Organised religion is the source of much of what's wrong in society. Discuss.

[cressetmama]

I'm an atheist. I like to think I am fair minded and without prejudice. However, I am coming to the view that I am disposed to think that people with strong religious convictions (of every variety) are deluded and dangerous. AIBU?

I believe there are neurological reasons for believing in God and that part of your brain isn't active.

People cause problems.

There are some religious people who commit atrocities, while others do amazing good work in the community. The same applies to non-religious people.

Some people use religion to justify their actions. Others find a different justification. The religion doesn't cause the problem. It's just a convenient excuse.

I'm agnostic, meaning towards atheist fwiw.

It would seem relegion is a very useful vehicle.

My BiL is vey relegious.. he is also a control freak. He uses his "faith" to give authority to himself because it justifies his prejudice.

He is having awful trouble at the moment. His youngest cabbage has just come out the closset... homosexuality is a terrible sin in most relegions..

There are good and bad people that are both religious and non religious. People with extreme views no tolerance for others or who express an irrational hatred for another group and want to spread their hatred, also come from both religious and non religious sides. It is unfair to demonise religion as the root of all that is wrong in the world.

Islam doesn't kill people. Christianity doesn't kill people. Humans (and let's face it these killers are mostly men) do.

Why? Because Islam and Christianity,like all other religions that believe in the supernatural, do not exist. In the sense that they have no basis in reality they are constructed, reformed and interpreted by humans of the time.

That's why the majority of Muslims, Christians etc are peaceful, because they take the scripture and filter it through through their own personal morality and the social mores of the time which are today generally humane and peaceful.

But if you have people who want to do evil it is easy to look to scripture for justification because a text written thousands of years ago is bound to contain some of the inhumane social mores of the time.

FWIW, I don't hate or even dislike religious individuals; I hate the prejudice, pettiness and 'holier than thou' attitude that accompanies religion.

Some religions' morality advocates compassion and justice, freedom of speech and personal liberty; most of the beliefs are archaic superstition based on a 2000 year old understanding of the universe that justify the systematic repression of half the world.

And as you say, in evil minds, scripture is easy to cite as justification.

I think organised religion can be useful. I have a horrible background of being raised in a fundamentalist cult so am personally familiar with the pain it can also bring to humanity.

I view my upbringing as a "preschool" for spirituality however.

I'm not a follower of any organised religion but find my life enriched by some of what I was taught. I don't take things literally now but I don't regret having scripture drummed into every part of my being.

What I regret is that many people are unable to graduate from organised religion into thinking for themselves.

People and charities would still do good things without religion.

The problem with millions of moderate people believing in a supernatural force is that it legitimises thousands of fundamentalists believing in a supernatural force and that creates hundreds of extremists who turn into terrorists.

For whatever reason on the whole christian and jewish extremists don't believe the parts of the bible that talk about killing. Unfortunately in Islam killing is still part of their faith.

Hello,
Did you read the latest?
A couple of policemen were murdered in their own home in Paris by an Islamist.

The Op is a bigot and probably a racist and an idiot. Discuss

A ridiculous, unfounded, sweeping statement OP

I think the actual problem is evil people hiding behind religion and giving it a bad name.

I agree. If there was no religion they would simply hide behind something else to give a respectable front.

I've met petty, prejudiced "holier than thou" atheists and religious people, and warm, open-minded, kind atheists and religious people.

"Islam doesn't kill people. Christianity doesn't kill people. Humans (and let's face it these killers are mostly men) do."

Are you referring to "guns don't kill people; people kill people"?

I think people with guns kill people, and people without guns are much less effective at killing people. People fired up with religion (or football or any other irrational faith) seem more likely to commit extreme acts and have extreme opinions.

It is true that a large part of violence and irrational behaviour stems from an extreme view based on some sort of religion. I'm from n.ireland and we have had it all our lives with catholic v Protestant, with extremists on both sides killing back in the day. Now we have Islam and extremists from that religion attacking the western world. It's mad but there will always be a new threat

sorry- I was quoting Theydontknowweknowtheyknow there

Sorry ShariaMum. I've met and liked people from all over the world, and of all faiths, and none. At uni, almost everyone I was close to was Jewish, and since then, many have been Christian, I have enjoyed talking with Buddhists and Taoists, Hindus and Sikhs. DP spent years in Arabia, and my DS lives there even now, so I number quite a few Muslims in my acquaintance; there has even been even the odd Jehovah's Witness I've liked, as people, over the years. I've spent time in Africa, Asia and America. I take people as they come. I do however have a problem with idiots and extremists. You are right there!

Name calling and labelling me a racist and a bigot may not be your best line of argument, but I recognise the knee jerk reaction. I don't think I'm an idiot, although you might disagree, Shariamom. Does your user name indicate anything?

"I think people with guns kill people, and people without guns are much less effective at killing people."

I agree. Which is why the US needs to stop making it so easy for angry men to buy guns. WTF are they thinking? Guns are created for the very purpose of killing living things. Religions aren't. And sometimes do a lot of good depending on who is interpreting it.

I think it is fundamentalism of any kind that causes the problem. The thinking in black and white and labelling whilst in reality the world is only made out of different kinds of grey