Would The World Be Better Off Without Religion?

[muhammad_isa]

..religion has been a cause of many wars.

Is it religion, or people's intolerance of others?

My religion teaches me to fight those who fight me..
..and not to start aggression.
Of course, human nature being as it is, we don't always follow that.
..so not religion, but human weakness.

 

[EricPH]

And religion has been a cause of many wars.

When people disobey religion, then we have wars. We are commanded to love all our neighbours as we love ourselves. We are commanded to love and pray for our enemies.

Leaders have always known how to manipulate the masses.

Hermann Goering, Germany Reborn
“Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship.

Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”
― Hermann Goering, Germany Reborn

 

[Aupmanyav]

My religion teaches me to fight those who fight me..
..and not to start aggression.

Yeah, we all know that your religion is a religion of peace. But to fight is a human weakness. So, the advice not to fight is infructious, has no effect, useless, might have been avoided as well. Why do religions claim to be peaceful? Religions cannot change humans, then, what are they created for? Personal benefits or because of narcissism, schizophrenia, megalomania?
And why does God sends people advising peace when he himself created humans with a weakness,

Same answer for post by @EricPH.

 

[Modesty]

Why do religions claim to be peaceful?

To be fair not all religions claim to be peaceful.

 

[Aupmanyav]

To be fair not all religions claim to be peaceful.

I like that. IMHO, they are more honest. I associate fake advocacy of peace with dishonesty.

 

[muhammad_isa]

..the advice not to fight is infructious, has no effect, useless..

It's not useless..
If fasting hadn't been prescribed in Ramadan, the world would not be here, today..

Religions cannot change humans, then..

Your observations are flawed..
People actually DO change, through religion .. and more often for the better.

..why does God sends people advising peace when he himself created humans with a weakness,.

Why are you asking me? Have you no brain of your own?

 

[Aupmanyav]

It's not useless.. If fasting hadn't been prescribed in Ramadan, the world would not be here, today..
Your observations are flawed.. People actually DO change, through religion .. and more often for the better.
Why are you asking me? Have you no brain of your own?

Now, how is that?
I have not seen that in Christians, Muslims and Hindus. Most remain what they are, some even deteriorate.
Some religious claim that. Alhamdulillah, Hinduism has had no messengers, that is why I am asking.

 

[muhammad_isa]

I have not seen that in Christians, Muslims and Hindus. Most remain what they are..

"what they are"?

..and what's that?

 

[talib-al-kalim]

Nick,

You are absolutely right that people have done horrible things in the name of God. I wish it wasn’t true. That doesn’t tell me that religion is wrong but that humans are sinful. If I try to play Mozart’s Jupiter on the piano by reading sheet music you will quickly learn that I have no musical ability whatsoever. Now there is nothing wrong with the sheet music what is wrong is the person trying to play it. In the same way God and the Bible are not wrong but we as sinful humans get it wrong sometimes.

Good comparison. To stay in the image, some people just sample one bar and dub it eternally, saying, this is Mozart's Jupiter Symphony.

That doesn’t take away from the fact that Christianity makes sense of who we are in the world. All of us need a framework in which to understand reality. Christianity also gives life a sense of purpose. While I’m sure you could argue you find these in other things. There is still the unquie truth claim found in Christianity.

Those unique truth claims are dangerous. Those who really believe that may do harm to others, saying, it's for his or her benefit that I force them. To those who have other goals, it's a good excuse to suppress people of different faith.

Jesus could only have been one of four things: a legend, a liar, a lunatic--or Lord and God.

He could also have been Prophet, Messenger, the bearer of God's Word, the Messiah - the high esteem understandings of his role in Islam.
He could also have been a real Man convinced of his mission although there is no God - a possible interpretation of an atheist that would also exclude liar and legend.

There is so much historical and archeological evidence to support his existence that every reputable historian agrees he was not just a legend.

Well, not every historian. There's enough evidence that I believe that he existed; it's your label that historians who doubt it cannot be reputable.

If Jesus were a liar, why would he die for his claim, when he could easily have avoided such a cruel death with a few choice words? And, if he were a lunatic, how did he engage in intelligent debates with his opponents or handle the stress of his betrayal and crucifixion while continuing to show a deep love for his antagonists?

He wasn't.

Christ said he was Lord and God. The evidence supports that claim.

There's much evidence that he didn't claim that. In the Gospel according to John, you will find verses that would support it and verses that exclude it.

 

[Aupmanyav]

"what they are"?
..and what's that?

They are like other people, some good, some bad, some garrulous, some peaceful, some intelligent, some fools. Religion does not make any difference.

He could also have been Prophet, Messenger, the bearer of God's Word, ..

No evidence for God. That makes the prophets/sons/messengers/manifestations/mahdis a s false and a scandle. First give evidence of God.

 

[muhammad_isa]

..Religion does not make any difference.

I beg to differ.
A person's way of life is affected by their beliefs .. religious or otherwise.