@cystic:
Men’s evil and tendency to violence is clearly the cause of many specific acts of war and blah blah blah. Religion may be the battle-cry, but so is “king and country”, patriotism, money/diamonds, power, hatred, revenge, righteousness (the allies in WW II committed war, violence, bloodshed and terror) and violence itself.
@Janus:
The religious fanatics, who instead of going to war with others, try to force others to follow their beliefs, through political means, and that applies sometimes to atheists as well (namely, the morons trying to ban the pledge of allegiance because the word “god” is in it). Again, these people are part of the minority. But religion, above all other things, is something which inspires great emotion in people, be it good or bad. Be it hope, anger, happiness, whatever. I think for individual people, religion is often one of the best parts of their lives, or at least a great thing for them to have in it. But when you look at people as a group, religion more often than not is a bringer of problems and conflict.
I fear the fanatics of “economic laws are natural laws” much more, with “profit”, “efficiency”, “profit” and “shareholder value” as battle cries. There power and money (and fear of being punished by their fellows) inspires a whole lot of things, mostly bad.
And, why do you accept the “group” notion, action and responsibility here, in contrast to the “guilty of being white?” thread? There all is a question of individuals. here it isn’t. Please explain how you can judge “guilt by religion” for groups and “guilt by society” by indivuals only?
@CC:
I would suggest that people’s reasonability and lack thereof, brings problems and conflict. …
- they are unreasonable, quick to violence, or have some other character flaw
- their religion commands it. Jews and Christians, i am quite certain, have no commands to commit violence on other people (the opposite, in fact). The same, i believe, is true of Hindus and Buddists
- a religious figure takes advantage of people’s ignorance, devotion and/or ability/willingness to commit violence.
Don’t forget that Islam also preaches peacefulness, IMO as much as Judaism. Buddhists surely are more peaceful, as they don’t have “eye for an eye” (like Jews) nor “spread the word” like Christianity or Islam.
For the first, you forgot one thing that is the only thing which i could accept against religions:
If you start from some assumptions (no matter wether they are "right or “wrong”), and firmly believe in them, so firmly that you cannot doubt them,
then you may the totally reasonable (in your frame then), and still commit acts that others (who don’t believe those assumptions) would see as violent, criminal, unreasonable.