Religion Is Bad

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Saddam Hussein

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Religion Is Bad
« on: August 14, 2007, 01:46:47 PM »
At first, you would say, "No!  Religion has done a lot of good!"  But has it really?  If say, Mother Teresa had never heard of Jesus, would she have been not as generous?  Of course not.  Religion does not have a monopoly on good deeds, and I am tired of fundamentalists who say it does.  Think of the Salem Witch Trials.  Think of the homophobia, sexism, and racism inspired by religion.  Think of the terrible religious wars: the Crusades, the Israeli-Palestinian shenanigans, even the War in Iraq.  If there was no religion, people would still be good, and these horrible things would never have happened.

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divito the truthist

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2007, 01:47:44 PM »
You have it half correct.
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JackASCII

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2007, 02:22:17 PM »
Religion gets in the way of my relationship with God.
Yes, quite.  No one would ever claim to be someone they're not in their profile name.

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[][][]

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2007, 03:03:29 PM »
Wait, are you telling me homophobia, sexism, and racism would never have happened without religion? That is just plain stupid.
The folly of mistaking a paradox for a discovery, a metaphor for a proof, a torrent of verbiage for a spring of capital truths, and oneself for an oracle, is inborn in us. -Some Frenchy

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Saddam Hussein

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2007, 03:05:09 PM »
Of course not.  I am saying that religion promotes those things, and is almost entirely responsible for many wars and genocides.

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #5 on: August 14, 2007, 03:07:35 PM »
Of course not.  I am saying that religion promotes those things, and is almost entirely responsible for many wars and genocides.

I have no problem with any of the things you listed, least of all the Salem Witch Trials, which were committed by Protestants.
« Last Edit: August 14, 2007, 03:09:47 PM by The Bright Theist »
The folly of mistaking a paradox for a discovery, a metaphor for a proof, a torrent of verbiage for a spring of capital truths, and oneself for an oracle, is inborn in us. -Some Frenchy

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Roundy the Truthinessist

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #6 on: August 14, 2007, 03:11:01 PM »
Of course not.  I am saying that religion promotes those things, and is almost entirely responsible for many wars and genocides.

I have no problem with any of the things you listed, least of all the Salem Witch Trials, which were committed by Protestants.

What?
Where did you educate the biology, in toulet?

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Saddam Hussein

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #7 on: August 14, 2007, 03:12:55 PM »
Irony, Roundy.  Irony.

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2007, 03:13:10 PM »
Of course not.  I am saying that religion promotes those things, and is almost entirely responsible for many wars and genocides.

I have no problem with any of the things you listed, least of all the Salem Witch Trials, which were committed by Protestants.

What?

Well, I think the War in Iraq is a waste, but I think it has more to do with politics than religion. I have read many books about the battles and seiges of the Crusades, and I think it was a glorious and exciting time in our history. Think of the adventure, traveling to new and exotic lands to fight heathens and conquer cities. The leaders of the Crusade (preached by the Pope, yes) were, for the most part, young landless nobles. They went to the East to become kings and counts. Like Baldwin I, King of Jeruselem, or Tancred prince of Antioch. I don't think their main motivation was religion.
« Last Edit: August 14, 2007, 03:25:00 PM by The Bright Theist »
The folly of mistaking a paradox for a discovery, a metaphor for a proof, a torrent of verbiage for a spring of capital truths, and oneself for an oracle, is inborn in us. -Some Frenchy

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Roundy the Truthinessist

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #9 on: August 14, 2007, 03:15:37 PM »
Irony, Roundy.  Irony.

Sorry, but with this guy I can never be sure.
Where did you educate the biology, in toulet?

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Saddam Hussein

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #10 on: August 14, 2007, 03:16:16 PM »
Lawl.

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Midnight

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #11 on: August 14, 2007, 04:22:47 PM »
LOL
My problem with his ideas is that it is a ridiculous thing.

Genius. PURE, undiluted genius.

Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #12 on: August 14, 2007, 04:45:32 PM »
A good Quote, i think it wasd richard dawkins "Without religion there would be good people doing good things and bad people doing bad things, but for a good person to do a bad thing, it takes religion."
Hmmm, I'd Like to know More.

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skeptical scientist

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #13 on: August 14, 2007, 05:16:31 PM »
It wasn't. It was the physicist Steven Weinberg. (Wikiquote)
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Roundy the Truthinessist

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #14 on: August 14, 2007, 05:18:17 PM »
It just sounded like something Richard Dawkins would say because he's such an arrogant windbag.
Where did you educate the biology, in toulet?

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skeptical scientist

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #15 on: August 14, 2007, 05:20:26 PM »
He may be an arrogant windbag, but he's right.
-David
E pur si muove!

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Chris Spaghetti

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #16 on: August 15, 2007, 01:14:31 AM »
I agree partly, but religion is ued more as an excuse to go to war/do nasty stuff than a legitimate reason, these things would still have happened, just under a different banner. Various charities like Christian Aid/Islamic Aid/ Samaritans etc may have been able to form without religion, but it is faith which gave those people a beacon to flock to and to get together and do something

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socrates

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #17 on: August 15, 2007, 04:31:53 PM »
Quote from: David Lee Roth
If there was a God, Elvis would be alive and all the imposters would be dead.
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The only thing this thread proves to me (which is all I care about in my day), is that none of you will ever really prove anything to anyone, but yourselves.  ::)

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eagle_PWNS_U

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #18 on: August 18, 2007, 03:56:57 PM »
At first, you would say, "No!  Religion has done a lot of good!"  But has it really?  If say, Mother Teresa had never heard of Jesus, would she have been not as generous?  Of course not.  Religion does not have a monopoly on good deeds, and I am tired of fundamentalists who say it does.  Think of the Salem Witch Trials.  Think of the homophobia, sexism, and racism inspired by religion.  Think of the terrible religious wars: the Crusades, the Israeli-Palestinian shenanigans, even the War in Iraq.  If there was no religion, people would still be good, and these horrible things would never have happened.
i dont agree with u

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General Douchebag

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #19 on: August 18, 2007, 04:07:27 PM »
Religion isn't bad. People are bad. Never does it say "Love thy neighbour, unless they're gay, black or a woman. Burn them." In fact, I defy you to name a religion that actively discriminates like that. You can't use quotes, because gods don't write books, people do. Use rules.
No but I'm guess your what? 90? Cause you just so darn mature </sarcasm>

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divito the truthist

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #20 on: August 18, 2007, 04:23:27 PM »
Religion isn't bad. People are bad. Never does it say "Love thy neighbour, unless they're gay, black or a woman. Burn them." In fact, I defy you to name a religion that actively discriminates like that. You can't use quotes, because gods don't write books, people do. Use rules.

A religion that actively discriminates? Christianity.

Please people aren't bad. Refer to the 'An Ethics Question' thread for clarification.
Our existentialist, relativist, nihilist, determinist, fascist, eugenicist moderator hath returned.
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General Douchebag

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #21 on: August 18, 2007, 04:27:04 PM »
Name a rule that discriminates. Also, you are right. Powerful people are bad. Why do we elect them?
No but I'm guess your what? 90? Cause you just so darn mature </sarcasm>

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divito the truthist

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #22 on: August 18, 2007, 04:30:12 PM »
Name a rule that discriminates. Also, you are right. Powerful people are bad. Why do we elect them?

A rule? Christianity belief comes from the bible. Go ask a priest about homosexuals.

No one is bad. It's subjective, therefore not fact.
Our existentialist, relativist, nihilist, determinist, fascist, eugenicist moderator hath returned.
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General Douchebag

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #23 on: August 18, 2007, 05:28:49 PM »
If everything depends upon your beliefs on the matter, what is fact?
No but I'm guess your what? 90? Cause you just so darn mature </sarcasm>

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Midnight

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #24 on: August 18, 2007, 07:59:17 PM »
Name a rule that discriminates. Also, you are right. Powerful people are bad. Why do we elect them?

You lack perspective, as usual.

My problem with his ideas is that it is a ridiculous thing.

Genius. PURE, undiluted genius.

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skeptical scientist

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #25 on: August 19, 2007, 02:25:28 AM »
Religion isn't bad. People are bad. Never does it say "Love thy neighbour, unless they're gay, black or a woman. Burn them." In fact, I defy you to name a religion that actively discriminates like that. You can't use quotes, because gods don't write books, people do. Use rules.

A religion that actively discriminates? Christianity.

Please people aren't bad. Refer to the 'An Ethics Question' thread for clarification.
Christianity actively discriminates against gays, Wiccans, women and until recently, Jews. Gays are committing what the Bible calls a sin, and are thus thought of by many Christians as sexual deviants, and sometimes as little better than rapists. Many Christians believe, because of their Christianity, that HIV is a punishment by god for homosexuality. Christianity also calls Wiccans "witches" and witchcraft is punishable by death according to the Bible. Many Christian sects accord women different rights than men, and the Bible teaches the wife to submit to the husband, that women on their periods are ritually unclean, and includes many other sexist claims and proscriptions. Finally, the Catholic church, until recently, blamed Jews for the death of Christ. There is a long history of beliefs that Jews sacrifice Christian babies, drink the blood of Christians, etc. etc.

Islam is even worse than Christianity. Not only does Islam include all of the same sexist teachings as Christianity and then some, all of the same anti-homosexual teachings and then some, and different but equally vicious anti-semitic teachings, it also places a death sentence on every single ex-Muslim. If you have the bad luck to be born to Muslim parents, and then realize once you are old enough to think for yourself that Islam is a load of crap, you should be put to death according to Islamic law, which is the law of the land in much of the Middle East.

And you're right. God doesn't descriminate, because he doesn't exist. But religions do descriminate - the fact that the religion was invented over the course of centuries by people doesn't make the religion they invented any less descriminatory.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2007, 02:27:22 AM by skeptical scientist »
-David
E pur si muove!

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Midnight

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #26 on: August 19, 2007, 02:31:25 AM »
Christianity actively discriminates against gays, Wiccans, women and until recently, Jews. Gays are committing what the Bible calls a sin, and are thus thought of by many Christians as sexual deviants, and sometimes as little better than rapists. Many Christians believe, because of their Christianity, that HIV is a punishment by god for homosexuality. Christianity also calls Wiccans "witches" and witchcraft is punishable by death according to the Bible. Many Christian sects accord women different rights than men, and the Bible teaches the wife to submit to the husband, that women on their periods are ritually unclean, and includes many other sexist claims and proscriptions. Finally, the Catholic church, until recently, blamed Jews for the death of Christ. There is a long history of beliefs that Jews sacrifice Christian babies, drink the blood of Christians, etc. etc.

I concur, and you actually only skimmed over some of those. There are repeated cases in history of Christianity used as a weapon, by way OF discrimination. In the modern age, we have media-sanctioned "character assassination". Instead of a rack, we have "God Hates Faggots". To argue that this is a small portion of the Christian community is nothing more than self-serving rhetoric to pass off the stain of history to 'anyone but me and mine'. Christianity is an atomic bomb.

Islam is even worse than Christianity. Not only does Islam include all of the same sexist teachings as Christianity and then some, all of the same anti-homosexual teachings and then some, and different but equally vicious anti-semitic teachings, it also places a death sentence on every single ex-Muslim. If you have the bad luck to be born to Muslim parents, and then realize once you are old enough to think for yourself that Islam is a load of crap, you should be put to death according to Islamic law, which is the law of the land in much of the Middle East.

Quite correct, and in fact, is part of LAW in some Islamic-controlled governmental structures. Pakistan, for example. It is considered a capital offense in Pakistan for a citizen to revert from Islam to ANYTHING. They have people in prison awaiting exection as I type this for converting to ANY faith other than Islam. The ironic thing is, the governmental body that controls the Pakistani nation is not Islamic based, as it is controlled nearly entirely by the army, which is Zionist Christianity, but they converted that umbrella sentiment to that.

Nice post, Skep.  ;)
My problem with his ideas is that it is a ridiculous thing.

Genius. PURE, undiluted genius.

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CandylandDominatrix

Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #27 on: August 19, 2007, 03:32:50 AM »
Religion is, in my opinion, a means to an end. It gets me what I want, through channels I can shorten as I see fit. I think that people, for the most part, are selfish, animal-like fiends, who divine their supposed 'rights' by preying on the inferior intellects of their peers, in order to attain gratification. I think religion is simply a tool of the sadistic, the perverse, and the insane.

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General Douchebag

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #28 on: August 19, 2007, 06:37:24 AM »
Exactly, religion is used to discriminate, a reason to. "God hates faggots" was invented by a wild cult family, who butchered Christianity for their own twisted gain, in the same way as, perhaps the Al-Qaeda, the Talliban, or The Army of Islam did with Islam. While both are terrible examples of what I mean, they can easily be twisted further. "God Hates Faggots" was actually used to hate America, for it's acceptance of homosexuality. This same family raids churches during the funerals of soldiers that died in Iraq, and burn flags, chanting "God hates America!".
No but I'm guess your what? 90? Cause you just so darn mature </sarcasm>

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Midnight

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Re: Religion Is Bad
« Reply #29 on: August 19, 2007, 07:57:31 PM »
Exactly, religion is used to discriminate, a reason to. "God hates faggots" was invented by a wild cult family, who butchered Christianity for their own twisted gain, in the same way as, perhaps the Al-Qaeda, the Talliban, or The Army of Islam did with Islam. While both are terrible examples of what I mean, they can easily be twisted further. "God Hates Faggots" was actually used to hate America, for it's acceptance of homosexuality. This same family raids churches during the funerals of soldiers that died in Iraq, and burn flags, chanting "God hates America!".

And yet you pointedly left out the fact that this "demented cult family" is funded and supported by one of the largest religious "cult corporations" known to modern civilization.

What does this mean? It means your argument is not a rebuttal, but a reach, at best. *kiss*
My problem with his ideas is that it is a ridiculous thing.

Genius. PURE, undiluted genius.