Re: Religious Crimes
Originally posted by Lord Urizen
Spanish InquisitionSalem Witch Trials
Crusades
Near Genocide of Native Americans, Irish, and many Arab people
Pedophile Acts against Young Boys
Destruction of Twin Towers
Historical Executions of those who did not follow a Nation's religious laws
[B]Question:
Does Religion actually WORK ? Isn't one of the major goals of religion to promote Unity? What are your thoughts..... [/B]
Yes religion works, and one of its goal's is to promote unity, but people misinterpreting it's mission is what causes atrocities in the name of a deity.
Spanish Inquisition: Xenophobia of Jews. The Catholic Church perceived them as a threat to their hold on Catholic Europe and The Spanish Empire saw their odd/different practices as a threat as well.
Salem Witch Trials: Extreme fear of Satan. It was also a convenient way to get rid of someone you didn't like. All you had to say is "I think Sally is a witch." and her life was pretty much over.
Crusades: Desire of spreading religion coupled with greedy monarchs.
Near Genocide of Native Americans, Irish, and many Arab people: The various White people who conquered the Americas (English, Spanish, French, Portuguese) came to make their Kings and Queens even more wealthy by acquiring gold, silver, and land. The also made it a mission to convert as many Natives as possible, and if they refused; they suffered a horrible death.
Don't forget about the White man's invisible ally: disease. Viruses alone wiped out over a third of the Aztec Empire, the largest such Empire in North American history.
I'm not too knowledgeable about the near-genocide of Arabs and Irish people.
Pedophile Acts against Young Boys: Perverts who only become priest for that reason. They know that line of work will give them direct access to young impressionable boys.
Destruction of Twin Towers: Attack on an ideology, while using religion as a blanket.
Historical Executions of those who did not follow a Nation's religious laws:Again, fear/hatred.
Quiero Mota, GOOD JOB !!!!!
I like how you addressed each one of those points.
However, if the goal of religion is to promote Unity than why has it taken thousands of years for a SLICE of global unity to be achieved?
Religious excuses are still some of today's reasons of why bigots and hateful/fearful people alike still cause massive disunity.
Maybe I am looking at it from a bad way: Maybe my idea of religion is that, "It's supposed to be a cure" or something.
Not that I beleive religion to be a cure for anything, but i think many religious people beleive that if everyone followed THIER FAITH that the world would be a much happier place...
And that ILLUSION promotes further disunity, because it promotes the slow ENFORCEMENT of conformity.
I strongly beleive that the SOLUTION can only be true in the event where everyone LEARNS to accept each other's differences, instead of trying to make everyone think and be like US.....
Originally posted by Lord Urizen
However, if the goal of religion is to promote Unity than why has it taken thousands of years for a SLICE of global unity to be achieved?
Jonathan Mark, thanks that was helpful.
But not totally convincing..atleast not for me.
My main question is: IS RELIGION WORKING ?
Religion is being and has almost always been USED an an excuse for enacting violence or oppression on another person and/or groups of people.
There is no denying this.
You still can't deny the fact that Christianity has existed for about 2000 years, and the world is still in an unpeaceful over all disunified state.
Would you say that this is the fault of Humanity? Or Satan ?
The entire philosophy of religion confuses me in this aspect:
Which is stronger? God's will or Free Will ?
You know you can say the DEVIL tempts us, but why doesn't GOD tempt us ?
Why doesn't God promote HIS will through thoughts and feelings, instead of allowing Satan more influence on the Human race ?
Originally posted by Lord Urizen
Jonathan Mark, thanks that was helpful. But not totally convincing..at least not for me. My main question is: IS RELIGION WORKING ? Religion is being and has almost always been USED an an excuse for enacting violence or oppression on another person and/or groups of people.There is no denying this.
Personally I'm not one for organized Religion myself... I don't even go to Church due to bad personal experiences that I'd rather not get into. But mankind brings this garbage on themselves, it is human nature to exploit religious beliefs to their own ends (or any other form of belief system).
Originally posted by Lord Urizen
You still can't deny the fact that Christianity has existed for about 2000 years, and the world is still in an unpeaceful over all disunified state.
Originally posted by Lord Urizen
Would you say that this is the fault of Humanity? Or Satan? The entire philosophy of religion confuses me in this aspect: Which is stronger? God's will or Free Will? You know you can say the DEVIL tempts us, but why doesn't GOD tempt us? Why doesn't God promote HIS will through thoughts and feelings, instead of allowing Satan more influence on the Human race?
This is a very good question one I have asked myself many times. Yes believe me when I say that I have doubts.
First off the fault goes to humanity. The Devil can not force us to do anything, but you see he doesn't need to. God has given him power over this world to tempt us, not directly control us. We are all given the ability to make the right choice.
This is the most I can get into it since I'm not much a Bible Scholar; however, THIS man here (the same person who wrote that big long explanation on Organized Religion) I believe gives a very good answer to you're questions... or at least my idea on the subject.
Originally posted by Jonathan Mark
I didn't expect it convince you, but to give you an idea what the Church is about. Really it's a matter of balancing the Pros and the Cons.Personally I'm not one for organized Religion myself... I don't even go to Church due to bad personal experiences that I'd rather not get into. But mankind brings this garbage on themselves, it is human nature to exploit religious beliefs to their own ends (or any other form of belief system).
You also cannot deny the fact that Islam has been around for nearly as long... and the world is as you say "still in an unpeaceful over all disunified state," so do not blame all the world's troubles on Christianity. Also please do not think I am trying to wail against Islam, unlike most Christians I find it to be a valid belief. They worship the same God I do and follow most of the same ideals. Oh sure they have some matters of doctrine I do not agree with, but in the end those minor details don't really matter do they? Christians and Muslims alike are equally capable of committing horrendous acts and I would be wrong and horribly foolish to claim Christians are any better.
This is a very good question one I have asked myself many times. Yes believe me when I say that I have doubts.
First off the fault goes to humanity. The Devil can not force us to do anything, but you see he doesn't need to. God has given him power over this world to tempt us, not directly control us. We are all given the ability to make the right choice.
This is the most I can get into it since I'm not much a Bible Scholar; however, THIS man here (the same person who wrote that big long explanation on Organized Religion) I believe gives a very good answer to you're questions... or at least my idea on the subject.
No i totally beleive that HUMANITY itself is responsible for its OWN evil...i dont blame this evil on religion OR atheism alike.
People who are evil are going to DO bad things regardless of who says what.
Sociapaths LACK a morality despite what religion or any other association teaches them.
I will definately check out the DEVIL link...it looks interesting.
I just find it wierd that God would allow his philosophies, our religion, to be corrupted so badly by people in power.
How does he permit people to murder in HIS NAME ?
Not only should God be angered that people KILL each other in the first place, but he should ALSO be insulted at the fact that people USE his name as an excuse to commit these kind of crimes.
Re: Re: Religious Crimes
Originally posted by Quiero Mota
Yes religion works, and one of its goal's is to promote unity, but people misinterpreting it's mission is what causes atrocities in the name of a deity.[B]Spanish Inquisition
: Xenophobia of Jews. The Catholic Church perceived them as a threat to their hold on Catholic Europe and The Spanish Empire saw their odd/different practices as a threat as well.Salem Witch Trials: Extreme fear of Satan. It was also a convenient way to get rid of someone you didn't like. All you had to say is "I think Sally is a witch." and her life was pretty much over.
Crusades: Desire of spreading religion coupled with greedy monarchs.
Near Genocide of Native Americans, Irish, and many Arab people: The various White people who conquered the Americas (English, Spanish, French, Portuguese) came to make their Kings and Queens even more wealthy by acquiring gold, silver, and land. The also made it a mission to convert as many Natives as possible, and if they refused; they suffered a horrible death.
Don't forget about the White man's invisible ally: disease. Viruses alone wiped out over a third of the Aztec Empire, the largest such Empire in North American history.
I'm not too knowledgeable about the near-genocide of Arabs and Irish people.
Pedophile Acts against Young Boys: Perverts who only become priest for that reason. They know that line of work will give them direct access to young impressionable boys.
Destruction of Twin Towers: Attack on an ideology, while using religion as a blanket.
Historical Executions of those who did not follow a Nation's religious laws:Again, fear/hatred. [/B]
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Would you say that this is the fault of Humanity? Or Satan ?Actually just was reading a bit of history, and in the OT Satan was never really mentioned much, though at the time of the gospel of Mark, which was written from about 66 - 70 AD, the time of the Jewish wars, Satan was just a word for evil, and was used to describe the rebellious unbelieving Jews. The other gospels took from Mark and added more to the stories making Satan more a real person. The church then applied it to all unbelievers such as pagans........And this is how we got Satan today....