If believing in religion and a supreme being is right, then why is the following statement a true fact ?

Question

More men, women and children have been killed or murdered over religion than for any other reason in the history of man.

Answer 1

[ chuckles ] Religion has become a scape-goat for tryants to cloak their beliefs and narrow-minded agenda's by means of control. Lets take a brief look at history.

Lets start with the Byzantium Empire and look at Constantine. We all see Constantine as "The Great." However, his main mission was to bring the church into full control, though, claiming to be Christian, he murdered his son and second wife due to false allegations they were cheating. He sought out prominence, more so than actual love of thy neighbor. Granted Rome was not fit anymore during this time, to rule; but he moved a capitol that had been pivotal to the Roman Empire into a Greek Orthodox Christian City. Like, every ruler, he goes in and strips people of what they believe, and rebuilds; to what he believes his so.

A bit more modern: The Holy Crusades. The fights between the Muslims and European Christians carried on for centuries known as the Holy Crusades, because both believed that GOD was on their side. The Holy Land viewed by the Turks considered Europeans as infidels. If you look at today's war its a similar comparison. We have the same ANGLO party fighting against the same: Turks [ Iraqui ], leading to car bombs, pillaged villages and strife.

Lastly present day: Bush Administration. Bush to date, is by far the worst president to take office. I respect him as a man, but as a leader, he needs serious adjusting. Like, Hitler, Moussillini, Stalin, Bush, all of these men want power. The difference with Bush he has mis-interpreted what GOD's will is for him to do. Its not to murder innocent lives, its to bring peace, unity, harmony, but we all know man cannot fullfill this. Its not his will.

What kills me about those who claim to be Christian, is that they will preach love, tolerance, acceptance, yet the majority will go out and slay their neighbor. People forget that GOD IS LOVE. GOD IS PEACE. GOD IS JUST. Can you honestly say, whether Atheist, Buddihist, Christian, that these men were sent by GOD to do his will? Of course not.

In short, they misinterpreted, or slanted the holy writings to fit their agenda in order to justify the murder of religious men and women.

Answer 2

Richard,
Two things. First of all, is that statement really accurate? What is the source? Second, are you making the mistake of connecting the Supreme Being with the religions of men? Assuming that the statement about the killing is correct, what does that have to do with God? Men make a great many poor choices, and commit great atrocities, in the name of a God who strongly disapproves of such things. The God of Creation, is the God of Love, and Truth. Many relligions have been formed by men who do not know Him personally. They treat God more like some force of nature, or some kind of really nasty, all-powerful child, who gets angry, and destroys or punishes all those who displease Him. Nothing could be farther from the truth. He calls to us, to seek Him out, to reason with us, to turn to a way of life based on respect, love, and wisdom.
The religions that man has created, all have their own agendas. None of them are God's agendas. The scriptures tell us that only those who personally know, and have relationship with Him, can enter the Kingdom of God. The same scriptures say plainly that most religious people won't make it. When Jesus walked the earth, the only people He treated harshly, and condemned, were the religious. He blasted the hypocrites, and clergy, saying that they would not enter the Kingdom, and were preventing others from doing so. He said prostitutes and tax gatherers would enter the Kingdom before them. Condemn religious men, if you must, but do not lay your charges at the door of God. I can assure you, those who have done these evil acts, will recieve their due reward.

Answer 3

Easy one.

The statement is not true.

Religion has often been used as an EXCUSE for killings, war, etc., or as a motivator of people, but rarely is it the reason.

I was in Ireland for a time when all the fighting was going on between the "Protestants" and the "Catholics". Bombings, etc. were an everyday threat. If you listened to the news around the world, it was a religious war. In truth, it was a political war between those who wanted Ireland to remain a part of the British crown and those who wanted to be free. Most of those wanting independence would become Catholics as a sign of independence from the protestant Church of England. They did so for political, not religious, reason. It was NOT a war over religion in spite of what the news often said. But I am sure that ever dead from it will be blamed on "God" because somebody managed to find a way to tack religion on the people involved.

The reason for killing is sin. People who for greed or power or other perverted reason go out and kill. Whether because of racial, political, or economic difference, or because they want the other person money, land, cattle, wives, etc. Or just because they want more and more power.

As religion can be a strong motivator, of course the perverts are going to rally the troops "in the Name of God", or "in the name of freedom", or "in the name of defense", or "in the name of patiotism" anything else they can find. But it is no more "religions" fault that it is "freedom's" fault when Hitler killed Jews to free the Germans from the "Jewish's rule" over their economy.

Answer 4

Religion is HOW to Believe in that Supreme Being (if there is one). Since HUMANITY can't ever agree on HOW to do that...the various groups the share similar beliefs spar/war to try and enforce their respective belief systems on others. History has borne this out and continues to do so. FYI you can believe in a Supreme Being without having a Religion per se. That's called being a Spiritual and Spirituality is INDIVIDUAL and not necessairly based upon Religion. Check out www.uua.org. PEACE!

Answer 5

Are you indicating that this is contradictory or illogical? I don't see what you are trying to say.

Some religions believe in killing others that are not part of their religion, for one. Also, at some points in time (like the Roman empire) people have been killed for being Christian.

Religion, being the basis of moral law for people, is the most likely candidate for the thing to cause the most killing, especially considering the majority of the world has always been religious in some way.

Answer 6

I see the acknowledgement of a Creator and the participation in a religious practice as two separate things. One does not have to belong to a religion to acknowledge or venerate a Creator. But when religion is put into the mix, that is where the trouble begins, because then you have people trying (and mostly failing) to interpret the 'will' of God. Then the killing begins.

God is fine. Religion, on the other hand, is toxic.

Answer 7

Crusades, led by the Catholic Church to reclaim the Holy Land. Tell me where Jesus said to take the Holy Land. The Inquistions, well I won't get into how that became so deadly. Tell me where Jesus said torture people to get them to say they are his followers. Tell me where ANY of these things were done FOR the Lord or Jesus instead of in their name. You are making a major mistake in your view. Also remember that not everyone follows the SAME religion. IF everyone did then there might not be so many problems.

Answer 8

Believing in a religion and/or a supreme being is totally and completely different from our manifestations of those beliefs. What we believe we are doing in the name of God is usually just that, what WE think is in the name of God.
Christianity, Islam, Shinto, Jesus, Allah, Buddha ....these all represent a higher plain of being to us, and we are able to partake of this realm in and according to our, my, beliefs. This gives us an accomplishment to seek, something to strive for, something to do. Human nature....if we have no higher level to reach for, in anything-school, job, relationship, etc., then we become stagnant and apathetic. Eventually we end not only accomplishing nothing but also caring for nothing...and no one.

Answer 9

where are you getting your supposed facts from? it's true that many people may try to use religion or some aspect to justify their actions, but that doesn't mean that religion itself is corrupt..I suspect religion per se actutally has very little to do with many of the murders...human greed, gluttony, power, and prejudices, etc, are often the main culprits behind human misdeeds...not so much the religions in and of themselves.

Answer 10

Who's to say that those leaders who coerce religious followers to go off to war in the name of religion, are indeed religious themselves? It could be that a large number of those religious leaders didn't believe in the principals of that religion, but merely saw it as a way to gain power rapidly.