts, and belief in a spiritual system does not preclude that in any way.

I should have made my statement a bit more clear.
I'm against dogmatism. Spirituality can only survive within dogmatic parimeters.
To be a spiritualist it is inevitable that you are going to hold beliefs in face of contrary or inadequate evidence. I think spirituality decapitates more meaningful human relations. I also think it is a dangerous and negative force in many people's lives. Organized religion and individual spirituality are both baseless systems. They are upheld by nothing but human emotionalism, insecurity, fear, and false hope. I don't think life should be shrouded in lies, let alone unfounded and misguided lies. I think that, as human beings, we could work towards a more meaningful, more progressive, and more beautiful future given the demise of dogmatisms such as spirituality.

How can you find something wrong with organized religion, but not individual spirituality? They are two sides of the same coin. They are both self-built prisons. One is just supported institutionally, while another by unmitigated personal and emotional ignorance.

Further, if organized religion is about "politics," what is simple "religion" about?
Is not spirituality a drug in of itself? Is not organized religion simply a distribution system used to traffic said drug? Should we just loathe its distributors? Or should we loathe the drug itself?

I just don't see how the poison of organized religion is not shared inside individual spirituality? Are they not held in the same dogmatic vain? Do both not obscure reality?

I find organized religion to be rather destestable, but I find it detestable for many of the same reasons that I detest spirituality in general. Where is it that you find this significant and distinct seperation? Where exactly is it that organized religion is misguided where individual spirituality - still blindingly unsubstantiated, driven by faith - is not?

[Jinny]

i would change backstabbers and people who judge you!
its annoying =X