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Is Religion The Source Of Most Conflicts?
81 Answers
We have had questions and debates on this issue before on AB. I thought it might be worth revisiting given a recent article in the Guardian. Some interesting views expressed, from writers with a range of personal beliefs. All of whom are contributors to a forthcoming book "For Gods Sake", which sounds like it might be worth a read.
Have a read, see what you think :)
http://
Interesting comment from one of the contributors;
"terrorism occurs when you combine a sense of military and economic inferiority with a sense of moral superiority. Religion is very good at conferring a sense of moral superiority on its followers."
Have a read, see what you think :)
http://
Interesting comment from one of the contributors;
"terrorism occurs when you combine a sense of military and economic inferiority with a sense of moral superiority. Religion is very good at conferring a sense of moral superiority on its followers."
Answers
One thing religion does exceptionall
00:46 Wed 03rd Jul 2013
from the link
"– state-imposed atheism was a defining feature of brutal 20th century regimes led by Stalin, Tito, Mao Zedong, and Pol Pot among others, which resulted in the suffering and murder of millions. "
no it wasn't, this wasn't anything to do with atheism, this was to do with power, despots all, communism in all it's inglory... imposition of their will over billions, and it worked, at least for a time, but at huge cost to the populace of these countries.
"– state-imposed atheism was a defining feature of brutal 20th century regimes led by Stalin, Tito, Mao Zedong, and Pol Pot among others, which resulted in the suffering and murder of millions. "
no it wasn't, this wasn't anything to do with atheism, this was to do with power, despots all, communism in all it's inglory... imposition of their will over billions, and it worked, at least for a time, but at huge cost to the populace of these countries.
To answer the question in the title, then yes, most conflicts are due to religion, but not all. Northern Europeans caused countless deaths when they went on Crusades to the "Holy" land. It seems we haven't learnt much in recent years.
If you are a strong believer in your own religion, it follows that everybody else who doesn't share your beliefs must therefore be wrong.
The world would be a good deal better if we had no religions whatsoever. Failing that, we should learn tolerance of other peoples beliefs but that doesn't look as if its going to happen any time soon.
Thank "God" I am an atheist !
If you are a strong believer in your own religion, it follows that everybody else who doesn't share your beliefs must therefore be wrong.
The world would be a good deal better if we had no religions whatsoever. Failing that, we should learn tolerance of other peoples beliefs but that doesn't look as if its going to happen any time soon.
Thank "God" I am an atheist !
@ MissNemesis - Can you offer up an example of atheism conferring a "moral superiority" equal to religion?
Intellectual superiority maybe, not sure about moral superiority though :)
I will say this. I as an atheist am infinitely morally superior to a religious zealot who elects to wear a suicide vest and blow up innocents in their righteousness. But then, so are 99.9% of the population, atheist or religious.
Intellectual superiority maybe, not sure about moral superiority though :)
I will say this. I as an atheist am infinitely morally superior to a religious zealot who elects to wear a suicide vest and blow up innocents in their righteousness. But then, so are 99.9% of the population, atheist or religious.
Religion is without doubt the fundamental source of the conflicts this world is currently experiencing.
Several misconceptions have been voiced in that piece, presumably because those speaking for their particular brand of religion are incapable of separating the mindset of the atheist from that of the religious. They appear to assume that atheism, like religion, has a set of rules that must be followed, and of course, they are completely wrong. For example:
//It [atheism] allows little doubt or questioning about the unknown.//
Atheism doesn’t allow or disallow anything. It has no creed, it has no doctrine, it has no formal structure, and therefore it has no rules. Question away!
//"Do you ever worry…..Dawkins asked …..that if we [atheists] win and, so to speak, destroy Christianity, that vacuum would be filled with Islam?"
It's a curious question that reflects both the vicious hatred of Muslims by many so-called new atheists but also a creepy utopian nightmare that is apparently idealised by them.//
The question, in my opinion, is a valid one, but in assuming ‘hatred’ of one religion above another, the response illustrates the ignorance of its author. Every atheist I know deplores all religions equally. Sadly the author fails to explain why he finds the concept of a world without religion to be a ‘creepy utopian nightmare’.
//"She does like pork. I gave her some sausages and she ate them right up!" It took a few days for my blood pressure to return to normal.//
Clearly indoctrination is detrimental to good health!
Several misconceptions have been voiced in that piece, presumably because those speaking for their particular brand of religion are incapable of separating the mindset of the atheist from that of the religious. They appear to assume that atheism, like religion, has a set of rules that must be followed, and of course, they are completely wrong. For example:
//It [atheism] allows little doubt or questioning about the unknown.//
Atheism doesn’t allow or disallow anything. It has no creed, it has no doctrine, it has no formal structure, and therefore it has no rules. Question away!
//"Do you ever worry…..Dawkins asked …..that if we [atheists] win and, so to speak, destroy Christianity, that vacuum would be filled with Islam?"
It's a curious question that reflects both the vicious hatred of Muslims by many so-called new atheists but also a creepy utopian nightmare that is apparently idealised by them.//
The question, in my opinion, is a valid one, but in assuming ‘hatred’ of one religion above another, the response illustrates the ignorance of its author. Every atheist I know deplores all religions equally. Sadly the author fails to explain why he finds the concept of a world without religion to be a ‘creepy utopian nightmare’.
//"She does like pork. I gave her some sausages and she ate them right up!" It took a few days for my blood pressure to return to normal.//
Clearly indoctrination is detrimental to good health!
I tend to agree with the first writer, that, "Religion, unfortunately, provides a useful cover and powerful motivator for the evil-hearted," and the second writer seems to make the same point. For me, if you removed religion evil people would just find another excuse to be evil. Still, at least there would be one fewer excuse.
What is the theme of the message of true Christians Witnesses? When Jesus gave his preaching commission, he did not instruct his followers to preach social or political reforms, union of Church and State, or any other secular ideology. Instead, he foretold: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations. (Matthew 24:14) Yes, in obedience to Jesus’ instructions, true Christians today continue to speak to their neighbors about God’s Kingdom—the only government capable of bringing an end to a wicked world and ushering in a righteous new world.
This is a short article about how you can be an arse of any flavour:
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