Is Christianity the most evil religion in the world?

Question

The Roman Catholics - left behind the miserable dark ages after killing scores across Europe. The witchunts and persecutions afterwards, where innocents were hanged for falsified crimes of the black arts (when they were only trying to pursue science.) The British Empire, which brought holy war to every corner of the world, and now the US, full of (gun) loving Christians who want to nuke their enemies, and keep the south american continent poor with the NAFTAR treaty.

Is it true that no other religion has ever caused so much trouble as Christianity?.

Answer 1

No.

a) The so-called "Dark Ages" is now considered by most historians to be a pejorative term invented by Enlightenment era philosphers who had no respect for anyone who came before them except ancient Greece. Therefore, the Catholics can't be responsible for something that didn't happen.

b) "Contrary to its notorious reputation, the consensus among respectable historians is that the Inquistition was initiated in Spain to replace mob actions with judicial process and restraint." (Stark, 2003, pg. 204)

For instance, during the largest witch-hunt in Spanish history, more than 1900 persons were *accused*, but most were never even charged and only 11 individuals in total were actually condemned. Had these people been left to the mob, probably all of them would have died

(Note: many more people were executed by the Inquisition, but largest numbers were "Moriscos" - Moors accused of making a false converstion to Christianity - and those accused of sexual perversion [including, but not limited to, sodomy and rape])

c) Science arose in the University system which began in 12th century Europe, usually at the behest of Christian organizations (Cathedrals, Cloisters, or Monestaries). It *flowered* during the so-called "Scientific Revolution" of the 17th century, but it certainly didn't start there. In fact, true science arose only once, in Christian Europe - not India, not China, and not even the Islamic countries (note: I'm talking about the scientific method, not mere technology). This is because Christianity posited a rational Creator God who created a rational world that operated by rational, observable, deducible laws.

Galileo's trouble was really more political with religious window dressing, and frankly he could have avoided it all if he hadn't been so arrogant. Some scholars have argued that he single-handedly put the entire scientific enterprise in jeapordy.

d) I'm not really sure what your claims that the British Empire waged *holy* war are based on - war, certainly; holy war, I don't think so.

e) The United States, i) is not fully Christian; ii) the American Chrisitians are not monolithically "gun loving" - the majority of the Civil Rights movements (which was based on peaceful protest) were Christians, and a lot of Christians (like say, the Quakers or the Mennonites) are SO anti-violence and anti-gun that they are registered as "contientious objectors" with the Selective Service (aka "Draft") Board; iii) a lot of the "hawk" voices in American politics are not Christian or are only nominally so; iv) there are a lot of American Chrisitans involved in churches that preach "liberation theology", actively working for better conditions in and relations with Latin America.


Anything that causes deep-seated emotions is going to cause conflict - whether it's a love triangle, a religion or something else. As for who caused the *most* trouble, is this really a pursuit that is going to enlighten any of us? Heal any wounds? Promote peace and good government? End global warming? No.



[That said, if you want to talk about "evil" in terms of "bloody", I first think of the Mayan religion that practiced human sacrifice and killed hundred of thousands in the years leading up the arrival of the Spanish.

However, even this is dramatically overshadowed by the Esoteric Nazism, the "Aryan" "religion" invented by Hitler, who said 'that his was a "true" or "master" religion, because it would "create mastery" and avoid comforting lies. Those who preached love and tolerance, "in contravention to the facts", were said to be "slave" or "false" religions. The man who recognized these "truths", Hitler continued, was said to be a "natural leader", and those who denied it were said to be "natural slaves'.

The fallout of Esoteric Nazism was, of course, the Holocaust which in addition to the well know 6 million Jews who persished also killed:
3 million Poles
2.5 millions Asiatic Siberians
1/2 million Romani (Gypsies)
333,000 Serbs
between 75,000 - 250,000 handicapped people
Black POWs (numbers unknown)
15,000 Homosexuals
between 80,000 - 200,000 Freemasons
5,000 Jehovah Witnesses
an uncounted number of Christian disenters (espeically members of the Confessing Church)
as well as persecuting both athiests, traditional pagans and Catholics. In six short years they killed more people than even the Black Death. That's pretty evil.]

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Answer 2

You're asking about the state of natural depravity of humanity. Not all Christians believe this. It's only certain denominations. It's come from the idea that even as children we're born with the instinct to rebel from what we're being told to do. If you've had a 2 year old, you can see this very clearly in action. Of course, I don't think anything about it. I don't have much of a value system of good and evil, since I've found it to be very subjective. Then again, I'm an agnostic with Christian Missionary parents, so I have had a bit of an exposure to this.

Answer 3

So Roman Catholics and Protestant Christianity are the same, huh? If you have read the Bible and determined what a true Christian is. You'd have to come to one of two conclusions...

Since you obviously have NOT read the Bible for yourself. You have come to ONE conclusion and it shows.

The British Empire which chased out the Christians for not falling in line with the Church of England, who came to the Americas or in some cases were exiled to the Colonies. You left out this important note. Your hatred for George W Bush shows.

Yea, we are out to nuke our enemies... We're just firing them off left and right... If your statement had any truth to it, Iran/Iraq/Lebanon would have been GLASS FACTORIES back in the 70s!!! Vietnam, Russia, and China would have just gotten out of nuclear fallout about THIS year for Russia, Vietnam would be inhabitable in about another 5 years.

There are no other religions that are as tolerant and patient with their enemies as the U.S. This crap has been going on for 40 years!!! George W Bush was the one who said, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!"

Saddam rattled his saber and a real President finally said, "Don't you dare try to bluff us!!!" He threatened to us WMDs and Bush called his hand. Will you admit that the world is a better place without Saddam Hussein? We have 3,000 troops dead after 3,000 US civilians are dead at 9/11.

How many more US civilian lives do you want to see destroyed? How many more people from Iraq would you like to have heard were killed by Saddam Hussein? They've CONSERVATIVELY estimated 300,000 IRAQI people... That does not include Kuwaitis or Iranians...

Is one US military life worth 10 Iragis? 20 Iraqis? How many more lives? When some country is in trouble, it's not for a tax right off that people in this country send aid. You don't see people digging deep in their pockets in the Middle East when their fellow believers in Kosovo/Serbia were being massacred...

Who was putting their life on the line? Who was sending monetary aid? How about when the Tsunami hit? Was it these "hatefilled Christians" sending aid or the Loving Hindu, Buddhists, Muslims???

You really ought to stop cursing the light and begging for the darkness, dude...

NAFTA? Where American products are being build in Southern American Countries and Canada without high Tarriffs? To put jobs in these countries and take them out of the US... This was the brain child of George H W Bush and thrown into Congress by Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton even bragged that it was HIS idea!!!

So hate Bush all you want. Clinton finalized it. Clinton has shown nothing but contempt for Christianity. So I guess Christianity didn't have much to do with NAFTA, huh?

Answer 4

You confuse catholicism with TRUE Christianity. Here's what the RC's have always thought about Bible believers.....

[Pope] Innocent III believed that Bible believing dissidents were worse than infidels (Saracens, Moslems, and Turks), for they threatened the unity of ... Europe. So Innocent III sponsored 4 "crusades" to exterminate the Albigenses. Innocent (what a name!) called upon Louis VII to do his killing for him, and he also enjoined Raymond VI to assist him.

The Cistercian order of Catholic monks were then commissioned to preach all over France, Flanders, and Germany for the purpose of raising an army sufficient to kill the Bible believers. All who volunteered to take part in these mass murders were promised that they would receive the same reward as those who had sallied forth against the Moslems (i.e., forgiveness of sins and eternal life).

The Albigenses were referred to in Pope Innocent's Sunday morning messages as "servants of the old serpent". Innocent promised the killers a heavenly kingdom if they took up their swords against unarmed populaces.

In July of 1209 A.D. an army of orthodox Catholics attacked Beziers and murdered 60,000 unarmed civilians, killing men, women, and children. The whole city was sacked, and when someone complained that Catholics were being killed as well as "heretics", the papal legates told them to go on killing and not to worry about it for "the Lord knows His own."

At Minerve, 14,000 Christians were put to death in the flames, and ears, noses, and lips of the "heretics" were cut off by the "faithful."

Answer 5

Well, the Roman Catholic church isn't really noted for its accuracy to scripture. Besides, those who endorse killing innocents and consider themselves Christian really ought to examine themselves from the inside out.

I know a lot of Christians who don't love guns; it's a stereotype. Not all Christians think it's cool to hunt. Heck, my Christian aunt is an animal lover and can't stand killing wildlife (yet, she's an omnivore).

It's really unfair to lump modern day Christians with the "trigger happy" (or sword-happy) crusaders of the Medieval world.

Answer 6

No. The catholics are as close to Christianity as you are, the British used the call for power and financial gains, The witch hunts were normal people at the time using Christianity, again, for their own personal uses.
True Christianity is love of ones enemies, neighbors, as your brother/sister/family member. if you have studied the masters teaching this ? would never have been brought up!

Answer 7

No it is not. Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot killed more people than died in the Inquisition. And only about 2 dozen (2 dozen too many, admittedly) died in the Salem witch trials. So I think atheism is the most evil religion in the world.

Answer 8

Not sure. But without religion or race, this world would be a better place. It's human nature to critizise others religion or race. But even without religion or race, human beings just find other things or reasons to fight about anyway.

Answer 9

Yes! Bingo! We would live in a very different world if the christians had not killed everybody who was figuring out science. (did you know that we knew the world was round in 230bc???? That info was lost thanks to the christians, and we went into the dark ages because information was forbidden for a while... when we finally got the information back from the persians who had kept it all to themselves for a while is when we came out of the dark ages.) christians pissed off a lot of people. American christians don't seem to know this or care if they do know.

Answer 10

I think you should read the news from the Middle East. They have a bombastic religion over there, causing quite a lot of trouble