2007-12-30 07:45:08 · 7 answers · asked by didi 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Ah, your question makes an assumption without any documented basis in fact.
Certainly the Catholic religion (or rather some human adherents of that religion) have been responsible for crimes. But so have the adherents of many other religions.
Since you seem to have already made up your mind that Catholics are responsible for "most crimes in history", I doubt that you're really looking for an answer, anyway.
I like the way this writer explains it:
"I must first say that I admit that "religion" has been misused to commit horrible, selfish, and inhumane acts. There is no way around that. As long as there has been history, there has been religion, and as long as there has been religion, there has been people abusing people through it. There is no excuse for it and there is no way to justify it.
However, it was no religion that was abusing people but rather the people who were abusing people. Examine any major religion, Christianity (being the most well know) I will use for an example, and you will find many "good" things about it. Christians are commanded not to murder, steal, covet, commit adultery, lie, and so on. They are also called to be loving to all, patient, kind, good, giving, selfless, caring, hospitable, unhating, disciplined, and on and on. If all mankind were this way (not meaning Christians but the values I just listed), then such things as the Crusades, Islamic bombers, theft, child sexual abuse, divorce, abuse, fights, and the many evils that we inflict on ourselves would not exist.
What "makes" religion bad is when a person or people use some set of religious beliefs to mislead people. We've all probably heard the phrase, "Guns don't kill people, People do." So it is with most religions. There is no solid "biblical" support for the acts of the Crusades, the many abuses of the early Catholic Church, the Salem witch trials (where fewer than 25 were killed), or the Inquisition. These were all acts committed by people who distorted a religion to "justify" what they had already decided was right to do.
This is not limited to "religions" either. Think of the many evils committed by atheistic governments, the many people killed, oppressed, and neglected. Think of atheistic Communism. Think of the many millions of people slaughtered due to Communist Germany. What of Stalin? Or Mao Zedong? If you would like to see a chart of the numbers of people who were murdered by such atheist Governments, this is a great article by R.J. Rummel at the University of Hawaii (this is a summary of R.J. Summel's article). Rummel argues that government, NOT religions, are the greatest doers of wrong and he provides amazing stats to back it up.
My point is this: People commit crimes regardless of religion. While I think a good case can be made to show that atheistic rulers have committed more harm to mankind than religious leaders, what is clear is that religion is not to blame for the horrible deeds mankind does. Mankind is to blame. Give a gun to a good, moral person and you can trust them to use it accordingly. Give a gun to a foolish, selfish, immoral person and you can trust something bad will probably come out of it. The Gun is not the criminal."
2007-12-30 07:51:43 · answer #1 · answered by johnslat 7 · 7⤊ 1⤋
Why ?
Very simple. You have been reading books, magazines, and publications written by non Catholics. They are totally biased. What do you expect ?
If you read "Mein Kampf" would you expect to read good things about the Jews ?
2007-12-30 18:56:54 · answer #2 · answered by nadie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its a tie. They're in overtime to this day. But why all the blood you ask? Thats a rabbit hole you wanna stay out of. We're talking secret secrets so secret, you wouldnt believe it anyway. For get about it. Go shopping.
2007-12-30 15:56:35 · answer #3 · answered by DwightTheDragon 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i know many countries in south america which are catholic and have extremely high crime rates. Some orthodox christians country's like greece have a very low crime rate
2007-12-30 15:56:05 · answer #4 · answered by hello 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Shouldn't you ask that question in R&S with the other slings and accusations between religions?
2007-12-30 15:54:48 · answer #5 · answered by Cabal 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Please cite the documents or provide links to these claims so that the rest of us can do proper research. Thank you.
With love in Christ.
2007-12-31 02:17:48 · answer #6 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't know. Your question is based on a generality.
2007-12-30 17:37:16 · answer #7 · answered by chrstnwrtr 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋