A lot of people have killed others, thinking, well, they live forever anyway.
Or committed suicide because..., "I can't die anyway"
How many crimes could we prevent, if people really valued life as though this is all there is, instead of laughing like maniacs as they kill people in the name of religion....
"God told me to do it" is getting to be a tired phrase.
When are we gonna finally banish religious myth, so that we treat life with respect & cherish it?
The myths floating around about eternal life are simply causing people a false sense of security, as they associate seemingly no importance on this life due the upcoming "spiritual" one.
It has been the cause of much calamity as people seek to "talk to dead ones" with psychics.
When are we gonna learn? Religion kills!
2007-03-16 19:29:37 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Ah, but the standard answer to your claim is "TRUE Christians don't do that!"
Never mind that witch-killings, deliberate infections of Small Pox into Native American populations, the Inquisition, forced slavery, the deliberate order to exterminate Mormons, and so on have all been done by people who would descibe themselves as "TRUE Christians". Never mind that the Christian God has described--in detail--atrocities of genocide and mass murder committed either by him directly or by his command.
Anyone who tells you that Christianity is and has always been a religion of peace is either ignorant of their own religion's history or outright lying.
2007-03-16 19:53:35 · answer #1 · answered by Scott M 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Been reading Sam Harris?
Anyway, while it is true that there have been atrocities committed in the name of religion, the question that I pose is whether or not religion is the true cause of people's homicidal/genocidal tendencies or is it used as a front to try and justify those tendencies which stem from psychological imbalances or other social pressures/values? Clearly, there has been a tremendous amount of blood shed in the name of secular ideas as well. The French Revolution, which was extremely anti-religion, slaughtered thousands. Communist states, like the Soviet Union (and to a degree, China) have killed possibly millions, all the while proclaiming to be a secular entities.
I am also curious about the logic used in regards to an afterlife. If this is all there is, than what impetus do I have not to kill someone if I can get away with it and that killing would improve my status? I don't have to worry about any sort of punishment, right? I guess one could try to appeal to some sort of altruism or set of morals. But where would those morals come from? Reason? Where does reason come from and why should I believe that reason govern my actions? Because I believe reason tells me so? If that is the case, reason would be come my new religion and I guess I would kill in the name of reason!
2007-03-16 19:51:01 · answer #2 · answered by Blake the Baptist 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Heaven's Messenger, your bet is screwy, any time he brings you an answer you can just say that they are killing "falsely" in the name of religion, what would the circumstances have to be for someone to kill "truly" in the name of religion, because once I know those, I may just accept your bet.
Now... I see where you are going, religion creates a lot of distress, nobody can deny, but there is still no way to destroy religion without becoming an equally religious maniac, so for now, it should live on.
2007-03-16 19:39:19 · answer #3 · answered by valkyrie hero 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, the lack of faith in God kills. America has been moving away from God for a long time, and crime has continually gone up. Why not kill someone else when there are no eternal consequences. A relationship with God will lead you to a more legal life. It's called sanctification, and is a process that God works in His believers, continually planting the desire to do good in their hearts. However, many people have done things in the "name" of religion, just because they wanted to and used that as justification. God is good, all the time.
2007-03-16 19:56:57 · answer #4 · answered by putonthearmorofgod611 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
You are wrong in saying that religion kills. It is Satan using the Christian religion and making a mockery of Jesus that kills. In Christ there is life. Christ is not the one who puts it into someone's mind to commit suicide because they will have eternal life anyway or to kill someone else. In the Ten Commandments God tells us not to kill. As in the Garden of Eden and the beginning of the world, Satan used the same lame line when he told Eve to go ahead and eat the fruit from the tree God had forbidden. He told her she would not certainly die as God had told her. And she ate from the tree and got Adam to do so as well. It is the same lie Satan uses today when he is free to roam around and cause people like you to come up with such statements as this to also try and discredit The Lord God Almighty. Besides, there are many religions in the world and only one way of true salvation. It is to accept Jesus Christ and be saved, turning away from your former ways and seeking to be like Christ. It is the lack of Christ in the world that kills and you are blaming it on His presence in religion. Satanism is also a religion. Just FYI
2007-03-16 19:45:41 · answer #5 · answered by froggsfriend 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
As a Christian, I AGREE - "religion" does kill and IS dangerous for its practitioners ! Just for the record - God does not tell Christians to kill others. Anyone, who subscribes to inflicting the pain of death upon others is both, a murder and liar !!! "Spirituality" - on the other hand, is a different issue !!!
2007-03-16 19:45:48 · answer #6 · answered by guraqt2me 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Religion does not kill, at least not Christianity.
The devil has found a way to twist he teachings and he has found people to do that. Us Humans are like a sponge, we'll soak up anything that we feel is ......I don't know just that religion has been twisted a lot, corrupted, especially Christianity and I'm guessing even Islam.
2007-03-16 19:37:24 · answer #7 · answered by Natasha 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I highly doubt that you can show 1 single incident where religion itself has killed anything/one. In fact, I'd bet the estate on it. People killing others, falsely in the name of religion is a different story.
2007-03-16 19:33:50 · answer #8 · answered by Heaven's Messenger 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I have never heard that I can't be killed because I am a Christian..
all that other garbage is sick people doing things and using the name of God..
2007-03-16 19:38:37 · answer #9 · answered by Sicily 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
"And he looked at the devastation around him and said 'Who shall we blame for this carnage and martyrdom? We will blame the Most High and His instrument on earth." And Lo, Nero burned Rome and blamed the Christians.
2007-03-16 19:54:06 · answer #10 · answered by Arnon 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋