Gap in gov't could be business opportunity

[J’raxis 270145]

so long as people are voluntarily enslaving themselves to them, that's their right.

But is it in fact voluntary? I was raised in the Bible. Not because I chose to, but because I was made to believe that I'd spend an infathomable amount of time in a fiery lake if I did not. Were it not for this use of a fear tactic, I would have a similar laissez-faire attitude towards religion. It's hard for me to keep an open mind in that regard because of all of the bogus laws and efforts that are inflicted upon us simply because a large number of people feel it is the holy way.

Far too many people believe because of fear, or simply because their parents drilled it into them. But then there are converts who come over to the religion because they're attracted to its ideals.

In a free society, we wouldn't have laws originating from religious belief, but we would certainly still have fire-and-brimstone preachers going around trying to make people believe in the religion they're pushing. In such a society, how would you go about preventing people from falling for it? Would you try to restrict what the preachers of such religion can say in order to prevent them from gaining followers?

[dan_sayers]

Far too many people believe because of fear, or simply because their parents drilled it into them. But then there are converts who come over to the religion because they're attracted to its ideals.

*ideas

But how many of these adult converts occur while in prison? Or immediately after the death of a loved one? Or during some other traumatic point where it feels easier getting through with the help of SOMEBODY.

I'm all in favor of placebos. When it comes to making a change for the better in one's self, I don't much care if they used a phantom crutch to assist them. I'd just rather see people make progress due to the merits they possess or that are already available to them through a support network of friends, family, and neighbors. I'd rather people choose not to lie, cheat, or steal simply because it's the right thing to do and not because you're commanded to by ____. I think if society on the whole had wisened up and progressed far enough to shake free of the grip of the state, that they would similarly guard their mind from other organized efforts in draining them of their free will, such as religion.