Has more harm or good been done in the name of religion?

Answer 1

On what level? Worldwide, probably more good. Regionally, say in Afghanistan and Iraq, more harm than good. With Muslims and there jihad nonsense no good is coming out of it.

Answer 2

Although I personally have no serious religious beliefs, I don't understand why people are saying harm so strongly. Wars caused by religion are many but imagine (not to quote John Lennon!) if there were no standards in place such as the ten commandments. There are an astronomical amount of good people out there who, simply by their every day good nature, help this world tick over. Ask yourself where the motivation comes from that sends good people out to hell holes like Rwanda, Darfur etc.
The problem is. that bad news sells papers and attracts watchers whilst so much good is done by unsung fine people of which, I hasten to add, I am not. Also, the Holocaust and the millions killed in Russia were basically down to two evil men and had no basis in religion.

Answer 3

More harm than any good at all, but perhaps if we look to the spirituality of the Buddhists ,we may all all learn from this . Forms of fanaticism within any religion can create such a misunderstanding of what the true meaning of being at peace and one with G-D might be. IF we could all learn to accept and respect other religions, but we as humans are to self opinionated and selfish. Therefore in most instances we do not practise what we preach. Respect is what is needed , in our different cultures , ways of life . Read Kahil Gibran The Prophet. And remember as Mahatma Gandhi once said ,my religion is purely between my maker and myself.

Answer 4

I'd say more harm has been done because "religion" as is usually discussed is dualistic by nature (us vs. them, no grey areas, etc.) in order to control the masses for purposes of leadership and money. As a result of such dualistic thinking, people tend to run around thinking that, somehow, their version of "morality and ethics" is somehow superior to everyone else's and everyone should buy into that one view.

If others refuse to buy into that view then from, even the very lowest level, conflict begins within the mind of the person who's thinking they're right and everybody else who doesn't agree is wrong. Such conflict, starting in the mind, if not pacified with logic and reality, usually escalates into some form of verbal or physical harm being done to the perceived "wrongdoer" in ANY philosophically-dualistic based religion.

Harm starts in the mind of the individual, based on perceptions born of causes and conditions that the person's been exposed to in life. Dualistic religions feed off of this.

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Answer 5

Apart from breaking up humanity into pieces, sometimes people even do evil and justify themselves as having done it for their religion. What most people dont understand is that all religions are different paths that lead to the same source - God; so it doesnt make any difference which religion one belongs to, so long as you "Do good and Be good"

But when humans go astray, it is a religion or a path that guides us. Especially christianity has guided people better. Earlier many were persecuted just for being christians.Therefore christianity suffered the worst of all persecutions.
But missionaries took advantage of various situations to unintentionally bring people against christianity because the primary aim of most of them, was, conversion.

Answer 6

Clearly more harm has been done. The few good things that it has done like charity work don't come close to wiping the slate clean for the bloodshed carried out in the name of religion.

Answer 7

More Harm has been done in the name of religion. But you have to understand that most of the harm comes from people who have perverted religion or twisted the teachings of Christ/God/Allah. And by doing so, have harmed not only people but the very foundations upon which they have tried to place their rationales. Which in turn has hurt many more people by turning them away from the church due to not wishing to be part of a group that does such terrible things and condones such injustice.

Answer 8

Just ask the people of the Middle East on what their take is on what religion does to their society.

To a lesser degree, ask the Americans.

Heck, this is even before we include things like the Crusades, the Holocaust...

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Harm.

Answer 9

More harm by a mile. Look at all the wars started by Christians for the Christian cause. The violence and wars in the Bible, the Crusades, Northern Ireland, all the sectarian violence and that is just the Christians!!

Islam seems to be at war with itself with far more Muslims dying in Iraq and elsewhere with the clash between Sunni and Shia.

But it does not just stop at violence and intolerance. Look at all the preaching and intolerance of others that go on in most religions.

Perhaps religions are the worlds way of reducing the population problem!!!

Far better to scrap religion and live in peace and tolerance!!!

Answer 10

I think how it will go is something like: Non-christians, "HARM BY 20 MILESSS" Christians: "GOOD" In my humble observation niether has been done in the name of Religion. Perhaps in the name of God, or perhaps in the name of Allah, or perhaps in the name of multiculteral fruitcake evolutionists. But never in the name of Religion. Religion is something you do, something you practice, something that is a part of your life, not something you do as harm or as good. Don't get me wrong to many people have done to many things wrong in the name of their God. But from where I stand, God isn't to blame. The people are. So don't go blaming it on spiritual fruit, blame it on the religionious nuts. Never once did I see God saying "GO kill this person because he cursed my name." God isn't like that, its the people that are like that. Religion isn't it, its the people behind the religion that make it what it is.

God bless, and merry Christmas

Answer 11

i would say harm as it is supposed to be good but if you look over the years lots of harm has come out of religion