Reply #44: quote from Napoleon [View All]

I have some reservations about its authenticity but:

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."
- Napoleon Bonaparte
That seems to fit the vein of this thread.

As for actual quotes from the Bible, I like:
". . . let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more" - Proverbs 31:7
If I every open a microbrew I'm putting that on the bottles.


Personally, I think religion is beneficial to the extent that it binds a community, provides hope in hard times, and on some rare occasions it inspires the best in our natures. It is because of this that I'm reluctant to be cynical about it or paint it with a wide brush.

To the extent that faith and belief are powerful forces that can be harnessed for war, oppression, hate mongering, and promoting ignorance I say it is harmful. Like almost everything else in the realm of opinion, the net cost or benefit of religion depends on where you stand.