Has religion been a positive force for humans?

Question

I was wondering that has religion dont good for humans in general. I mean it tears humanity apart at the seams! We have had countless wars over the sake of bible related matereal. Look at the crusades during the medevil times, millions of people were killed during those times over relgions. Before that, romans killed others that didnt beleive in Christianity. Modern day wars are fought over it, World War II, when Hitler killed all the Jews, he killed them because he thought his religion was right, and that God had chosen that race to reign superior to others.

Moreover, the fact the families also have internal conflicts over which religion is the right one.

And, I think that the bible, has good advice on how to live. that it should be follwed, but not word for word like most religious people do. It should be a guide on how to live, not a linear path of how to act. Because it WAS written by humans, so it does contradict it self countless times, and that it is out of date.

Im not trying to bash religion, just to clarify that becuz im not a rude person, I dont like to offend others, just to put that out there.

But also I dont nessescerily believe that religion is the only reason why people are good. I mean doesnt the bible say "Thou shall not kill?"

I mean look at how people killed others in the past, IN THE NAME OF GOD! I mean how do you explain that.

Also, I am an athiest. and a very moral person, I hope to beleive. How can you say that without religion ppl wouldnt have morals. Cuz my parents are the same, there athiests. But were pretty moral ppl. So the fact religion exists, doesnt mean that it is the reason we have morals on this planet. Cuz my family has lived without it almost all our lives, and we are good people.

Answer 1

I generally despise Bible quotes as answers, but I think this one might be appropriate:

(Exodus 32:27-29) and Moses told them, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Put your sword on your hip, everyone of you! Now go up and down the camp, from gate to gate, and slay your kinsmen, your friends and neighbors!" The Levites carried out the command of Moses, and that day there fell about three thousand of the people. Then Moses said, "Today you have dedicated to the Lord, for you were against your own sons and kinsmen, to bring a blessing upon yourselves this day."

Moses had 3,000 of his own people executed in one day. What a wonderful person. We should all be just like him ...

... or maybe not.

Answer 2

Religion was a fall back for Hitler, the Romans, the crusaders, and even the fall back for wars. All of that was man created, blame it on men who took their beliefs too seriously, or chose to act in the name of God, when it had nothing to do with him, but rather only with Men.

The conflict is not with religion, persay, but rather with belief. And that will always be, whether it be political, over things like abortion, same sex marriage, republican or democrat. Religion has not created more family conflicts than any other thing that belief, opinion, or choice are brought into.

Religion on a whole scale has probably not been positive, but for countless people, on an individual basis it has been.

And as a side point, the bible is not contradictory at any point.

Answer 3

Yes, on balance religion has had a positive effect on humanity. Concerning wars, those are mainly about the control of resources like trade routes, amber, gold, tea, oil, timber, water, agricultural land, horses, or whatever. Religion has been used as a pretext and as an organizing principle in support of war -- but have no doubt war has most of it's causes outside of religion.

The Indo-European caste system has: Warriors, Priests, & Plebs. These three groups support each other and counter the excesses of the others. Without the priests of religion, the plebs like you and me would be subject to harsh rule by warrior type people. You wouldn't even be reading this now, because civilization would not have advanced to the point of needing labor saving devices like computers. Warriors don't need labor saving devices when they can just force their tasks on captured plebs.

A lot more can be written in defense of religion - this is just one facet.

Answer 4

Religion and belief is all state of mind, and the way one is brought up in a family. However your question is whether religion has done good for humans in general ? In my opinion, I would say yes, everybody needs a guiding force and path to follow to be a good humanbeing, meaning, fear of the unknown. Otherwise everybody would just end up being scavengers, crooks, robbers, murders, rapists and what not......Why is it then some people who are fearless and do all these things and yet there are others who live a good life. From history its known from the earliest times, man worshiped the sun, the rain and all kinds of natural sources which we know today, but then in those days, because of the unknown and the fear of drought and floods, they would pray to these gods. I hope my explaination was satisfactory.

Answer 5

I think religion has done more harm then good. Consider 2 things.
1 Religion has divided people for over 2000 years and still does today.
2 Religion has been the basis for more than half of the wars over the last 1000 years.

Answer 6

Religion only has a positive impact but religious extremism has negative impact.Fortunately as time passes open mindedness and secularism are expressing themselves leaving behind dogma and fundamentalism.
Religion (believing in God and following the righteous path )is good.
Wars like WW 11 are no longer possible.

Answer 7

Yes religion (and I think all of your cases point to christians, but there are other religions in the world...) has caused its upsets. But if you think that more people have been killed under atheistic (non-religious?) governments for the cause of atheism than any other religion, thats a bit scary, and doesn't help your point one bit.

Answer 8

Everything has it's positive and negative sides. Religion is good bcoz it has changed many lives, brought them on the right moral path. Sometimes it's bad bcoz ppl fight in its name.

Answer 9

i personally am an Athiest. i don't believe in it. i think it has done more harm then anything. even now in iraq we are fighting with osoma becuase we are the dominant race ant he thinks we should then all be muslims. i think it has caused to much - and no + what so ever. other than give people hope. which is actually false hope.

Answer 10

Nope!Dont think its done us any good .. theres a famous saying that goes something like : "The only thing that`ll make a good man do bad things is Religion"