- As of today, you have had a number of years to experience life and explore the greater world. Your experiences have helped shape the way you perceive, understand, and deal with the world. You have seen people succeed and fail; you have seen people endure pain, suffering, and even death. You have seen a variety of ways through which life can be lived out. Are some ways of life better than others? If so, which kind and why? If not, how come? Do the beliefs which people hold have any impact on the way they act out in the world, and beyond that, on the grand historical narrative of humanity?
- How would you define religion? What is the goal of religion? Is it “man-made?” Is there a kind of religion or religious system which you would consider credible and wholesome? What does that look like? What religion or religious system which you would consider foolish or destructive? What does that look like?
- Are all religions are the same? Why or why not? Is there a religion which you might consider to be better than the rest? If so, which? If not, why not?
- Should religion be taught in schools in the USA? If so, which religion should be taught, and how should we decide? Has removing religious education from schools brought about positive or negative results to the ethics and morality our recent generations?
- What is the eschatological or “end” goal of the life of a human being? Can people live virtuous lives without the influence of religion or religious beliefs? If so, how does one develop a grounded sense of ethics and morality? If not, why not?
- In your estimation, which has more positively influenced the world, atheism or religion? Which of the two has had a more negative impact? How so? (Be specific)
- Is the physical world all there is, or is there something spiritual which exists beyond the physical, impacting it along the way? How have you come to this conclusion?
