Topic awaiting preservation: Does Religion Cause more Bad that Good

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Koot Hoomi - "And now," says Koot Hoomi, "after making due allowance for evils that are natural and that cannot be avoided . . . I will point out the greatest, the chief cause of nearly two thirds of the evils that pursue humanity ever since that cause became a power. It is religion, under whatever form and in whatever nation. It is the sacerdotal caste, the priesthood and the churches; it is in those illusions that man looks upon as sacred that he has to search out the source of that multitude of evils which is the great curse of humanity and that almost overwhelms mankind. Ignorance created gods and cunning took advantage of the opportunity. Look at India and look at Christendom and Islam, at Judaism and Fetichism. It is priestly imposture that rendered these Gods so terrible to man; it is religion that makes of him the selfish bigot, the fanatic that hates all mankind outside his own sect without rendering him any better or more moral for it. It is belief in God and Gods that makes two-thirds of humanity the slaves of a handful of those who deceive them under the false pretence of saving them. . . . Remember the sum of human misery will never be diminished unto that day when the better portion of humanity destroys in the name of Truth, Morality and universal Charity the altars of their false Gods."

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What would this society be like without religion? Some people speculate that it would be horrible, and people would not have any morals, and there would be more murder, death, chaos. But is this true? Do all these things not already exist? Why can we not all put behind us our religious beliefs and adopt a universal spirituality based on the belief that something does exist, but it is different for each individual? Why all the constant need to have proper paths to reach heaven, nirvana, or your spiritual wonderland? Basically, why does everyone think there is only one path to truth, when in reality all paths lead to the same truth? Religion seems to be the only thing that is keeping this world from joining as one worldly society. Perhaps we should all unite as a global society and realize that we are all the same. And on a side note, God has no religion, so why should we?

And finally, does religion cause more bad than good?


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[This message has been edited by Gilbert Nolander (edited 12-19-2003).]

I believe that, given the nature of human society, if there were no organized religion, there would be some other system of determining acceptable societal morals in its place. Though, I think the need to have a spiritual system is intrinsically a part of human nature... I'm not sure it would be possible to not have a religious system. Most people seem to need something like that to believe in.

As to the "more harm than good" question - well, no, I don't think that's the case. It's probably 6 of one, half a dozen of the other. You hear about as many fanatics as you do simply genuinely devout people. (It seems like those terms mean the same thing, but they have very subtle differences) The majority of people who subscribe to a religion do it because their parents taught them it was right and proper to do so, and for the most part, they are just trying to make a living. But in every group of people there are those who deviate from the norm. If people didn't have religion to blame it on, they would find something else...


Cell 617

But what about all the wars and death that have been brought on human society due to religious intolerance? Don't the number of deaths due to religion far outweigh the number of good deeds done. The way I look at it, the people who do good things and are good people would be like this even if they were not religious, they are just good in nature.

As anti-religious as I tend to be, I have to say no....on the whole, the bad doesn't necessarily outweigh the good.

What you ahve to keep in mind is that, moreso than religious intolerance, many of these wars and brutal violent conversions happen as political operations, by political groups that have adopted a particular religion.

Bodhi is absolutely correct that if it weren't religion, it would be something else - if catholicism wasn't the reason attached to so many wars, it woulf have been something even more silly (Dr. Seus comes to mind......butter side up, or butter side down?).

I think the religion is a catalyst for much of both the good and bad, but the drive is till a bsic human one that is there no matter what.

I don't think you can sat that religion does more good, but I don't think you can rightly say it does more evil either.

It's the mob mentality, and the follow-the-leader orientation of humanity that is the real evil, and the basic animal instinct that says 'if the whole is well off, the individual is well off' that leads to much of the good in the world.

Hmmm... I think the human condition is the problem not religion. Religion is just the tool that people who would conquer other people use to control the masses in their favor.

The old adage, guns don't kill people, people kill people holds true in all instances that a tool is used to cause strife. Mismanagement and abuse of religion is what causes the problem, not the religions themselves. I think people as people would get along better if organized religion didn't exist IMO, but I can't find it in me to blame religion for the atrocities of man. That's just foisting the inequities of man onto a scapegoat when everyone should have an accounting of their actions and take responsibility for them. It's just another shield people use to protect themselves from themselves. There is no punishment greater than that we can give ourselves. With religion... people don't punish themselves. They don't take the responsibility of knowing within themselves that they have attoned for what they have done. Until they understand the depths that the things they do affected others and in so doing affected them, they can't learn from it. Someone telling you you are forgiven doesn't necessarily mean anything to the truth inside of you.

At some point in our social evolution we needed religion. I'm sure, at first, it's creation was of the noblest intent. But like all good things, mankind has the most incredible knack for corrupting it in the name of personal gain.

I would rather see mankind set one common goal and achieve it instead of myth chasing and covering our heads in the sand waiting for judgement day. I think people use religion as a crutch these days or rather as an excuse to remain ignorant. Some of the most devout religious people I know are also the most closed minded individuals I have ever met. They allow no room for growth and their willpower becomes stagnant from being lead around and told how they should live.

Religion is a tool, nothing more, nothing less. How that tool is used dictates whether or not Bad or Good is done.