If There Were No Religions Would The world Be a Better And Safer Place?

Question

im not anti religion {brought up a roman catholic}but do you not think that religion has brought a lot of unnecessary death and destruction to this planet for many generations? the middle ages had the crusades wars, weve had world wars,civil wars,i was brought up in a country that had daily deaths and bombings all in the name of catholic and protestant faiths, hardly any country hasnt been affected by wars over religion with countless millions of lives lost because of it and now we have the threat of terrorist attacks from muslims all in the name of religion, Has religion done more bad than good,what do u think?

Answer 1

Studies show that crime is lower in more secular places than in more religious places.

I think that most people who lack faith don't need excuses to do what's right and know what's right. So why should they need to be threatened?

Answer 2

The main organised mass religions are open to interpretation or manipulation by good and bad people. The philosophies behind them on the whole make good sense. Mankind will find groups and badges to cling to and to gain power be it nationalism, racism, football teams or religion. Religion may have been the banner held aloft by crusaders or Islamic fundamentalists or janjeweed but really its about power, land and wealth and security. We all want it and need it to an extent and sometimes by identifying strongly with others in the same club we become a force to be reckoned with. This strengthens the faith and so on.
I am an atheist but I think there are some truly beautiful passages, rituals, objects, buildings, songs, poems, clothes in many of the religions I have come across and much wise philosophy. There are some pretty weird and ugly bits too but that's like man, it is just a reflection of our wonderful human, inventive and searching nature.

Answer 3

No I do not. Religion has been used to manipulate the masses for millenia, however it is merely the tool of those wanting to beat the drums of war. If we didn't fight over religion, we would find something to fight wars over, race, ethnicity, language, anything that makes anyone different seem to cause wars. Religion is not the cause, merely a tool. You are forgetting the countless millions of people that have been saved through religion as well. Think of religious charities, places where Church run states replaced anarchy.

Answer 4

That would only take one of the factors out of the equation, so yes, but soon there would be another catalyst to fill the void, and that could be worse, so no.
There answer that. You are correct in stating though that a fair bit of the unrest around the world is due to religion.

Answer 5

Hi Sean, greetings from Republic of Ireland.
I too was brought up Catholic, but I agree, organised religion does seem to create problems..not faith or spirituality but organised religion that promotes bigotry and fear.

However as is often seen if it wasnt religion it'd be race, borders, skin-colour, oil or something else.
Sadly that seems to be the way of the world at times..guess we got try and spread peace as individuals.
Paul

Answer 6

I don't know. Ask the following groups:

Jewish people murdered in the Holocaust (Hitler outlawed religion)
Millions dead at the hands of Stalin (atheist)
Millions dead at the hands of Chairman Mao (atheist)
Millions dead at the hands of Pol Pot (atheist)

The list of the top twenty worst dictators today is made up of either atheists or Muslims.

The Christian faith does not permit for the atrocities you mention; those claiming to do these things in Jesus' name are lying.

So, no, "religion" is not to blame; it's an excuse, a justification for those who actually elevate themselves above God. Those who wish to impose their will upon others will find a reason, be it "God said" or "I want" or "In order to survive, the human race must".

Answer 7

Most likely yes. Many people want to believe in a higher power of some sort. However since most religions don't believe the same way, it seems that no religion would be best.

Answer 8

religion is used to brainwash week minded thick people but there are plenty of other mind control tricks they can use if religion was banned. Education usually starts this by encouraging right brain side activity to get on, I am left sided so am caring, creative and free thinking

Answer 9

religion in itself is not a bad thing, all the wars etc are mainly due to other peoples interpretation of what it entails, so i would say that is the cause of all the grief.

Answer 10

not unavoidably. on an identical time as faith reasons a large form of issues, it in all probability does not remedy something. some human beings basically do the terrific suited element simply by training of their faith. some each and every physique is smart sufficient to do it without faith. i'm not asserting that atheists, agnostics, or different non-non secular human beings reason chaos, simply by fact i'm an atheist myself. My element is that it somewhat is in human nature to the two lead or stick to. according to risk following one's faith blindly isn't this way of undesirable element if human beings finally end up doing the terrific suited element simply by fact of it. the terrific suited reasons do not remember in case you do the incorrect element, purely simply by fact the incorrect reasons do not remember in case you do the terrific suited element. faith isn't in contrast to yin and yang simply by fact the experts cancel out the cons in this way of way that society does not be 0.5 tremendously much as good without it to initiate on, and persons are basically purely discovering to do the terrific suited element without faith's effect.