Which religion has killed the most people?

Question

So which religion is responsible for killing the most people?

Christianity in the middle ages? Islamic...are the mad mullahs top dogs in the slaughter stakes? Judaism? Buddhism? hinduism?

All done in the name of gods who say thou shallt not kill!!

Answer 1

Religions don't kill people, people kill people.

In the supposed name of God? Tough call.

Answer 2

I don't think there's a word Atheism Adam or if there is I've never heard it - because Atheists arent religious by definition and couldnt possibly do anything in the name of 'atheism' so thanks for the stupid answer.

The true answer and it was NEVER going to be the Buddhists (they practice what they preach for the most part) its Christianity. The crusades? The inquisition and witch hunts? Many millions died.Though Jesus preached peace more bloodshed and death has been done in his name than any other religion. Thats not to say that theres something about Christianity which is necessarily violent (be nice if christians followed the teachings of Jesus but they dont seem to) though any religion that nurtures blind faith and dogma can be used in genocide. God encourages genocide frequently in the Old Testament and is guilty of it several times himself. If He was real I'd suggest we should put God Himself on trial for crimes against humanity.

Answer 3

I'll quote you "Islamic...are the mad mullahs top dogs in the slaughter stakes"

The last time this was done (when the Pope quoted from history) a nun was shot in the back and 2 churches were firebombed.

Wonder what will happen now.

Answer 4

Any belief can be high-jacked for evil,hate is the driving force not the (religion) and not just with a religion. Thou shalt not kill yes that is clear, however thou also shall not stand by and watch another be killed, you fight for whats right. AMEN
You see the problem is those who act that way are ignorant never read the Book. Ignorance kills too amen! Ignorance of history is sad. The middle ages were a time of easy death regardless of your beliefs it was a hard time and you would never have made it to adulthood. This is a dead donkey beating it won't help .
SMILE Christmas is coming!

Answer 5

Fascism.

It's not a religion, of course, but it's been the motivation behind the Crusaders in the 12th century, the Inquisitionists, the slavers, the Holocaust, Stalinism, Maosim, the Christians who assassinate abortion clinic receptionists and Islamo-fascists worldwide.

And that's why the Christo-fascists and Islamo-fascists and any other kind of religious fascist on this site should be given as hard a time as is possible over a broadband connection.

Answer 6

It depends on the denomination. I was raised with the idea that all humans are imperfect and are going to make mistakes, but that we are all worthwhile and essentially good. I was also taught that God wasn't like a cosmic fix-it-all. I have always thought of God as a stoic. I don't think we are the cause for all the tornadoes and natural disasters that happen. That's nature. So I guess it depends upon how the individual has been raised.

Answer 7

What Religion was Ginghis Khan. What religion was Atylla the Hun. What religion was Hitler. What religion was Stalin. What religion was Chairman Mao. What religion were the Roman conquerers. What religion were the Greek conquerers. What religion were the Africans who made war and sold their kind into slavery.

The ultiamte answer is MANKIND chooses to kill for a wide variety of reasons.

In ORDER to prove your THESIS you must be able to prove two things:

1). The Domino theory is correct. That, say, Islam takes over regions such as Southern India as a stepping stone to taking over Northern Hindu India at some future date.

Just like the Republicans thought Commuists would take over the world by taking Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand.

That's the DOMINIO theory and it isn't very popular with polticial scientists.

2). You have to PROVE a RELIGION HAS MADE WAR ON A PEOPLE JUST FOR CONVERSION and NOT for LAND or WEATH or RESOURCES. Another difficult one to prove.

To prove this you must show Catholics or Christians or Hindus GO INTO A COUNTRY, just WHIP religion on them and LEAVE without taking ONE RED CENT of that country's weath or staying there with an OCCUPATION force and taking land away.

Find me ONE war that did that. Just ONE documented war of a RELIGIOUS NATION going in and whipping some faith without RAPING THE LAND.

And it has to be a war. So Cortez is out and so are Island Missionaries to HAwaii or Tahiti.

It has to be a MILITARY FORCE that comes in, demands you change your GOD, then leaves taking NOTHING for their time or troble. Their REWARD is knowing GOD prevails.

Civil wars don't count. It must be an OUTSIDE INVASION that reaps NO BENEFITS other than CONVERTING THE MASSES BY FORCE OF WEAPON.

Answer 8

I have to agree with Jett! It's not religion that's doing the killing! It's mankind and their evil ways. Mankind hides behind the religious cloth and claims that it's religion! But it's just their evil thoughts that kill. And if they're not using religion as an excuse then they're using something else. You know like: Let my brother out of prison in some way off God forsaken country or for a secret experiment/ingredient or just because sun didn't come out on a day they were expecting it!

Please give me a true break!

Answer 9

Good question.

You would have to pick a period in time in order to get any good answers.

But it is not so simple as to ask for body counts for religious wars. Ideas kill, beliefs kill. Many lives were be lost because of the oppression of beliefs on their own members without any conflict between beliefs.

The biggest mistake Christians can make is to assume that their religion is superior because, right now, it is killing less people outright by suicide bombers.

Answer 10

Most could only guess at the number that have been killed in the name of all religions. There is one cult that has grown world wide and has taken land and killed in it's name. No matter what name they call themselves they are a cult and change the rules of their beliefs to suit themselves.

Answer 11

People kill people, friend. They do so in the name of a lot of causes. Since Christianity has been the largest religion for a while, ours would most likely be the "religion" you are looking for.