Is it Religion that is Evil????
By bird123
@bird123 (10643)
United States
February 19, 2010 9:22pm CST
I have heard many times that religion is the cause of lots and lots of problems in this world. They tell me most wars are caused because of religion. I hear terrorism is all religious based. I hear that religion wants to control you and rule the world. Is it religion that is evil?? Should we get rid of it??
Religion is no more than man's attempt to understand God. How can trying to understand God be bad?? Religion forms communities of people who join in their search for God. Can getting help in your search for God be bad?? How can searching for God and getting help in that search ever be considered bad or evil??
Like with everything in life, there is much more living under the surface of things. Religion isn't the real problem. People are!! People are controlling and judgemental. They like to be right, popular, and important. Everybody wants to rule the world. People love having power.
When you think about it, lots of this stuff would never come out if not for the fact that religion gives them the backing of God. Hey, if you are backed by the most powerful Being in the universe, you have the authority to do anything and will find a way to justify it in your own mind.
So then is religion an evil thing?? God is very very smart! The real answers run deep. Religion is the catalyst that brings all these people's problems to the surface where they can be dealt with. Sure,there is going to be drama and adversity around religion and beliefs but there is also growth, learning, and resolution. People always want easy and to avoid all conflicts, however, we should embrace interaction and share that which is special about ourselves. This is the mosaic that is mankind.
One last thing I must say about religion. The communities they form do have one advantage. When they do good works, the community gives a power to do good that becomes more than a single effort. Seems when more people are involved, more gets done. I have seen this in some of the latest disaster relief.
So tell me. Is religion evil??
4 people like this
9 responses
@magtibaygom (4858)
• Philippines
20 Feb 10
Religion is a belief on something, whether good or evil. So there are two kinds of religions: good and evil. Now, to know whether a certain religion or its followers are good or evil, simply see their teachings and works. :)
1 person likes this
@bird123 (10643)
• United States
20 Feb 10
Hmmm? Regardless of the teachings, aren't most living their version of the religion? Then whose definition of good and evil will you go by to determine what the religion is?? The follower will always claim good. Thanks for your interesting comments!!
1 person likes this
@magtibaygom (4858)
• Philippines
22 Feb 10
The evil forces of this world, realizing they cannot beat genuine Christian religion, infiltrated it. Just like the saying, "If you cannot beat them, join them!". They infiltrated Christianity, now masquerading as the true Christian religion, but in reality, they are not. The mixed Pagan beliefs with Christian beliefs. Then, they aimed to destroy other religions to advance their global aims. They first launched Crusades, recruiting criminals in Europe, promising erasure of their sins if they seize the what they call "The Holy Land". Jews and Muslims were in peaceful co-existence in the middle east before, they were at peace with each other, but when they came, claiming they were the soldiers of God sent to regain Jerusalem, started a never-ending bloody war today's Jews and Palestinians continue to fight themselves. The so-called Christians, the crusaders, were the first to introduce the doctrine that modern Muslim terrorists now follow, "To kill an infidel is a sure way to heaven".
@bird123 (10643)
• United States
22 Feb 10
Sounds like you are walking a fine line yourself.Is there any hate in you?? Just who are Evil forces and why is beating christianity so important to them??? If it started back at the crusades, it must be the great great great great great grandkids of these people today. Does that mean that christians should be catholics since that was original christianity before the protestant revolt. Can you really separate the good and the bad like that. Everyone makes bad choices which brings consequences to learn from. Isn't it a mistake to claim superior to others???? Hmmm???
@laura_lmaxi (678)
• United States
21 Feb 10
Hi bird123, even when I am atheist I don't think there is anything evil about religion, the problem is the fanaticism of some people, that is what caused wars and terrorism. It is us, human beings, that ones that are intolerant and think they have the absolute truth, the ones that makes wars and try to convince everybody that their way is the one it is good. The understanding of God is not a bad thing as long as people are able to coexist with other people that have different believes and lifestyles.
1 person likes this
@bird123 (10643)
• United States
21 Feb 10
Yes, Everybody wants to rule the world is probably mankind's greatest problem. It will take time and learning before mankind outgrows this. Oh, it doesn't matter whether you believe in God or not. He knows you. As a child of God, you are blessed in many special ways. Share that which is special with those in your world. You will make a difference. Thanks for stopping by with all your comments!!
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
20 Feb 10
IMO there is no such thing as "evil" be it in things such as religion or ppl themselves...that said, its not RELIGION that is "evil" its some of the idiots who do horrendous things in the name of religion..Religion itself is or CAN BE a good thing but some ppl out there who are mentally twisted or unbalanced etc etc can pretty much take ANY good thing or positive thing and make it nasty and that includes religion...
1 person likes this
@bird123 (10643)
• United States
20 Feb 10
Yes. Isn't it religion itself that gives these people the excuse to surface the problem that they clearly have? Once out in the open, there is drama, adversity and such but, it does allow others to realize that problem and interact. Could their problem ever be resolved left hidden and on their own??? Point them in the right direction!! Isn't it everyone's duty to teach??? Uncomfortable as these people might make you, I think they do need your interaction and input. God counts on us all, for with all the different views in the world, someone will carry your answers.Now if everyone would stop running from trouble and meet things head on, the world would be a much different place.This world isn't always about easy. Thanks for your great comments!!
1 person likes this
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
20 Feb 10
Hi bird, I'm not a great believer in organized religion because it divides people and causes a lot of strife and bloodshed and we've all seen it, whether we want to admit it or not. I admit that there is often other reasons for some wars, but people use religion because of the hatred that has been there for so long. Having said all of that, I believe some religious groups do good work in things like disaster relief. I would never want to be considered religious, but I do think of myself as spiritual. Probably the biggest fault with religion is that so often people feel that they alone are right and everyone else wrong. For many years there was just the Roman Catholic Church and as history proves there was a lot of corruption, both before and after the reformation. Many Protestant fundamentalist churches today are as adamant as the Catholics were then, that they alone have the truth. There has been a coming together of some mainline churches which does show some hope, but overall there is still much division, and this among just one world religion. I guess religion is like people themselves having both good and bad. Blessings.
1 person likes this
@bird123 (10643)
• United States
20 Feb 10
Religion does bring out people's problems to the surface.Isn't it all about power and control of others??? It can't be about truth. These people claim to know all the answers. They claim to know everything God wants. Wise people know that there is an endless supply of things to learn and discover. I do claim to know lots about God and what He wants, yet there is more that I don't know than do. The search for all knowledge and all truth is going to take eternity. By the time one thinks they know it all, they need no more than look closer. They is always more under the surface to be discovered. God and His knowledge are vast and I am but a mere ant. I am an eager student always ready to learn and discover. Like you, teaching along my way in life seems like almost a duty to pay back the kind souls who guided me on my journey. Thanks for stopping by with your comments!!!
1 person likes this
@ifa225 (14461)
• Indonesia
12 Mar 10
Since religion tech us the good and the bad, i don't think it is evil. The evil is the one who learned the religion. Maybe they had wrong to understand the meaning of the religion. they put wrong action to apply the religion. But we can't blame the religion because of it.
@bird123 (10643)
• United States
12 Mar 10
Can you really say that everything religion is teaching is good????Example: Isn't it wrong to label all people as sinners when God expects us to make bad mistakes thereby learning from the consequences. Is it right to degrade God's children so they feel they need the religion to fix them???Another example: Aren't religions teaching that women are second class to man???Do you really think God wants women to be submissive????One should always question. When one accepts blindly so much of the real truth will be missed.Thanks for stopping by with your comments!!
@rosegardens (3034)
• United States
20 Feb 10
Religion or a particular faith-based belief is not bad nor wrong. Most major religions do have a creed to follow, and the basics are similar to Christianity. Do good unto others and in all you do give honor to God. Basically the golden rule in a nutshell.
Unfortunately there are those who profess to be of a particular faith and practice violence against those they do not agree with. I believe the KKK was the first organized group of dissidents from Christianity to proclaim their belief in a violent manner in the US. Any who were not white anglo-saxon protestant were terrorized and even killed over a false belief that God only smiles on the wasp.
What begins war is not religion; it is a clash of ideals and policies that begin wars. Today we have the Muslim terrorist sects that believe for the glory of Allah they should do harm to others. The true Muslim believes in love. Today we have people proclaiming to be of the right to life sect who kill abortion practitioners. The right to life groups are for life in all stages no matter what your beliefs or actions may be.
It is people who begin hatred, and hatred can lead to bloodshed, and bloodshed can lead to all out war between nations. God, whoever you call Him (or her) desires us all to be peaceful and loving and to pray for others who may not be extending love and kindness towards the rest of humanity.
1 person likes this
@bird123 (10643)
• United States
26 Feb 10
Yes. Religion brings these problems out in the open. Next comes interaction, drama, learning, and growth. I guess there will always be those growing pains. It would be nice if people learned easier and all this could be avoided.When people think they are right, it is sometimes hard to get them to see anything else.We all learn in time regardless of how stubborn we all can be at times.Thanks for all your comments!!!
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
21 Feb 10
Religion begins when men decide what to believe about God and make up rules for worshipping Him. I am a Christian, so I believe the Bible. The Bible tells us that men are evil unless they submit their wills to God. If men decide to make the rules for other men, they aren't submitting, they are setting themselves up in places of authority. Since man is evil, any organization of his can be evil. If people search for God and follow God, they won't feel the need to start an organization that tells others how to live, they will simply encourage them to find God and find out from Him how to live a better life.
@kingdomkid (47)
• United States
25 Feb 10
No it isn't religion that is evil it is what comes from within. Even the bible gives us the answer to this as follows:
James 4:1-3 where do wars and fighting among you come from? Don't they come from the lusts that burn within you? 2. You lust and do not have,you kill and desire to have and cannot obtain: you have fights and go to war and you still have not because you ask not. 3. You ask and still do not recieve because you ask for selfish motives to consume it upon yourself.
Yes,religion is manmade. God desires a one on one relationship with him. The problem is that man decided to take the path to evil from the very beginning. since then man has lusted after power and wealth and when he could not attain it through legitimate means, he attempted to obtain these by force and/or intimidation.
