Religion doesn't do any harm right?

Question

Have a look at the following story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/7078455.stm

Thats the most tragic thing I've read in ages. Dying for you beliefs in a fairy story.

Why cannot we put an end to religion and the belief in god for good?

Answer 1

I feel sorry for her children, having to grow up with no mother!!

Answer 2

The woman died because she did not accept treatment, so the article suggests. This happens to other people who are not Jehovah's Witnesses, but because she was a JW, her religion has done her harm, OR it has influenced her to take a choice that required her to die. However, there is a large dose of "might have been" in this story. Relatives claim a transfusion would not have saved her (of course this may be disingenuous to hold to the JW line-the term "saved" being of double meaning here). Also the article doesn't confirm that this is indeed what happened but assumes it is because she was a JW.

Whatever the reason, she may have refused treatment and died. Would you blame a cancer patient who refuses treatment and dies because he or she was afraid to undergo it or had reservations about its efficacy? Medicine is not the "hand of God in Man" that some believe it is. One cannot say what might have been had she accepted treatment, but the fact remains that the children DO have a father and they DO have their lives. It is more than many children get in this world. She may have made her choice, but her children are not abandoned utterly.

Answer 3

I agree that is tragic. And those things happen too often. But, people have the right to believe in what they choose. I don't agree with her particular belief (I use the medical community when I need it), but I would never force her, or anyone for that matter, to change her belief system.

The belief in God or gods is as old as mankind itself. I don't expect that it will change any time soon. We cannot dictate what people are to believe in...the Communist Soviet Union tried that, it didn't work. If people didn't believe in God, what basis for good and evil would we have? Right and Wrong? How could we justify what is good? And what is evil? Those concepts stem from religious beliefs.

Others have the right to believe in "fairy stories" just as much as you have the right NOT to believe.

Religion brings so much peace to so many people, why would you want to take that away?

Answer 4

Faith does no harm and, I believe, is a necessary part of human existence.

The misuse pf religion, however, can do great harm--as witness the Spanish Inquisition, the Crusades, the JIm Jones suicide cult, and the Muslim suicide bombers, among others.

Seeing that blood transfusions never existed in Biblical times, I fail to understand what in the Bible prohibits them. I do think that news story is tragic because the death of a woman who has just given birth is tragic.

Since it appears that a blood transfusion would not have saved her life, her refusal of one seems a moot issue.

Answer 5

That's just ONE story.

This woman had her beliefs and she was willing to die for them. She didn't kill anyone for them. She didn't pass a law making blood transfusions illegal.

I will be the first to admit that much harm has been done due to religion, but there has been good done due to religion also.

The only way to "put an end to religion and the belief in God" would be to create an atheistic dictatorship. That would not be a good thing.

Answer 6

That's not new. Everyone knows that many Jehovah's witnesses do not do blood transfusion; it's their choice. I don't think religion forces anyone to do something against their will.
If you could put an end to religion, something else will replace it....like Atheism...which in itself like another religion. If you choose not to believe in God, you will believe in something else. Remember, man made Religion so don't go blaming God for the setbacks; instead, blame the people who inject foolish laws and tradition into their faith.

Answer 7

I do not blame "religion" on this...it is definately all about choices. And we all have them.
This is not to say that i agree or disagree with the statement that religion doesn't do any harm...for there are arguements and debates on both sides that believe that they are totally right.

I just want to promote the tolerance for allowing other people to do and be just who and what they are, not the way i think that they should be.

BB
)o(

Answer 8

Dont' be surprised, it might become more acceptable in the our future to have control over our death rather than leaving it in control of something else.

I know it sound odd, but that really how things change. Many people in the past couldn't imagine that it would be acceptable that black people are treated as equal as the white people. Many couldn't imagine that gay people will be respected and protected by the law. & the list goes on.

Answer 9

Schizoid delusional mental disorder evolving into a full blown mental disease can have dire consequences.
One more reason to promote treatment and education about this disease in order to get rid of religious superstitions a quick as possible.

Answer 10

No harm? Seems like the twins will be harmed enough because of their parents fanatical views. Would you want to live your life with the knowledge that your mother died giving birth to you because of religion?

Religion won't "just end" because we need something to believe in. However, some people go beyond common sense.

Answer 11

It isn't 'Religion' in general that causes problems. It's the extremists who believe in a certain religion and can not accept the fact that not everyone believes the same thing that do the 'harm'. These are the people that lead us to war. Everyone has the right to their own opinion. You believe this, I believe that, now lets all live together in peace is my motto.