Why do we need a religion like Christianity?

Question

All sides, atheism, islam, christianity etc. have commited atrocities in the past and altogether i believe that makes each group equal. In that sense why do we need a belief in a divine being to give us morals if people that believe and those that don't believe commit the same number of atrocities as each other? Aren't religions supposed to give and make people hold more morals than non-believers? If so then why is the death count roughly the same on both sides?

If Christianity does not make people act more morally then why is it needed?

Another question that i have:
Why does the Christian God care more about your beliefs than your actions? It's your actions that actually affect anyone or anything, not your belief in a divine being.

Randy G:

'your beliefs often indirectly determine
your actions'

I presume by this you mean; 'A belief in a God will show in your actions' and in the context of Christianity where believers are supposedly supposed to do good then a belief in God is meant to make them do good. As shown above, this really does not seem to be the case.

ritefielder:

If Christianity only preaches to be good then explain this:

jeremiah 4:4
Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,
remove the foreskin of your hearts,
O people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
or else my wrath will go forth like fire,
and burn with no one to quench it,
because of the evil of your doings.

Luke 12:47
That slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating.

Psalms 137:9
Happy shall they be who take your little ones
and dash them against the rock!

Luke 19:27
But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.”

Matthew 5:18-19
“For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass the law until all is accomplished.

Isaiah 40:8
The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever.

Micah 5:15
"And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard." - said by God

Hosea 13:16
Samaria shall bear her guilt,
because she has rebelled against her God;
they shall fall by the sword,
their little ones shall be dashed in pieces,
and their pregnant women ripped open.

Deuteronomy 23:1
No one whose testicles are crushed or whose penis is cut off shall be admitted to the assembly of the Lord.

2 Kings 2:23
And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.

Leviticus 20:19
'If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother, and his blood will be on his own head

Corinthians 6:9,10
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Leviticus 11:12
Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

Leviticus 20:13
And when a man lies down with a male the same as one lies down with a woman, both of them have done a detestable thing. They should both be put to death without fail. Their own blood is upon them.

Leviticus 19:19
Keep my statutes: do not breed any of your domestic animals with others of a different species; do not sow a field of yours with two different kinds of seed; and do not put on a garment woven with two different kinds of thread.

Leviticus 20:18
'If a man lies with a woman during her monthly period and has sexual relations with her, he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has also uncovered it. Both of them must be cut off from their people.

Deut 25:11-12
If men get into a fight with one another, and the wife of one intervenes to rescue her husband from the grip of his opponent by reaching out and seizing his genitals, 12you shall cut off her hand; show no pity.

Answer 1

Religion, like all abstracts, is a tool - don't blame the tool for how people use it.

We need religions, Christianity included, because people want them - and that's reason enough.

If you don't agree with other people's beliefs or how they put those beliefs into action, then that's your right, and you can believe whatever you please - but don't tell other people what they should believe. Just because you don't like chocolate chip doesn't mean other people can't enjoy the flavor.

Answer 2

There are several inherent errors in your rationale here.

First, there is either a God, or there isn't. So whether or not we "need" religion for morality is irrelevant. You are correct that some religious people commit atrocities, and that this is wrong. But that is completely irrelevant to whether or not we need religion. You are also assuming that establishing morality is the sole purpose of religion, which is not the case. Religion serves many roles in the lives of the people who believe in it, including providing inner peace, comfort, purpose, cultural identity, and a feeling of closeness with the being that religious people believe created them.

Second, your assumption that the Christian God cares more about beliefs than actions assumes that all Christians believe the same thing, which simply isn't true. Whether or not actions or beliefs are more important is fiercely debated by different religions. That said, and I admit that this may be a matter of opinion, but actions are NOT more important than beliefs. Without beliefs and morals, or lack thereof, people would not commit evil acts. The truth is, if you really want to get down to it, acts are only evil in the context of morals and beliefs. If a tiger kills a deer, there is nothing wrong with it. If a man kills a deer, and has nothing else to eat, there is nothing wrong with it. If a man kills a man, however, there is a reason for it. He is not hungry, then it must be something else. Anger, jealousy, greed... these are usually the causes of murder. These reasons, his intentions, are what makes the act wrong. So the belief (reason for the act) is what is wrong, not necessarily the action in itself.

All that said, I ultimately agree with you that all groups are equal. Religion is so much more than just a measure of morality, and the fact is that most religions ultimately agree on morality. The problem is not religion, but rather that people choose not to make moral decisions. They are selfish. Morality is important, regardless of whether or not you are religious, and it is this fact that makes it so that morality is such an important factor in religion. Religion is about spiritual growth, understanding your inner self, and creating a better world. There are many different religions, it is true, but there are also many different cultures and diverse people. Why wouldn't religion be diverse, too, in order to serve the needs of differnet kinds of people? I think that is what makes religion great. Ultimately, however, if you do not believe in God, then you are excluded by definition. This is ultimately what your debate is about, when you get to the heart of it.

As far as atrocities are concerned, I think they are separate from religion. Some people are evil. That is a fact of life. Even if you eliminate religion, these people are going to exist and will kill or steal or whatever they deem best to get them what they want: power and wealth. That they use religion as their excuse on occasion is abhorrent, but not necessarily a black mark against religion. If it wasn't religion, it would be nationalism or race or some other arbitrary cause.

Answer 3

There's never been atrocities committed in the name of atheism (which is not a belief but a lack of). We don't need religion, they segregate people and make people think they are better than others! Christianity is a religion that idolises death and looks forward to the after life! What about the now. What about doing things for the good of all rather than saving your skin from hell!

Answer 4

Since when has someone killed others in the name of atheism? Oh, sure, you may bring up Russia and China, but this was not out of atheism, so much as it was focused on worshipping the state and country; a brutal dictatorship that made sure the people didn't worship a god, but the dictator, which has nothing to do with atheism. Atheism is just the lack of belief in a Supreme Being, and nothing more; that is all atheists have in common.

Christianity isn't needed, and it shows. Everything that God is given credit for, people have done on their own. They just don't know it.

Answer 5

Ah, but your beliefs often indirectly determine your actions.

Likewise, your actions show what you really believe irregardless of what you actually say.

Have a nice day!

---edit--
I disagree with your statement that a belief in God does not affect your behavior.

I suppose that it depends on whay kind of god that you believe in. If you believe in a god who winks at your wrong actions (or just doesn't care), then you will do bad. If you believe in a god who frowns on cruel behavior, and who punishes sin, then you will avoid acting cruel because you don't want God to be dissapointed with you.

Answer 6

I strongly agree: I truly think He cares more about our actions If He is an all-loving compassionate God like I believe, then He will see the good in every person. I thus don't believe that anyone is sent to Hell. It's impossible to accept with the image of an ever-merciful God!

As for Christianity, I think the real point of an organized religion is to show our respect for all that we've been blessed with in this world. Yet not everyone needs an organized religion to be thankful for what they have -- thus non-believers.

Ultimately, you've hit right on the point. We are all equals -- non-believers and believers -- deep down, and if God exists as Christians believe, our inherent goodness will not be missed. With or without faith.

Answer 7

Christianity understands itself to be a revelation, as such it is given, not because it is needed by some human necessity, but because God has revealed himself in terms a particular revelation. Our need for the revelation may be disclosed in the encounter with the particular revelation, but our needs do not, by necessity, make the revelation what it is, or what is intended to be. This would be the case for most religions whose central beliefs and practices were constituted by an appeal to divine revelation.

Answer 8

Better to ask why we need religion at all to justify acting moral. I don't have a problem with Christianity or any other religion as long as the people who practice it are peaceful. Violence committed in the name of religion must end.

Answer 9

What atrocities have atheism committed? Seriously? When did a group get together and say, because we don't believe in god, we are going to kill you or torture you?

As I am unaware of ANY atrocities committed in the NAME of atheism, I have to conclude that each group is not equal. Atheism wins. You have your answer.

Answer 10

Maybe if the current christians didn't have it they would be committing crimes etc..it keeps them in line
oh wait....loads of serial killers and prisoners were christians
Maybe it's good as a crux for the weaker amongst us?
Goodness knows!!
Seems to cause more problems than anything good really.