An effort to get people to discuss and debate, be civil, on the topics of our time. Fight for your personal thoughts or fight for the other side, to try to understand the opposing viewpoint. Most of all, open your mind and question your own beliefs.
So, is religion good for the world? Does it contribute more good to the world, or more evil? Does one trump another? Let's discuss in the comment section...
I'll start us off. I believe religion has been the biggest detriment to civilization that has ever existed. The Crusades, Spanish Inquisition, Jihadists, etc. More violence is created because of religion than anything else in the world. Why am I right? Or why am I wrong?
ReplyDeleteI agree.. Religion has lead or at least been a factor in every war.. Not only does religion warp people into believing and relying on what a storybook tells them too, it literally makes some unable to use their own minds to make decisions, build their futures, do what they want to do, etc. Hatred towards gays, staying in abusive, unhealthy relationships because divorce is frowned upon, cult groups - sometimes fatal, and a scapegoat to do immoral things because you can simply confess and be 'forgiven' are also some of the too many to list downfalls of organized insanity, aka religion...
ReplyDeleteOrganized insanity. Interesting...
ReplyDeleteAnyone disagree? Do we have any fighters for religion?
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that religion is involved in some of the worst events there have ever been, and that people often use it as an excuse to be downright evil. But I kind of feel like using religion as the end all be all reason for these behaviors is dangerously close to using it as an excuse in the same way. People in general have proven not to be the most compassionate or kind without any influence either way, so I sort of think that if not for religion human beings would simply use a different excuse to hate, murder, and inconvenience each other. It just so happens that organized religion makes it really really easy for people to reason towards violence or hate against an idea or person, but its not the only thing that has been or is used.
ReplyDeleteWell put. Is it religion or simply humanity that leads us to violence, upheaval, and exclusivity?
ReplyDeleteOn a different note, speaking as a nonreligious person who is pro-Religion, I do think that it makes up for a sense of hopelessness that comes with unfortunate circumstances. As examples, I have some friends who have beaten addiction thanks to their faith, and there are certainly plenty of rehabbed convicts out there who have used religious guidance and teachings to similar ends. Without it, they might have hit bottom and stayed there. When properly applied, it can give people strength when they otherwise have none, such as when they facing intense depression due to oppressive and unavoidable circumstances (famine, war, widespread disease). In my mind, if it gives them solace where they can't seem to find it otherwise, then it can't be inherently bad.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, when utilized with good intentions, I think it has saved a lot of lives. But, as you've mentioned, when applied improperly, it can function to the exact opposite. It's a complicated gradient of possibilities.
To answer your last question, I'd point more to human nature and primal instinct as the root cause. The human brain is a complex thing, and every major problem can be traced to a multitude of causal experiences, sometimes including religion and sometimes not. This Radiolab episode makes it pretty clear that the root of 'evil,' as it were, is hard to explain and may actually be slowly rooted out due to natural selection: http://www.radiolab.org/2009/oct/19/
Ah, but does a few friends rehabilitation make up for the millions of women living in slaver? I don't mean to insult and I'm happy for anyone who can beat there addictions, whatever means they seek. What I'm really asking is does the good out-way the bad, or vice versa? Religious genocide, which has and is still taking place in northern Iraq from Turkey as we speak, is something that should be vocally condemned. Anfal? Halabja? Both brutal massacres of religious roots. What then?
Deleteslavery*
DeleteTo me, religion is a way to remove accountability in ones actions. "Putting trust in God", "Praying for help", and a general sense that God will guide oneself seems like giving up hope in solving issues yourself.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kyle that violence is human nature. The structure of society is not build with these traits in mind. Greed, jealousy, and rage are all human instincts that every person exhibits. Religion seems to be based off of these instincts and the removal of guilt about them. We shouldn't feel guilty about our natural feelings. We shouldn't be told by some dubious religious authority that we are wrong for feeling a certain way or having a certain sexual preference.
I guess I am just very anti-"tell people what to do". Organized religion seems to be a superstitious waste of time. That doesn't mean that I do not believe in some form of higher spiritual form, whatever that may be.
Religion seems to me to be a coping mechanism with the unknown. It is a way to comfort believers. In that sense I think it is good. It is when there is abuse of power that religion becomes a tool for evil. Remember that every single human being has hidden motives that control the way they act. We are all looking out for our best interests, which may be detrimental to others.
I've also been reading a lot of Robert Anton Wilson, so my response is somewhat biased based on that.