waitasec
Veteran Member
what is the #1 cause of war?
i would say this world would be in better shape without religion...
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Angry Atheist Has Her Say
- Thread starter Wotan
- Start date
what is the #1 cause of war?
i would say this world would be in better shape without religion...
Walkntune
Well-Known Member
Let me take a guess.Is it greed and the want to have power and control?
I think this would be in the nature of humans with or without religion.
Smoke
Done here.
Those are the causes of religious authority.
JustWondering
Jerk
Those are the causes of religious authority.
Those desires would still exist without religion. Religion is just a tool to manipulate people and justify ones actions.
Smoke
Done here.
Causes are antecedent to effects? I agree.
Religion is a lot more than that. But religious authority is perhaps even more easily corrupted than political authority.
JustWondering
Jerk
I don't think it depends on the type of authority someone derives their power and influence from that corrupts. It is the amount of power and influence that corrupts.
goodegg007
Gene
Well, most of you who have studied ancient history and human social development understand how religions evolved as theocracies, as forms of government to control tribal behavior. But even so, some VERY good moral principles have arisen from religious teachers, such as "Love God and ALL your neighbors (especially the ones you'd otherwise love to hate) as much as you love yourself." And, "Seek the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Oh, and that one that tells us what we SAY we believe means nothing, "For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he." It ain't what we SAY we believe, it is how we treat one another day in and day out the tells the world what we truly believe? I think these are good moral principles - for ALL people?? The world could be a little kinder if we all taught our children to love everyone - by not just our words, but by our examples?
Smoke
Done here.
If people believe in heaven, and you can convince them you hold the keys to the kingdom of heaven, you'll have a lot of power and influence over them.
JustWondering
Jerk
True, but a dictator that can have you and your family killed if you don't do what they say has a lot of power too. Power corrupts and there are many ways to gain power. Religion is definitely a favorite and easy tool to use for those seeking power.
Smoke
Done here.
But not as much. All those Christian martyrs went to their deaths rejoicing because they didn't give a damn about their earthly lives as compared to their eternal souls.
And if people didn't believe in afterlife, how many of them would have been willing to lay down the only lives they were ever going have in the service of political power?
Midnight Pete
Well-Known Member
I agree.
Wotan
Active Member
And perfectly understandable.
Now to get to the topic is that dodge an admission you have NO defense for the behavior cited?
Jeremiah
Well-Known Member
"Is it greed and the want to have power and control?"
Yes, I am sure the billions of people who have died in religious wars were motivated by making the few richer and more powerful. I am sure that is what got the average soldier to travel hundreds of miles, to kill people they never met before. Making the rich richer and the powerful more powerful, that is/was the motivation of the common person, not religion.
If you haven't notice war takes a gross magnitude of people, not just a handful of opportunist.
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Jeremiah
Well-Known Member
If God appeared before me I would say, while wagging my finger at Him, "Get off your lazy duff, God, and get to work. You created it now take some responsibility for the mess you made." Then I would give Him a very stern look, cross my arms, tap my foot and yell, "Today Mister!"
I can understand a lazy, apathetic god who does not exist, but not a supreme being that actually existed.
waitasec
Veteran Member
yes but what is the tool these greedy rulers use...?
see religion blurs the lines of war. if it were more focused we would have less of them.
remember what bush said about 9/11 he called them "radical islamists"and "radical muslims" and put a face on the attacks and implied it was a religion...that attacked us. he used words that had religious connotation using "crusade" and "evildoers" in a rally cry to stir up a nation of christians...
as wontan's signature puts it
"Religion is regarded by the common people as true by the wise as foolish and by the rulers as useful."
Walkntune
Well-Known Member
What good is what?Originally Posted by Walkntune
Let me take a guess.Is it greed and the want to have power and control?
I think this would be in the nature of humans with or without religion.
I agree."
Then what good is it?
waitasec
Veteran Member
Walkntune
Well-Known Member
It helps some surrender their desires of greed power and control which is the main cause of wars remember.religion...
