bigjim36 Posted February 12, 2015 #1 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Seems right from the beginning of time, religion has been at the centre of most of the worlds conflicts. It's not just different faiths either, different denominations of the same faiths have been and still are at each others throats. So why do we put up with it? What good has religion ever done? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubblykiss Posted February 12, 2015 #2 Share Posted February 12, 2015 (edited) Well my evil cat is evil and she is not religious in any context that I have observed. So no, religion is not evil. It can be used by bad people to justify evil actions. But, then again, so can just about anything. Edited February 12, 2015 by bubblykiss 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karmakazi Posted February 12, 2015 #3 Share Posted February 12, 2015 No idea or object can be evil of it's own accord, it is what man does with an idea or object that brings about "evil". 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubblykiss Posted February 12, 2015 #4 Share Posted February 12, 2015 No idea or object can be evil of it's own accord, it is what man does with an idea or object that brings about "evil". I mostly agree. Traffic meters and margarine are pure evil without any input from mankind though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjim36 Posted February 12, 2015 Author #5 Share Posted February 12, 2015 And as all religions are man made concepts then they are surely inherently evil? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rashore Posted February 12, 2015 #6 Share Posted February 12, 2015 (edited) Nope, religion is not evil. Though a lot of people have done some pretty evil things using religion as an excuse. What good has it done? A lot of charitable works, preserving most of the knowledge that was preserved in Europe through the dark ages, giving hope and meaning to billions of lives, giving literacy to other lives though the reading of holy works. Some really great beers and wines, breads, and cheeses as well as some excellent preservation and use of herbals and produce. Because even more people have done good in the name of religion than people have done bad in the name of religion. Edit to add- yummy hot chocolate can be laid at religions door too Nuns came up with it first. Edited February 12, 2015 by rashore 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Liquid Gardens Posted February 12, 2015 #7 Share Posted February 12, 2015 And as all religions are man made concepts then they are surely inherently evil? Hmmm, then couldn't we also say, "As the idea of 'goodness' is a man-made concept then surely it is inherently evil?". 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theotherguy Posted February 12, 2015 #8 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I mostly agree. Traffic meters and margarine are pure evil without any input from mankind though. Margarine is nothing but input from mankind, isn't it? And as all religions are man made concepts then they are surely inherently evil? Just to make sure I'm not misinterpreting this, are you contending that everything manmade is inherently evil? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rashore Posted February 12, 2015 #9 Share Posted February 12, 2015 And as all religions are man made concepts then they are surely inherently evil? That's kind of an odd statement, considering the notion that man is inherently evil is a religious concept. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karmakazi Posted February 12, 2015 #10 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I mostly agree. Traffic meters and margarine are pure evil without any input from mankind though. LOL Fortunately I'm usually able to stay away from both! And as all religions are man made concepts then they are surely inherently evil? I don't think so. I've studied several major religions, and the overall message of most is to be a good person and try not to cause harm to others. There's nothing evil in that. The evil comes when someone holds up a religion as an excuse to cause harm, but that goes against the religion itself in most cases. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drayno Posted February 12, 2015 #11 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Is a stick laying in the woods evil? No, it only hurts when you step on it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k0zm1k Posted February 12, 2015 #12 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Religion isn't evil...detrimental, stupid, ignorant, arrogant, pointless, unimaginative, banal, oppressive, sure. But evil...that's far too flattering for religion. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubblykiss Posted February 12, 2015 #13 Share Posted February 12, 2015 (edited) Religion isn't evil...detrimental, stupid, ignorant, arrogant, pointless, unimaginative, banal, oppressive, sure. But evil...that's far too flattering for religion. Banal...nice, that is a word I just don't use enough...... Now then OP if are you are here to debate and discuss this idea lets do it. If you are here to lay down the law then I am gonna go play in another thread. Edited February 12, 2015 by bubblykiss 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashotep Posted February 12, 2015 #14 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Religion isn't evil but people that use it to justify doing bad things are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k0zm1k Posted February 12, 2015 #15 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Hmmm, then couldn't we also say, "As the idea of 'goodness' is a man-made concept then surely it is inherently evil?". Yes, it absolutely is! The idea of goodness is the source of ALL evil in the world! Truly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted February 12, 2015 #16 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I'm not sure you could consider various religions 'evil', however they do generally promote division or prejudice - usually by the suggestion that adherents of said religion are somehow or in some way 'superior' to non-adherents. However, the same could be said of many ideologies that are not religions. So, rather than 'evil' I might suggest that those who promote religion as 'good' are a little wide of the mark. Religion is just another form of government, just not as inclusive or flexible as other secular forms of government. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenWolf Posted February 12, 2015 #17 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Is a stick laying in the woods evil? No, it only hurts when you step on it! It really hurts when you collect them on the wrong day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenWolf Posted February 12, 2015 #18 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Yes, it absolutely is! The idea of goodness is the source of ALL evil in the world! Truly. Not everyone's idea of goodness is truly good. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Occult1 Posted February 12, 2015 #19 Share Posted February 12, 2015 (edited) Religion isn't evil but people that use it to justify doing bad things are. +1 It seems a bit easy to put the blame on an abstract concept like religion and devoid human beings of their guilt and responsabilities. If we are looking for the cause of evil deeds, then perhaps we should look upon ourselves. Edited February 12, 2015 by samus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k0zm1k Posted February 12, 2015 #20 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Not everyone's idea of goodness is truly good. Nothing in the Universe is neither good or evil, but naturally, when the idea of "good" is introduced it implies an idea of "evil" in response. All ideas of good are evil. Eeeeeviiiillllll!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Crane Feather Posted February 12, 2015 #21 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Seems right from the beginning of time, religion has been at the centre of most of the worlds conflicts. It's not just different faiths either, different denominations of the same faiths have been and still are at each others throats. So why do we put up with it? What good has religion ever done? Religions are not evil. Destructive meams can pop up in any ideaologies religion, political, or simply group think. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenWolf Posted February 12, 2015 #22 Share Posted February 12, 2015 How many of the abrahamic prophets were convicted criminals, Moses and Jesus were, John I believe was. They were also exiles. Muhammed was an exile too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Greenman Posted February 12, 2015 #23 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I don't think religions are evil, but evil people use religion to do evil. I think some religions seem to have more issues with that than others. If you what a God that is good and kind, then you must be good and kind. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Paranoid Android Posted February 13, 2015 #24 Share Posted February 13, 2015 What good has religion ever done? Let's start with some of the most beautiful and inspirational pieces of art, music, literature, and architecture in the history of the world. Without religion we may never have had any of that. On a global/community scale, religions have organised many charitable efforts to make the lives of the less fortunate much better - tradespeople going to the Third World and digging wells for those who have no clean water, doctors donating their time overseas to care for the sick and dying.... organising warm clothing for the poor and homeless during winter months, running soup kitchens and other free meals and sometimes accommodation for the homeless. On a personal level, religion has provided a community for people to get together in friendship with one another, caring for each other's needs. It's been a driving force in some people to turn their life 100% around from a destructive one to a productive one (eg, a gang member peddling drugs who is in and out of prison finds God and through that life act ends up becoming a motivational speaker in schools, telling kids about the gang life and how it might seem glamorous is actually a destructive and terrible life to live). Less drastically there are people like me, who did have a destructive life, one based only on what can make me feel good, what can I do to make me feel good, better, best... and instead turning it around into how can I help others make life better for them. And this is just a start, others have already shared points of interest, such as the role the church played in transmitting historical documents throughout history that likely wouldn't have been preserved had the institution not existed. I hope you're not another one of those guys who are going to say "everything done in the name of religion that is good, well that's just natural human kindness and has nothing to do with religion..... oh, and everything done in the name of religion that is evil and harms others, that proves how evil and terrible religion is"..... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hammerclaw Posted February 13, 2015 #25 Share Posted February 13, 2015 (edited) There's nothing in this world that can not be perverted to evil. A man can be beaten to death with a silver cross, but it is the wielder, not the cross, that sins. Edited February 13, 2015 by Hammerclaw 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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