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I am an atheist. I've been an atheist for essentially my entire adult life. I would like to think that I am an objective person. In fact, I think that is one of the qualities helpful, if not required, to be an atheist. One of the last quandaries I have been wrestling with concerning organized religion is On the global scale, is religion more damaging than it is beneficial? I have tried to examine this question objectively.
I think looking at selected areas, and even at the individual level, religion can be more beneficial than it is damaging, but I've decided that overall, religion does more harm than good. I think that almost all religions ultimately are more harmful than they are helpful, just to different degrees.
I look at a young couple who love each other but decide their relationship cannot withstand their religious differences. Normal behavior, wants, even manners of dress are often restricted or forbidden, based on religious beliefs. There are many places where women have almost no human rights and are even forced to be subservient, all because of some religious practices. There is of course huge examples where religion does mass harm, such as 9/11.
Many people feel an inner calm and other positive feelings that they attribute to their religious beliefs. Objectively speaking, I don't think these things overcome the downside of religion. Point is; I have concluded that religion does more harm than good, and in a sense put the final nail in the coffin concerning my negative opinion of organized religion.
I am an atheist. I've been an atheist for essentially my entire adult life. I would like to think that I am an objective person. In fact, I think that is one of the qualities helpful, if not required, to be an atheist. One of the last quandaries I have been wrestling with concerning organized religion is On the global scale, is religion more damaging than it is beneficial? I have tried to examine this question objectively.
I think looking at selected areas, and even at the individual level, religion can be more beneficial than it is damaging, but I've decided that overall, religion does more harm than good. I think that almost all religions ultimately are more harmful than they are helpful, just to different degrees.
I look at a young couple who love each other but decide their relationship cannot withstand their religious differences. Normal behavior, wants, even manners of dress are often restricted or forbidden, based on religious beliefs. There are many places where women have almost no human rights and are even forced to be subservient, all because of some religious practices. There is of course huge examples where religion does mass harm, such as 9/11.
Many people feel an inner calm and other positive feelings that they attribute to their religious beliefs. Objectively speaking, I don't think these things overcome the downside of religion. Point is; I have concluded that religion does more harm than good, and in a sense put the final nail in the coffin concerning my negative opinion of organized religion.
I tend to agree, with the far eastern religions being the exception. I would be more than happy living in a world full of Buddhists or Taoists.
Last edited by mikebnllnb; 12-02-2012 at 09:50 AM..
You need to distingish between religion as a personal theological/spiritual experience, and religion as a tool used by the powerful to control their subjects or the majority to subjugate others.
Religion can be harmful, if it is a fixed set of tenets and precepts, which includes some people and exclude others. But that exclusion can be equally harmful if it is racism or nationalism or linguism (I made that word up) or any other class distinction, without a theological pageantry being an element in the orthodoxy.
I can't agree with the premise that 'most religions are harmful' mainly because with such a diversity of religions in the world, you need to present more information on technically how religion, a very broad concept, can be universally destructive.
Now, if you were to qualify religions in some way, state some characteristic common to all religions that can be called destructive, I will go along. I already consider for example, universal religions, that is those that claim to be the one true religion offering an exclusive path to goodness and salvation and all others being a form of Satanic depravity, to be destructive, but that is certainly not a feature of all religions or even the vast majority of them.
I can't agree with the premise that 'most religions are harmful' mainly because with such a diversity of religions in the world, you need to present more information on technically how religion, a very broad concept, can be universally destructive.
Now, if you were to qualify religions in some way, state some characteristic common to all religions that can be called destructive, I will go along. I already consider for example, universal religions, that is those that claim to be the one true religion offering an exclusive path to goodness and salvation and all others being a form of Satanic depravity, to be destructive, but that is certainly not a feature of all religions or even the vast majority of them.
I think all mainstream religions are more harmful than the are beneficial, although I am not that familiar with Buddhism. I think the closest ones to be kind of "neutral" in this regard is the protestant religion. I think it too ultimately does more harm than good in that it is divisive.
I think all mainstream religions are more harmful than the are beneficial, although I am not that familiar with Buddhism. I think the closest ones to be kind of "neutral" in this regard is the protestant religion. I think it too ultimately does more harm than good in that it is divisive.
Buddhism is such a major religion that after reading this, I wonder how deeply you have looked at religion and if you really haven't, you aren't so much in a position to try to make a conclusion that overall, religion is harmful. Have you only looked at the Protestant religion? Is that perhaps the belief system that you grew up with? Do you have any idea how many established religions there are? Also, in your original post, you are confusing some elements of culture with the religion of the people and that can be confusing but is well worth sorting out if your intention is too make judgments about these people. Ultimately, religion does not do more harm than good. For instance, in practicing the Ten Commandments alone, that spares a lot of people a lot of sorrow that they might otherwise have to undergo and the religious beliefs have been a basis for many of the laws across the world that do benefit the people not to mention the peace that religion gives many. I can't imagine the emptiness that I would feel without God in my life. Buddhism is a beautiful and peaceful sort of religion. Not all religion the way it is used and/or misused is good as it is just like anything else.
I think all mainstream religions are more harmful than the are beneficial, although I am not that familiar with Buddhism. I think the closest ones to be kind of "neutral" in this regard is the protestant religion. I think it too ultimately does more harm than good in that it is divisive.
As an aside how is religion any more harmful that the actions of a secular/atheistic State? It could be well argued that Stalin and Pol Pot and the Japanese in the 1930s caused more suffering and death than all of the religious wars of the last 5000 years.
One could argue from your logic that people in general are more harmful than good. Religion in your scenerio is nothing more than a label. Your ignorance of buddhism is telling. I think you need to step away from the Party Line of atheism and learn to become objective and think for yourself.
As an aside how is religion any more harmful that the actions of a secular/atheistic State? It could be well argued that Stalin and Pol Pot and the Japanese in the 1930s caused more suffering and death than all of the religious wars of the last 5000 years.
One could argue from your logic that people in general are more harmful than good. Religion in your scenerio is nothing more than a label. Your ignorance of buddhism is telling. I think you need to step away from the Party Line of atheism and learn to become objective and think for yourself.
Stalin and Pol Pot may have caused suffering, but it was not their atheism that motivated them, and religion in all likelihood would not have stopped them. On the other hand, religion was the direct cause of 9/11. It is the direct cause of countless acts of bigotry and prejudice, including acts and laws aimed at gays and women. Catholic mandates, some decreed by the Pope himself, have kept condoms out of Aids-ravaged countries. Sinners are still stoned in some parts of the world. In this country there are still places where evolution is dismissed because it goes counter to Biblical teachings. A recent poll showed that only 40% of Americans believe in the Theory of Evolution but 46% believe in Creationism. That's an example of profound ignorance due directly to religious teachings. And I haven't even touched on how religion divides societies in countries around the world.
On the other hand, religion does very little that couldn't be done without it. Some of the most peaceful societies in the world are predominately atheistic, including the Scandinavia countries. .
The commandments include "thou shall have no other gods before me" and "remember the sabath to keep it holy". Somehow these two commandments do not seem to be all that relevant or helpful. They do remind us that Jehova is a jealous god and demands endless worship.
For instance, in practicing the Ten Commandments alone, that spares a lot of people a lot of sorrow that they might otherwise have to undergo and the religious beliefs have been a basis for many of the laws across the world that do benefit the people not to mention the peace that religion gives many. I can't imagine the emptiness that I would feel without God in my life. Buddhism is a beautiful and peaceful sort of religion. Not all religion the way it is used and/or misused is good as it is just like anything else.
I agree. I think on the whole religion is at least neutral, not harmful. That isn't to say some forms of religion aren't destructive, but I believe its overwhelsmed by the majority of human experience.
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