Do you believe religion kills more people or saves more people? I mean lives, not souls btw.?

Question

Has religion throughout history killed or saved more lives? I read a post that said that "we need Christianity to save lives" and citing the bloodshed in communist/totalitarian states that banned religion as evidence. Is this indeed true?

Let's look at the first part. The Crusades in the medieval era were funded by the Papacy, and the crusaders were given "papal indulgences" wiping their slates clean. Need I state how much death there was in that? Look at the Reformation and the Counter-reformation. On St. Bartolomew's Day Massacre in France, all of the Huguenot (Protestant) French leaders were killed by the Catholic monarchy in an attempt to "unite" France. This led to a civil war between the nobility and the monarchy, and throughout the country. This is just one example.

Now let us look at bloodshed in the USSR as a counter example. Stalin for example was a totalitarian that sent tons of people to gulags in an attempt to quicker industrialize the USSR from an agragrian nation.

( To continue...) He massacred millions of his own people in order to create a stronger USSR, which failed btw.

Personally, I believe humans are just prone to warfare no matter what.... indeed, I believe religion does not save more lives.

To the poster who mentioned the communist state. Stalin USSR was not a true communist state, and there has been no existence of a pure communist state, ever in history.

I am merely trying to compare what the poster said regarding Christianity "saving" lives to the plethora of death in communist/totalitarian/authoritarian states.

Answer 1

I believe it is how people manipulate religion to fit their own causes. The mid-Christian church was corrupt because it was used as a form of government, and I hate to say it but most governments are corrupt, but post medieval churches do a lot to help people through out world. How many other religions or organizations do you see performing such acts?

Answer 2

I think religious organization has created most of the problems. Spirituality it self is not evil, but once we set up governing bodies that tell the masses how to interpret religion (and that those with a different interpretation are wrong/bad/not human), then we get into trouble because religion becomes a defining characteristic in society.
I believe in god, (raised catholic) but I have very little faith in organized religion because it is run by people. Idon't think there is anyone one earth who knows how or what god really thinks, so I just try not to judge anyone on anything but their own actions.

However, I also think that if the concept of religion had never existed, we would still find plenty of reasons to kill each other, because people can always find a reason to be small, thoughtless and self-centered.

Answer 3

You're leaving out all the millions and millions of people throughout history who would have starved to death, or died of diseases or whatever else, without the intervention of the Catholic Church and other religious bodies.

You're also off-base with your story about Crusaders getting papal indulgences for killing people. Don't believe every anti-religious piece of propaganda that you read.

Finally, you seem to be excusing the barbarism of Stalin and other communist leaders -- stating that it somehow had some "higher purpose."

Well, baloney. It was all about entrenching themselves in their own power.

Obviously, you've never lived in a communist country.

I haven't either -- but my parents risked their lives in a leaky raft to escape such a country, that country being Cuba.

Answer 4

Religion is responsible for the majority of wars, conflict and murder of innocent life since humanity began. There is considerable evidence to classify religion as evil, and talk of religion (Gods etc) should be banned. Because the records prove over and over again throughout humanity that religion is clearly responsible for crimes against humanity, taking part in any religious activity should also be outlawed and made a criminal offence.

The world would be a much happier and peaceful place if religion ceased to exist. Although there are some decent religious believers and preachers, they are unwittingly spreading evil around our world, and that they should simply keep their beliefs and thoughts to themselves in the best interests of humanity, or suffer the consequences for their actions.

People should consider that the world would be like Heaven if religion ceased to exist, but all the believers and preachers have turned the planet into Hell.

Answer 5

Some people need religion, and in a way, I envy them. Having faith that there is an afterlife must be very comforting. Not believing in a religion, I have no idea what awaits me in the afterlife, or if there even is one, and that sometimes scares me. However, too many people think that religion is something to kill or die for. These are are the ones that ruin religion for the people who would use it for good.

Answer 6

You're forgetting Idi Amin who killed millions of Ugandans just for his own greed, and Saddam Hussein who was not a religious guy who killed thousands of Kurds. And how about Papa Doc Duvalier and his son Baby Doc?

Let's not forget the Khmer Rouge Government in Cambodia that(according to Wickipedia) killed so many people that they lost count. Anywhere between 1.5 and 3 MILLION.

Your buddy Stalin(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalin) is extimated to have killed 60 MILLION!

Answer 7

This is my personal opinion again, but I think all religions kill more people in the name of God, than they save. I personally believe in God, and I know that he lives within my soul. I am a spirtitualist, but not any organized religion. I think for God to answer prayers you do not need a church or a mosque in order to be heard. Love and Peace!

Answer 8

the problem does not lie within the religion but in the people. people use religion as an excuse for EVERYTHING. if they want to win an argument they say "well that's what the bible says" like it's supposed to be the ultimate authority. or to overtake a country "in god's name" or to overpower a people "for the sake of their souls"

religion makes people CRAZY!!! it always has it always will, even before people believed in one god. that's that whole "anger the gods" statement. humans want to control everything around them and they'll use anything to achieve that.

Answer 9

You pretty much answer your own question. More people have been killed in the name of religion than all other causes combined. I personally don't know of anybody that it has saved.

Answer 10

And once again religion is being proven to be evil. It's sad. The things that people do reflect on a group. It's a shame.