I know this is a sensitive topic so I ask that everyone respect everyone else's opinions and be respectful in your responses...in other words do not insult another perspective if you don't agree with it..simply state why without using offensive language. It's just that with this has consistently been a topic that is still frequently debated I wanted to know what everyone else here thinks. I mean surely all religion preaches that we should treat others the way we want to be treated and to love thy neighbour and bless thy enemies but - it also mentions an eye for an eye and there are historical crimes where people have claimed their religion beliefs/interpretations lead to how they treat others...even if it means harming another individual for what they deem as a means of worship. I mean there are atheist people out there as well...is this one of the reason?
Dont really think religion plays that much of a role in this. It is more like human's faulty nature at play here. Religion might be used as a scrape goat but deep down, its all about human nature.
Well, deep down, we all want to feel superior (and someone else baser) for one reason or another, be it ethnicity or any number of reason. If you are not part of this majority, you have my most sincere admiration. Add more later...
i do believe there is logic in this.. its more of the human nature. for example, only extremists will take it as far as fighting another belief. the extremists, no matter which ever religion they belong to, have an exaggerated interpretation of their beliefs. they believe that their own warped interpretation of their beliefs are correct, and "it is the ONLY way" (sound familiar?). you never see those who embrace all sorts of religions in fights do you? theyre all extremists who are in fights. and not only that, human nature actually AMPLIFIES the extremities. greed for power, greed for defense against what we want to believe, greed in saying that we are right. basically, greed. greed, the human nature, amplifies the extremist and exaggerated beliefs of those extremists. but looking at those who rid themselves of that human nature of greed, you never see THEM in fights, such as certain religious leaders of today: the Pope, the Dalai Lama, and others. just an fyi, deceased Pope Jean-Paul II was a good friend of the Dalai Lama. do you see them in fights? in fact, they discuss with each others in what they believe in. in fact, they EMBRACED each others teachings. this was said in one of the Dalai Lama's seminars. do you see? if the leaders arent fighting, it is the extremists who are fighting, the ones who refuse other teachings but their own.
On an individualistic tone, the source of violence comes an individual or a group of individuals frustrate with their method of convincing or explaining an ideology or concept to another party. of course, religion is a prime target for these types of debate -- since it is religion that teaches us to more humble and cautious with the ways we deal with other individuals. However, to blame religion for the source and root cause of violence. that is false and ill-directed. for example, when Taiwan’s political representative groups gather together for their legislative assembly. there are many incidences that one party is so angry and frustrated at another party that they literally jump out of their seat and madly dash, trying to violently "persuade" the other party to listen or agree. in history there are times when religion was used as an excuse – or as wind2000 puts it a “scrape-goat” for another reason to conquer and dominate a country or territory. That type of violence is also not associated foundationally with religion.
Well, how about that. It's not necessary religion that CAUSED those violence, but it is often religion leaders use to coerce his/her people and give them a blank card (in regards to morality and such) to do whatever. Without such handy excuse, violence will still happen, without doubt, but on a much smaller scale because people are less readily unified...
As an atheist, I mind my own business and do not care what religion others follow as long as they don't try to convert me. I will go a tiny bit crazy if they try too hard to convert me and tell me all the advantages. To answer the topic, I do not think religion creates more violence than it prevents. Religion is in itself a "good" thing. It's just that many things have changed over the years in the religions that may have caused some conflicts between religions. Basically, I agree with hiake and my explanations are probably not going to be as precise as hers.
this post is changed due to the clarification of the "groups" by apollon. my apologies for the psychotic assumptions on my part..
And also, the OP questions whether religion creates more violence than it prevents, so it is not overlooking the fact that religion DOES prevent violence under certain circumstances. Having said that, however, it is also true that religion DID amplify existing violence by creating a bigotry of people, "us" vs. "them", "the righteous" vs. "the wrong" or "the evil"... So I would say, quanitity wise, religion does not necessary promote violence (because not that many violence are base solely on religion) yet quality wise, religion make violence flourish into even bigger disaster on a more massive scale because it unites the believers as one single force...
I agree with Dann there.... I know Christians are supposed to believe that Christianity is the ONLY way. BUt does it take much self-restraint to not say those words to the rest of the non-believers? Because by saying that; you are just condemning others' faith. That their beliefs are fake. Keep that belief to yourself, that Christianity is the ONLY way and not say it out loud, unless a person asks your opinion on that particular issue.
@dann & BR: well said, I do not think I could have said it better (considering I wasn't able to contribute in the reincarnation thread due to my limited and probably incorrect knowledge in the subject) So excuse my absence there -^_^
As an atheist, I think religion is the only wrong way when followers begin to lose control over themselves.
lose control... can you uh... define that please? lol lose control as in go crazy temper-wise or lose control as in turning into extremists? lol
@MDD: That statement can totally be nominated as the "vaguest statement ever made in the Philosophy & Religion section on PA" However, assuming you are talking about what I think you are, here's my reply to that statement: Losing control gives the believers too much credit in their own action. It is more like "not considering the other end of the stick", when one push others' limits via violence, it ALWAYS end with bloodshed. And you know what? Religion is always pushing the limit, condemning and alienating the others, the "them". And when the line is drawn between "us" and "them", it's all fair game, if you are one of "them" and do not want violence inflicted upon you, stop your resistance against our righteousness... Otherwise we will pounce HARDER each time you resist... So yeah, at the end, it is still tightly under control. Thus I don't really comprehend where that sense of "losing control" comes from. @MDD (again): In fact, surprisingly, the extremists are NOT crazy people. They are absolutely NORMAL people who took their religion too far, just because we coin them extremists does not make them any less normal than us... They are just doing what they think is right, by any means necessary. Which to a certain extent, everyone does...
actually i was referring to religious groups. lol. but i can see how you resulted to your opinion. but, no i wasn't referring to specific you or BabyRain. was the "how about that" referring to me or some other post? but i do agree with hiake that the ideals of a religion can be alter and corruptly motivated for a corrupt leader's own aspiration and ambition. that is undenible, since history has proven it countless times.
