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No. Religion is the root of all evil. As Blaise Pascal put it: "Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction."
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Originally Posted by Wendell Phillips
No. Religion is the root of all evil. As Blaise Pascal put it: "Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction."
Actually, it's the basebrain, reptilian distaste for anything that they find distastefully different that is the problem, and people rationalize, excuse, or justify it with the most convenient authoritative sounding source they know. Yes, it can be religion, but it can also be national security, justice for the poor and oppressed, or even science (Fascism or fascist-like beliefs often draw from Darwinian evolution as a reason to dismiss or even abuse the weak, the poor, the timid, the 'stupid', the eccentric/weird, or anything else distastefully different). It happened during the French Revolution during Committee of Public Safety's Reign of Terror 1793-94. It happened during Nazi Germany. It happened during the Russian Revolution and Stalin's time especially. Religion was definitely not the primary basis for their oppressions.
Even today, people use Darwinian Evolution to rationalize their contempt for the weak, poor, stupid, timid, or other kind of distastefully different people (i.e."the laws of nature", it's a dog eat dog world). So did the US government during the McCarthyism of the 1950s (using national security to throw unjust innuendos against certain people). Don't even bring up our human rights abuses at Abu Ghirab about 10 years ago.
People will use ANY idea they can to rationalize, excuse, or justify their oppression and abuse of others - whether it's religion, national security, economic theory, even scientific theory. No, the real problem is that people have too much faith in the basebrain reptilian side of their brain - the side the generates feelings of loathing toward those we think are somehow distasteful, not good enough, or whatever. Until we get rid of that (don't hold your breath), people will forever be abusing others - with or without religion.
Because of racism, the "inferior" races of the world were largely subject to exploitation, humiliation and/or even enslavement by the "superior" and "civilized" Western nations of the world.
I think that racism is due for a resurgence. Look at Trevon, Ferguson, Obama, Holder, all reasons to reconsider the "everyone is equal" idea.
no the new evil is------ i made a bad choice i was a troubled youth and i made a mistake and i might have over reacted or how about i came from a history of poverty and exploitation and was underpriviliged.
No, not at all. Racism is one of many human evils, along with greed, cruelty, fanaticism, etc. Racism can be overcome or never inculcated in many individuals, but I doubt it will ever be expunged from human culture.
Even if there were no color difference between humans, there would still be another, different "ism" that would separate us whether it depended on class, country, wealth or lack of it, height, weight, speech etc. etc. etc. Jealousy, greed and coveting will never go away.
I agree with those who said selfishness is the root of all evil.
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