Magical Realist
Valued Senior Member
Don't believe me? Below are 25 really bad ideas that religion came up with. The first twelve are in the excellent linked article. The remaining 13 are some more bad ideas that religion originated that I came up with on my own. I'm pretty sure there's more, but I decided to stop.
"Some of humanity’s technological innovations are things we would have been better off without: the medieval rack, the atomic bomb and powdered lead potions come to mind. Religions tend to develop ideas or concepts rather than technologies, but like every other creative human enterprise, they produce some really bad ones along with the good.
My website, Wisdom Commons, highlights some of humanity’s best moral and spiritual concepts, ideas like the Golden Rule, and values like compassion, generosity and courage that make up our shared moral core. Here, by way of contrast, are some of the worst. These twelve dubious concepts promote conflict, cruelty, suffering and death rather than love and peace. To paraphrase Christopher Hitchens, they belong in the dustbin of history just as soon as we can get them there..."
https://valerietarico.com/2015/01/2...ligious-ideas-that-have-made-the-world-worse/
Here are some more bad ideas of religion:
1) Original sin--the idea that humans inherit immorality and sin from Adam.
2) The evil of contraception--the idea that birth control is wrong.
3) Sodomy--the idea that gays are evil and should be killed.
4) Moral conversion--the idea that anybody, even a murderer, can be made righteous by believing in Jesus.
5) Apocalypse--the destruction of all mankind and the salvation of God's believers in his new paradise.
6) Healing--the idea that diseases and conditions can be cured by prayer and laying on of hands.
7) Atonement--the idea that an innocent person can be punished in your stead for your sins.
8) Exorcism--the torturous treatment of the mentally ill to rid them of supposed demons
9) Faith--the idea that believing in something without evidence or logic is a virtue.
10) The evil of divorce--the idea that divorce is only justified in the case of adultery.
11) martyrdom--the idea that dying for your religious belief is deserving of eternal reward.
12) prophets--yeah, that whole thing about people who hear voices speaking in their heads being prophets who should be listened to and obeyed.
13) The inferiority of women--the idea that wives should submit to their husbands.
"Some of humanity’s technological innovations are things we would have been better off without: the medieval rack, the atomic bomb and powdered lead potions come to mind. Religions tend to develop ideas or concepts rather than technologies, but like every other creative human enterprise, they produce some really bad ones along with the good.
My website, Wisdom Commons, highlights some of humanity’s best moral and spiritual concepts, ideas like the Golden Rule, and values like compassion, generosity and courage that make up our shared moral core. Here, by way of contrast, are some of the worst. These twelve dubious concepts promote conflict, cruelty, suffering and death rather than love and peace. To paraphrase Christopher Hitchens, they belong in the dustbin of history just as soon as we can get them there..."
https://valerietarico.com/2015/01/2...ligious-ideas-that-have-made-the-world-worse/
Here are some more bad ideas of religion:
1) Original sin--the idea that humans inherit immorality and sin from Adam.
2) The evil of contraception--the idea that birth control is wrong.
3) Sodomy--the idea that gays are evil and should be killed.
4) Moral conversion--the idea that anybody, even a murderer, can be made righteous by believing in Jesus.
5) Apocalypse--the destruction of all mankind and the salvation of God's believers in his new paradise.
6) Healing--the idea that diseases and conditions can be cured by prayer and laying on of hands.
7) Atonement--the idea that an innocent person can be punished in your stead for your sins.
8) Exorcism--the torturous treatment of the mentally ill to rid them of supposed demons
9) Faith--the idea that believing in something without evidence or logic is a virtue.
10) The evil of divorce--the idea that divorce is only justified in the case of adultery.
11) martyrdom--the idea that dying for your religious belief is deserving of eternal reward.
12) prophets--yeah, that whole thing about people who hear voices speaking in their heads being prophets who should be listened to and obeyed.
13) The inferiority of women--the idea that wives should submit to their husbands.
Last edited: