Do you think that RELIGION is the ROOT of all EVIL next to MONEY and POWER?

Question

Almost every people on earth is fighting and killing over religion, and is used mostly by politicians to gain power over its people!

Answer 1

The right question is "Do you think the ABUSE of religion is the root of all evil?"

Answer 2

I think so, or at least the radicals of religion. I personally don't have a religion. Some people automatically think "radical Muslims" when someone asks something like this. But there are radicals in EVERY religion. Yes, Muslims and so forth are making terroristic attacks with the excuse of religion but every religion under the sun has made the same kind of attacks on other countries at one point or another in history. Yes, even the Christians. Christians aren't as holy and pure and kind as people think. They definitely weren't in the past. Most of them were radicals. They were probably the MOST radical of the religions. Think about it. They did all that exploring and dragged their religion along with them trying to convert everyone they could to Christianity. Sometimes, more often than not, they would kill those they couldn't convert, those who would fight instead of bow down to people who THOUGHT they were superior. Do people still really believe that the Crusades had anything to do with religion? That was a cover, an excuse. They would say that we need to attack these people because "God wills it"! It was the same for most wars in the past. Religion is a guide, a hand for people to hold because they can't use common sense and follow morals without someone outlining them in a book. So, yes I believe religion is the root of, maybe not all, but a lot of evil in the world.

Answer 3

No, I don't, and I'm an atheist. Religion is not the root of all evil, nor are its practitioners. HOWEVER, the practictioners DO ruin the world more than any other group, because they're only human and always end up screwing things up.

Religion keeps the masses in line, scares them into being good and not murdering their fellow neighbor, and gives people something to believe in.

In that respect, I believe religion was necessary up until the technology and science boom. See, religion was created to help people explain what they could not explain. Why is the sky blue? God made it that way, of course! How was the world created? In seven days by God! It's an easy and comforting thing for people to not only have an easy explanation right there in a handy guide book, but also to think that there's someone looking out for them. The big daddy (or daddies, or mommy, or mommies. lol) in the sky, if you will.

BUT, this is an age of reason, and religion has served its purpose. Humans know murder is wrong, otherwise they wouldn't have added it to their religion, just like all of the other important rules. We've lived like this long enough now that the rules will stick. I say we take the good from religion, and cut out all the bad, including the worship of an imaginary God in the sky. Logic should reign supreme, not an easy explanation for what people can't understand. Crack a science book. Do your research. And for goodness sakes, don't believe what your church tells you about science. They skew things so that you're more inclined to believe them, just like they do with those fake abortion pictures.

Answer 4

No. People are the root of "evil", not inanimate objects and conceptual ideas. There would be no religion if there were no people to believe in it. Nor would there be money or power. The to stop wars and killing is to change people on the inside, religion is just a tool.

Answer 5

Actually, the issue is RARELY religion. However, religion
becomes the cause celebre.

Its usually tribalism - my family owns this land, you stay off.
People like me own this land, you stay off.
etc.

Religion, when it has words in it that can be used to justify
harming others becomes the weapon.

If there were no words in the Quoran that could be constrewed
as justifying violence, the same people would be just as pissed
off and just as militant, using some other banner to justify
their militant action.

Its all about tribalism and xenophobia and the struggle for
resources.

I would, however, say that any religion that has such words
or precepts would be wise to abolish and shun them as soon as
possible.

Answer 6

Religion is not a root of evil. Misuse of a religious belief is empowered by one's drive for power. That is driven by greed (love of money).

Religion in politics is nothing more than a cloak for what it truly is; a greedy misuse of religious doctrine to "divide and conquer" the electorate.

Ignorance is another tool of evil, because it is what leads to "wars over religion". Caused by greedy bastards that lead two countries or other opposing forces into conflict, "Holy wars" become possible because neither side actually takes the time to learn about their "enemy's" real beliefs.

Instead, they permit the ignorant belief created by their government (whether or not it is a Theological one, which is never about the religion it claims to represent) to dominate their thoughts and blind them from the truth. Critical Thought is a true tool to solving our world's problems.

Answer 7

I think people hide behind religion and use it as an excuse for their own agendas. Sad but true! There are no Holy Wars. God does not approve of the way we are fighting and killing in His name. It only serves the leaders of the countries who fight to proclaim they are doing it for religious reasons. So don't be fooled or tricked into believing that killing, raping, and destroying property is OK if you are doing it for religious beliefs.

Answer 8

Evil has no single root. That warfare has changed from resource/land acquisition to ideaology (religion, politics) is merely a natural progression of man. With resources now so abundant throughout most of the world (need proof? explain global obesity!) man has merely substituted a reason to advance his dominance.

The west is not a particularly peaceful place, and the mid-east has proven itself violent. We have shown weakness, so they emboldened. And thus history repeats itself . . .

Answer 9

That is because most religions tells its people is okay to fight for God and country. The bible says "though shall not kill". So, where is the exception in the bible? There isn't! The true religion does not advocate fighting for country.

Answer 10

My opinion (and it's only my opinion) is that ORGANIZED religion is where things get screwed up. Believing in something or someone is fine. It's when you start grouping into different "religions" that things go wrong. Who is to say which religion is the "correct" one? I don't believe in organized religion, I just believe.