Why doesn't religion help?

The only thing that is going to keep all the kids safe is people like you who do what they need to do. People who don't focus on the artificial constructs of life that we preoccupy ourselves with, religion, politics, American Idol. It's all the same, just distractions.

Well, I kinda believe that religion was created as a way to set up useful societies where everyone was kind of "on the same page" (and to control the population). But the problem comes when there are multiple religions, and people disagree.

Religion inherently makes people think illogically, and have strong beliefs based on unsound premises, so that complicates problems too.

Today's society is also very much worse of than before. Most the world lives in poverty. And when the going gets tough, people start throwing out "petty" things like morals in favor of personal survival. But, I think this has the ultimate effect of making things worse for everybody.

One of these kids will figure it out as long as we remind them that what we have is unacceptable. A peace that is more than the absence of violence, a peace that gives reconciliation and kind regards will be established as a reasonable, obvious idea by one or more of them.

Infant mortality has decreased a bit over the last few millennia; child labor and child prostitution has not gone away, but it is less.

If the idea that children are not property can be accepted by the entire of Western culture, then the idea of peace can be accomplished step at a time.

There will still be tragic lives and there will still be injustice. Rhetorically, what is the alternative to emotional catatonia and accepting what is as good?

Can't figure out how to say this without sounding so saccharine. This indicates how bad things are.

Religion HAS helped. Ever heard of St Jude's Children's Hospital? Yes there has been much strife over religion but in the history of mankind there's also been much good from it. All the bad stuff makes the news though and the good stuff doesn't. Don't get yourself all mired in the atheist versus Christian, Democrat versus Republican nonsense, those battles will exist for another 2000 years. Just do the best you can and do something to make your granddaughter's life better. Teach her to pay it forward and one by one we can make a better world.

Because just like you, everybody else wants the other guy to be consumed with what they are concerned with and not with their own problems.

Along comes religion and adds a veneer of authority on a universal scale that no one is supposed to be able to resist or deny and now nobody has a reason to submit to anything but their own beliefs.

Stay alive for your granddaughter and teach her tolerance and compassion and a sense of duty and honor, with a healthy dose of skepticism for self protection.

Good luck.

Religion Karl Marx said,is the opiate for the masses.I would say that the trick is to lead a good life,and you will have reason to feel good about your life.There is no magic spell or incantation that will grant everyone peace and serenity.only common sense can do that,and sadly,I don't think the world will ever get there.

Because we're human beings living in a natural world filled with sickness, disease, human weaknesses and human evil. Religion hasn't "cured" these things,neither has science, but many people religious and not have made the world a better place. What are you doing to make the world a better place for children? If that's what you're passionate about then act on it and don't sit around pointing fingers and talking about who's not doing what.

Overall religion has caused more harm than good. If we want to make a change we need to do it ourselves we need not just rely on some imaginary person in the sky to fix all of our major problems.

Well, religion itself doesn't do a thing. Everything you said is correct, except for one thing. A solid relationship with Jesus Christ surpasses the concept of religion.

The sad (and obvious) fact is that we live in a fallen, decaying world, and we too often put our trust in the wrong men.

***I know you said you didn't want verses, but please check this one out. I put it right here for you so you won't have to bother looking it up.

Acts 17:26-27:

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

Your asking for something that will never happen we will never live in a safe world, the selfish nature and delusions of man will never let that happen.