A question to the non-religious: Do you think it is a wise idea to take influence of some of the positive...?

Yes, I believe it is a wise idea. I have faith, but I also have a strong science and philosophy background. I often debate their meaning, although I believe in what I do now, because of personal experience.

As far as religions, I agree they're man made, but for example, I take the bible as a great philosophical work. Whether it is 100% true or not, it guides many people to better themselves, to have some control, and to respect others.

I don't see anything inherently wrong with finding some bit of philosophical inspiration from a particular religion or mythology. Heck, some people find philosophical inspirations in books like "Where the Wild Things Are" or movies like "Star Wars".

In fact, I don't see why examples like the latter should be inferior to the former. As long as you think a quotation for example is empowering and valid to you, then what difference does it make if it's 3,000 years old or 3 years old?

The whole POINT of mythology is to use story-telling to teach underlying life-lessons, not to take them as literal stories.

I don't need any "influence" from a god to tell me that what hurts other people is wrong, or that my liberties end where another person's liberties begin.

Edit: I don't need influence from other humans to know this either. Why would I need such influence?

Edit 2: I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. First you're telling us that we should take influence from "varied religions and ancient mythologies" and next you're talking about our parents, guardians and teachers? What's your point?

What helps your morals varies from person to person. Heck, you could stare at the word "I" for five minutes and you could get positive meaning from it. Of course you should do whatever helps you, that's a tautology.

If you can take a religious book and separate the positive from the negative yourself it's clear you don't need it as a moral guide. But sure if you want to justify the good morals you already have using God then its a good thing.

Religions do not own moral or ethical teachings, so I don't see why there would be a philosophical problem in the first place.

"Thou shalt not kill" is simply one incarnation of the same basic idea that murder isn't generally conducive to a functional society because of the crime-vengeance cycle.

I personally think it is a good idea. I believe that when you think of these moral stories, it helps to understand the cause and effects of living a certain way. Such as, the ancient Gods who in most cases were jealous and wrathful and they end up fighting or plotting and one of them ends up dead or overthrown.

Hang on: if I can already spot they are positive aspects, then I've already aware of them, and wouldn't see any great reason to make much of one more example when it is mixed in with clearly negative stuff.

I'm worried enough by the number of people who seem to get their history from Hollywood

Enjoy myth as myth, fine. But take care not to get confused.

If we don't need the religion to have the morals, then why support the religion based on the morals?

But the valuable lessons are based on logic, and don't belong to religions, they predate them all. They just get re-hashed and claimed.

Like being anti gay or racist you mean. They sem to think they are positive. I think they are negative. See the problem??