Why is religion dangerous?

Question

Sam Harris in "The End of Faith" says it's because it is the only area of human discourse that is considered off limits to reason. Without subjecting this discourse to reason, no compromise is ever possible. That makes religion the only perpetually divisive idea on the planet. Add to that the notion that all believers live forever and that all non-believers burn in eternal hell, and you have an unbelievably volatile mix that threatens our very existence.

Harris says "It is imperative that we begin speaking plainly about the absurdity of most of our religious beliefs. I fear, however, that the time has not yet arrived. ... I pray that we may one day think clearly enough about these matters to render our children incapable of killing themselves over their books. If not our children, then I suspect it could well be too late for us, because while it has never been difficult to meet your maker, in fifty years it will simply be too easy to drag everyone else along to meet him with you."

Answer 1

For the same reason that any lie is dangerous: You can't substitute fantasy/fear/desire for reality without creating a monster; and eventually the monster will hurt somebody. (Doctor Frankenstein learns that in Mary Shelley's novel.)

You know what I mean. Kids cry (some of them) when they learn Santa Claus is fake, and adults fly planes into skyscrapers when they believe their god told them to do it. It's the same response.

Answer 2

i don't get it you seem to answer you're own question. My veiws on religion are quite complex being brought up in a christian home but now follow buddism. Not religiously but beleive in the need to take time to meditate and let all the stress flow from you're body, also buddism incorporates the 'do unto others what you would have done unto you' in the form of karma. Although i dont beleive that there is a mystical force attacking people who do bad things i believe it is important to treat others with respect to gain respect.
I am very much on the side of science over religion, and believe religion was brought around to explain the things that could not be explained. Now more recently things have started to be explained through science which has cause controversy for religion. I think it is a great quality to have faith in something that has no proof of exsisting, and to believe in an afterlife is a great quality as it must help not fear death as much (which scares me) but i do not beleive that anything especially religion should tell you what to eat, what to think, and forms a persons morality, people should be alowed to form their own veiws. and i certainly dont believe that religion which is suppose to be about the greater good should cause wars!! i read angels and demons though and there was a section in it that rrally spoke to me. someone asks why does God allow so many bad things to happen, the carmalengo (or how ever you spell it) replys if you had a son and was teaching him to ride a bike, would you let him go even though there is a chance he may fall? the person replys 'yes, he would learn from it' the carmalengo replies 'exactly God has allowed free will and withthat his people will only learn through their own mistakes' (or something along those lines) so maybe someone is out there you never know. but what if we are following the wrng religion there are so many, so basically most of us are skrewed in the after life anyway haha...god ive gone on

Answer 3

I personally don't hate religious people I fear them and feel sorry for them. They are the worst kind of danger, because they believe they are not dangerous. They live in a fantasy world and are willing to kill anyone who tries to expose that fantasy for what it is. Without religion, people would have a much better chance of trusting one another. Religion starts wars, prays on the uneducated, week, poor, and young. Religion is pure evil People continue to die because of religion and the religious continue to rationalize their behavior. Look at the Jews, they rationalize killing innocent men, women and children so they can steel their land. That is called genocide. This is just a small example of the evil in religion.. Soon religious factions already are making plans to take over our government, and the lazy Americans will set there and just watch it happen because they are cowards hiding behind their own religion.

Answer 4

Wow! Now that is some intelligent stuff, there. I thought I'd never see it here. Anyway, to answer your question, religion is not dangerous, fanatacism is. Plenty of people are religious, but only fanatics create problems in the name of the bogus faith they follow. And Harris is wrong, religion is not the only perpetually divisive idea on the planet. Racism is the other. But unlike religion, racism has it's basis in nature and fact, therefore reason can be applied.

Answer 5

Religion is dangerous in the sense that Harris speaks of. Religion breeds gnorance and ethnocentric thinkin that gives its followers a delusion of being immortal, while it sees non-believers as "less than human." Fundemental religious people often ignore the reality of truth and incorparate their beliefs into issues that cannot be logically explained by religion. With this we have a bounty against anything that explains what reality is. Such as, the theory of evolution. We can't teach our children a theory that has been proven in many instances and observed many times over. This ignorance leads to a lack of knowledge, which is very dangerous to society in general.

Answer 6

Religion is only dangerous when you use it as a reason for your whole existence rather than as a guide and comfort. The bible should be used as a guide, not as a set of instructions to be interpreted to bolster your prejudices. I agree with the notion that we should take a far more rational view of the world around us. If you poke religious people with an atheistic stick, they are going to get annoyed. There is a need to tread gently and assure them that beauty and truth can be found outside religion too. Be well.

Answer 7

It's not "religion" so much as religious intollerance.

There are plenty of decent people in the world that treat others with respect and have a sense of benevolence and sympathy, but they don't hammer you about being "born again." It is possible to be a "spiritual" person without being a total pain in the butt to everyone around you.

But when religious beliefs become so "central" to your existence and happiness - like attending constant "prayer meetings" and going out to aggressively demonstrate against people that are doing no harm to you, then it starts to become "dangerous."

There's plenty of people who could be called "religious," but who also practice "live and let live."

But, they're not the ones that make the news; within the US or abroad.

Answer 8

It seems that Harris is describing Christianity and Islam.

Religion doesn't have to be that way. It's not inherent in religion, just particular interpretations of two that are especially forceful in making themselves known. And that is as much about politics as is it about belief.

Answer 9

because like culture, religion is very diverse. not to mention religion is part of your culture. you are born from it. taught to you by your parents/ancestors. it is deep within your culture. that is belief. belief is not materialistic. you cannot touch, see, taste belief. and it is hard for other people to change what you believe in. if there are clashes of culture, and see what happened in history about culture clash i.e. black and white, chinese vs americans, japanese vs. filipinos, american indians vs europeans and more, there is definitely a clash in religion, and i cannot and don't want to even imagine what would happen if everybody starts to quarrel because of religion. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." until now, we cannot understand each other's culture, although we try our best to do so.

it is off limits to reason because religion is not logical. God is not visible to the eye. it is in your belief that he exists. it is not like the sun or the other planets in the universe that you can have scientifical proof that they exist. We, as humans - a logical thinker, try to prove that there is God. My personal view is God exist in your heart.

you may not believe as I do. And that is why religion is dangerous. People have different beliefs in religion. And it's deep within their culture. And it cannot be changed or moved because it is in your foundation as a person.

Answer 10

Go through life hating all who believe if you want it is your choice Religion can be dangerous Iraq War, but helps a lot of peopleas long as they are not preaching it to others