bad religion threatens the whole world

of course, there is nothing wrong with good religion. of course, good religion is what is good about the whole human race. religions that promote charity, kindness, tolerance, enlightenment, compassion,
peace, and benevolence live right alongside other, less desirable religions. bad religions. those that promote terror, division, separation, invasion, oppression, totalitarianism, ethnic cleansing and genocide. religion, like human nature, has it's light and dark sides.

there are literally thousands of religions, and new ones forming every day. i'm sure 99% of them are built on all that is good in us.
but the crazy ass one per-centers of any particular sect, are the ones who screw it up for all religious people of good will. our own american type of zealot freako can be seen in timmy mcveigh, eric rudolph, and the guys who assassinate doctors at women's clinics.

one couldn't compile a list of the atrocities committed in the name of god, or gods, in all of human history, but i'll just bet you, that bad religion is most likely the number one common factor in most wars, clashes of cultures, invasions, mass slaughters, inquisitions, ordinary murders, sacrifices, retributions, oppressions and extinctions. i can't really back it up, just a suspicion.

i have no quarrel with most religions, and i fully support the freedom of religion we enjoy here. i only have problems with the zealots and fanatics, some of which are in my immediate family, shading my opinions. the crazies are the ones who give all religions a black eye. so often we hear of murderers who got their orders from god, or his counterpart, satan. so often we've read historical accounts of millions murdered, tortured, and oppressed in the name of a god or religiously driven hatred. israel, palestine, what a long history those two factions have in common. croation catholics slaughtering each other for centuries. irish protestants and catholics for centuries. hindus versus muslims. muslims versus christians. pro gay episcopalians versus anti gay episcopalians.

if we do not keep it in check, bad religion could destroy us all.
this could be the century in which the good religions of the world try to entrench and rein in the more fanatic among them. i pray.

if we do not keep it in check, bad religion could destroy us all.


...and they seemed so nice the last time I saw them. They even played "21st Century Digital Boy" for an encore.

:evilgrin:

Great Evil DUing minds think alike.

:evilgrin:

(Song's stuck in my head now. Thanks!)

If people would keep religious beliefs for their own private solace
and comfort and moral guidance, all of us will benefit.Faith is compassion in action.Everything else is hokum.

Good to see your post, MoPaul.Thanks.

for salvation or whatever personal path you believe religion is for. When it moves from personal growth to a governing philosophy is when it becomes dangerous.

I heard that on a Discovery Channel Islam documentary, makes sense to me across the board.

These separate religions worked back in the days before people realized the Earth wasn't flat and they were the only ones living. Humanity was easier contain.

Whoever wrote the major religions all seemed to have the same MO - and the same downfalls, most of which are attributed to the needless slaughter of tens of thousands, likely much more...

Which makes me wonder if humanity originally centered itself around one religion, but as humanity spread out the stories were embellished and changed to become the several religions people around the world blindly believe in. It explains a great deal.

a bizarre side effect of growing a large brain. a notion that there is some outside, other supreme entity. why do some people have a very definite religious 'drive', while others never experience it?
i don't have the answers. i have just always wondered how religion can motivate a person, or a whole culture of persons to torture and murder people who do not share your belief system. how does it drive one to kill?

situations where land or resources are scare, i.e. "Our God is better than your God and our God said we could have your stuff and since our God can beat up your God then we're gonna kill you and take your stuff."

Destroying the word is their main objective.

Of course, they fail to see the sickness inherent in having to destroy a planet just so you can be right and have the last word.

I read a really funny essay once about the rapture in which the author went on at length about how it might not be such a bad thing... just imagine a world devoid of the Anita Bryants and the Pat Robertsons, etc.

But they should not take all the blame, there are a lot of people that are just evil. These jerks will always find some kind of “higher principle” to clothe their naked evil in. Be it Religion, Nationalism, Racism or Sexism. Maybe if we got ride of some of the Bad Religions it would help, but we also need stop making more jerks.