Does it take religion to make good people do evil things?
594568
Would seem like it, wouldn't it?  Think without religion people would have to turn to common sense ... :)
1178193
the early church is an abomination to Christianity today. there's no denying the past but it was mans doing and not based on any scripture to persecute other religions. man has used religion to gain power; does that make religion bad or man bad ?
1003420
There are nice people in every religion, be it muslim, hindu, catholic, Jehovah's witness. If they were nasty and snotty, their religion wouldn't look appealing to anyone else. Be strong in your faith. As a Christian, I have also looked at other religions wondering if mine is right. But Christianity is the only faith where God gave his only son to die in our place so we could have a choice either to die or live eternally. That's what keeps me right where I am. Don't let the "niceness" of other religions keep you from standing firm for your beliefs. Niceness doesn't hold a candle to the love of God.
939949
You know you have the right god when he hates all the same people you do.\n\nBTW, your quote was excellent.  It's the second thing I've been inspired to "save" from this forum\n\nWith or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion. \n\nSteven Weinberg
781688
At times, religion has been misused, and wars and conflicts have been carried out in the name of religion—and still are today.\n\nBut does that mean all religion is bad, and nothing good has ever come about through the actions of religious people? No, of course not. Think of all the hospitals and educational institutions throughout the world that have been built in the name of Christ. Think too of the major social movements that were sparked by devout believers, such as the antislavery crusade or the movement to end child labor. For centuries Christians have sought to put Jesus' command into action: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31).\n\nThis is why I invite you to look at Jesus Christ and see for yourself what He taught. Yes, at times people have distorted His teachings and misused His name. They have forgotten Jesus' warning to Peter: "Put your sword back in its place ... for all who draw the sword will die by the sword" (Matthew 26:52).\n\nBut when you look at Christ as He is found in the pages of the New Testament, you will realize that He was unlike anyone else who ever lived. The reason is because He was God in human flesh, sent from heaven to deliver us from our sins. Don't let anything keep you from Christ, for only He can give us hope for the future.
1007869
Good point. That's all they do. Brainwashing people specially young and naive. and they always use a form of religion to do that. Don't forget religion could be very dangerous.
891641
This is true. Most people, of any religion, are good. \n\nAnyone who does make this ugly would be the exceptions here.
619581
True, religion is a detrimental force in society.  It promotes lemming-like behavior.  Worse yet it promotes gang mentality where if you are not part of the gang you are looked down on or even killed.
31864
Religion may not have become the root of all evil, but surely more evil things are being done in the name of religion these days than the founders of the various faiths probably expected. If we take as a universal tenet of all religion the idea that killing other human beings is wrong, the world today has failed dismally to abide by that one tenet.
971044
More killing has been done in history in the name of religion than for any other reason.I believe in God without a doubt,but I wouldn't walk into a church if you paid me.It's funny that I find church goers to be the most intolerant folks I've come accross.The people in church may not be evil but yes ,religion is most definetly evil and you can bet satan is happy with the divisions that religion creates.All part of his evil plan.
907033
No, Pagans don't try to convert me, that is why i feel that Christians are evil, and since Pagans let me be to do my own thing, they are good people to me.
656835
There are certain religion that have a long history of good or bad karma. Like one Paganism/Wicca people think of occult
643862
since religion began and no i think its awful, absolute power corrupts absolutely plus all the guilt issues they cause in people just for being human? no thank you. just being a good person should be good enough.
195263
You know, this is actually an interesting question.\n\nMany religious people believe that it is religion that gives them morals and prevents them from Hell and such. But really, it's not that at all. You can have morals but no religion.\n\nI believe that there is a moral world order, a sort of universal code that must be adhered to in order to preserve order and good in the world. This is not my religious feeling, but instead my moral compass, if you will. \n\nI don't do good deeds for fear of hell, or as supplication so that I may enter heaven. I do good and fight evil because I feel that good must always prevail over evil, or we will have lost our humanity, and become beasts.\n\nMorality is very often a black and white issue. Rape is never grayscale. It's never justified, and the people who commit it need to be put in prison or in an electric chair. They have forfeited their humanity, and like dangerous animals they need to be locked up or destroyed.\n\nOther issues that are black and white to me are murder, arson, and terrorism. Terrorism is never justified, no matter what. I don't care if US Black Hawk helicopters shot up your village or somthing as a kiddie and killed your mujahdeen daddy. The fact of the matter is that you can NEVER EVER kill civilians in cold blood for political reasons. You can never treat humans as tools for political advancement. \n\nMurder is never justified because killing another human being is just wrong. I say only murder, not killing, because murder is cold and premeditated. Manslaughter is also included in this. That a person could plan and execute a deadly attack on another is shocking to me.\n\nArson is never right either. No one has a good reason to be burning some buildings down.\n\nI disagree with you about Stalin. That was not religiously motivated. Nor was the Holocaust. In fact, the years 1936 to 1945 were remarkably unreligious given Germany's usually strong Catholic base. Hitler disliked the Church and largely they went along with him. However, Hitler did not claim divine support. \n\nHowever, atrocities are often commited in the name of religion. How about the Crusades, or the Thirty Years War? Thousands of lives wasted, all in the name of God!\n\nSometimes I think my moral compass is better than your Bible. I have all the morals with none of the religious radicalism.
878626
If it so EVIL ,why do all religions want you to give yours to them?\nGod certainly doesn`t need it .Supposedly he can make anything he wants.
380219
Good and evil is a matter of perspective.  Typically, good/evil is regarded as what is beneficial for society.  Of course, what is beneficial for a society varies on a bunch of different factors.\n\nAn example is that in the artic, euthanasia was regarded as good.  The society did not have the resources to care for elderly that were infirm.\n\nAnother:  Homosexual marriage is considered evil in some parts of the United States, but in Ancient Greece, the Spartan warriors encouraged homosexual behavior.\n\nSome major religions list some things as "sinful"; but the entire idea of divine justice/punishment is unnecessary.
66893
Despite all the religions of the world and their constant advocating of peace and justice, things are pretty violent on the third planet. Religion itself must share some of the blame. All religions tend to cultivate a sense of absolutism: the idea that one is right, and others are wrong, and that's just how it is. This sort of thinking leads to the next step: if others are wrong and evil, why do the good people have to tolerate them? From that thought, the bullets begin to fly, and the mass graves are filled up quickly. A famous general once said that a criminal may kill one, ten, or even a hundred people, but only someone who absolutely believes that what they are doing is right, moral, and just will kill millions.