All religion is "evil"

[superluminal]

The very concept of religion - that one group of people, with no physical proof or evidence, can state that THEY ALONE have the TRUTH - is an appallingly horrifying idea with appallingly horrifying consequences, and always will be.

The moral and ethical level of religion is the same as that for a deceitful, controlling parent to a gullable child. Most human beings are gullible children. They lack the critical thinking skills necessary to defend themselves against egomaniacial religious "leaders" who take advantage of them at every turn. From the friendly local priest (don't question the faith or you'll see how welcome you really are in the community) to the suicide bomber who blows himself up along with a busload of kids for ALLAH.

Every outcome of religion ultimately serves to do only one thing: reduce the quality of life for everyone. How big a list of religious atrocities can you come up with that occur on a regular basis? From the tiny (my neighbor is shunned from his Amish community because he likes electricity...) to the enormous (whole populations "cleansed" in the name of some imaginary sky-fairy) to the millenium-spanning (the supprerssion of scientific knowledge off-and-on for all of human history because it contradicted someones dogma).

I despise all religion and pity those who are slaves to it.

 

[craterchains (Norval]

this sounds more like scientists and science.

 

[DarkEyedBeauty]

(Let me first say, I am not an advocate of religion. I am not religious.)

What about the community that it builds between people? We can't deny that our country has seen, within the last 50 years, an intense decline in community relations. People are brought together by this. Yes...many things could do this job: golf, picnics, etc. But religion does play this part.

And what of charity? There are an awful lot of relgious charities. That is a good that comes out of religion, that has few groups that could replace it.

Ok, I'm struggling for another, but you can't simply throw it away because all that you want to look at is the bad effects. There is OBVIOUSLY some good, or else people wouldn't have tolerated it for so long.

 

[Lucidfox]

Even if there was no God most religions have their own laws that teach people how to be better people.

 

[DarkEyedBeauty]

Funny, then, that they don't teach them that it is better to avoid unquestioning belief.

 

[superluminal]

DarkEyedBeauty:

What about the community that it builds between people? We can't deny that our country has seen, within the last 50 years, an intense decline in community relations. People are brought together by this. Yes...many things could do this job: golf, picnics, etc. But religion does play this part.

And what of charity? There are an awful lot of relgious charities. That is a good that comes out of religion, that has few groups that could replace it.

Ok, I'm struggling for another, but you can't simply throw it away because all that you want to look at is the bad effects. There is OBVIOUSLY some good, or else people wouldn't have tolerated it for so long.

1) Ok. So religion has a small side effect of bringing people together. Who does it bring together? Groups of people who think you are going to Hell or whatever, and pity you for it, who spend most of their time figuring out ways to "save" your soul. You are an unfortunate who needs their help.

2) Charity? The philanthropists of the world have (and donate) more money than any religious charity. The Bill Gates Foundation alone could feed all of the starving children for years at a shot. The problem is nationalistic politico-religious blockades and intolerance that prevent funds and supplies and support from reaching the hungry kids.

3) If a known mass murderer helps an old lady across the street once in a while, do we praise him? If the mass murder held your family as hostages, you would "tolerate" him out of fear. This is religion. Believe or your immortal soul will be damned to hell for eternity. Of course weak-minded people (the majority) will not only tolerate it, they beg to be let into the club.

 

[superluminal]

LucidFox:

Even if there was no God most religions have their own laws that teach people how to be better people.

And to shun their neighbors, force their views on everyone, look on you with pity, classify you as a "heathen" who will rightly suffer an eternity of torment. No thanks.

 

[Diesel]

The problem with religious charities is that some are used simply to draw in the masses. Christian charities overseas may seem like they are helping people by giving food and shelter, but the long term effects are that these people now are having a new religion preaching at them 24/7. I am not saying that it would be better for them to starve, but it would be better if there weren't other motives.

 

[DarkEyedBeauty]

1) Ok. So religion has a small side effect of bringing people together. Who does it bring together? Groups of people who think you are going to Hell or whatever, and pity you for it, who spend most of their time figuring out ways to "save" your soul. You are an unfortunate who needs their help.

2) Charity? The philanthropists of the world have (and donate) more money than any religious charity. The Bill Gates Foundation alone could feed all of the starving children for years at a shot. The problem is nationalistic politico-religious blockades and intolerance that prevent funds and supplies and support from reaching the hungry kids.

3) If a known mass murderer helps an old lady across the street once in a while, do we praise him? If the mass murder held your family as hostages, you would "tolerate" him out of fear. This is religion. Believe or your immortal soul will be damned to hell for eternity. Of course weak-minded people (the majority) will not only tolerate it, they beg to be let into the club.

Hey, I'm just trying to offer some good that comes out of religion and suggest that it is not, in fact evil.

 

[superluminal]

DEB:

Hey, I'm just trying to offer some good that comes out of religion and suggest that it is not, in fact evil.

I know. But of all the things that can be classed as "evil", religion is near the top of my list. It is a willful stifiling of the freedom of the human "spirit" perpetrated by men who really only want power over others.

Say what you will about the sweet miracle of unquestioning faith. I consider the capacity for it terrifying. -- Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

I used to be a moderate on this subject, but I got sick of dancing around the truth of the matter and treating religious people with more respect than they treat me.

 

[scorpius]

And what of charity? There are an awful lot of relgious charities.

the question is HOW much $$$ do they give to those who realy need it?
I have a feeling very very litle or almost nothing,after reading this about mother Teresa their so called saint....
www.secularhumanism.org/library/fi/shields_18_1.html

 

[azizbey]

to the suicide bomber who blows himself up along with a busload of kids for ALLAH........ to the millenium-spanning (the supprerssion of scientific knowledge off-and-on for all of human history because it contradicted someones dogma).

I despise all religion and pity those who are slaves to it.

dear Superluminal
the problem with suicide bombers is this. Islam and its prophet condems such violent attacks, but the problem is Muslims who do wrong. unfortunately, local customs and traditions are mixed and confused as religious orders, actually many things we see today in Islamic countries are contradictory to Islam's teachings such as suicide bombing, women can't vote or drive, girls banned from education, the list goes on..
i am not trying to brainwash you or convert you, just wanted to set the record straight, best regards

 

[spidergoat]

The very concept of religion - that one group of people, with no physical proof or evidence, can state that THEY ALONE have the TRUTH

But that's not the universal concept. Some religions have a very direct experience at their core, that of the psychedelic. This religion is known as shamanism.

 

[enton]

I despise all religion and pity those who are slaves to it.

So, you despise this religion too ( Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27 KJB of the Bible)?

 

[Medicine*Woman]

enton: So, you despise this religion too ( Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27 KJB of the Bible)?
*************
M*W: Let me guess... you grew up in a fatherless home where your mother widowed and probably had to prostitute herself to feed your ignorant ass, and now you have a lousy life to show for it. But by coming onto sciforums, a scientific and non-Christian website, you continue to preach and quote bible scripture as you promote a Filipino website, and that supposedly gives you the false illusion that you are unspotted from the world -- but not to the members of sciforums.

 

[superluminal]

enton,

I despise all religion. You can copy quotes from works of fiction all day if you wish but you are just another slave to the imaginary will of an imaginary being, communicated by and molded to suit, the desires of a powerful few. So, how does mental subjugation make you feel enton? Noble? Worthy? Comfy? The next time you see a herd of cattle grazing in a field, picture yourself out somewhere in the middle of them.

 

[enton]

M*W: Let me guess... you grew up in a fatherless home where your mother widowed and probably had to prostitute herself to feed your ignorant ass, and now you have a lousy life to show for it. But by coming onto sciforums, a scientific and non-Christian website, you continue to preach and quote bible scripture as you promote a Filipino website, and that supposedly gives you the false illusion that you are unspotted from the world -- but not to the members of sciforums.

I advice you to consult a phsychiatrist.

 

[enton]

enton,

I despise all religion. You can copy quotes from works of fiction all day if you wish but you are just another slave to the imaginary will of an imaginary being, communicated by and molded to suit, the desires of a powerful few. So, how does mental subjugation make you feel enton? Noble? Worthy? Comfy? The next time you see a herd of cattle grazing in a field, picture yourself out somewhere in the middle of them.

Dear Super:

Well I guess you`re just imagining whether "religion" is existing fictitiously speaking. So I guess I`m wrong in responding to this thread. I hope you can come to illumination.

Sincerely yours,

Enton

 

[superluminal]

Right back at ya, bub.

 

[superluminal]

Unless you eat too much. That's gluttony. One of seven deadly sins (I think). Too much ice cream, off to hell with you!