Why is religion bad?

[Dystopia]

People believing in something that isn't true isn't necessarily harmful, if that was it. The problem is when people start to believe something without evidence, it's one step closer to believing in more things without evidence, thus bringing irrationality into the table...

The example of astrology, most people believe in astrology, some even take it seriously, but I don't consider it to be a harmful belief, just silly.

Another example of non harmful beliefs are the deistic or liberal agnostic theist beliefs, mostly justified by cosmological and complexity arguments. They may be wrong, but they are not harmful.

If all people could have moderate faith the world would be a better place. Let's say all Christians decided to hold on to their beliefs and simultaneously support gay marriage and the legalization of abortion since their religion shouldn't dictate public legislative decisions.

Usually when there is blind faith, there's an open path to believe in lots of absurdities without evidence. Bible literalists believe in a strict interpretation of the genesis book, aka creationism, and that's a free ticket to more irrational behaviour and conducts.

If all people could believe and keep it to themselves (well they can express their beliefs, but not impose them) I would be happier and wouldn't mind theists existing, I wouldn't go out there trying to de-convert them (in fact I never do that)

[Eel_LahjicK]

People can be made to do almost anything in the name of their absolute truth.

It scares me, really. Some Christians I talked to have actually said that they would kill humans if God told them to.

Even scarier, there's muslim sects out there that do that already, and god didn't have to tell them anything.

[Bass]

Because if you can convince someone that there is a super daddy who doles out eternal punishment or reward and that you are an agent acting/speaking on the behalf of the aforementioned daddy then you can control them.
The folks who believe that everything their deity of choice does is moral by definition are a prime example, or the story of Abraham and Isaac.

Like the WBC always says; OBEY THE PROPHETS OF GOD (referring to themselves ofc).

[CapnAwesome]

I think there are so many threads stating how religion is bad and the evidence on that is so compelling that even many of the religious have to admit to it although often with the caveat that it's 'organized' religion that is bad, or man's twisting of the religion that causes it to be bad or some such. What's seems to be lacking in the discussion often is why religion is bad. What is it specifically about large groups believing something that isn't true that makes it harmful? I have my own theories on the subject, but I am curious to hear what others have to say before I share my own opinions.

Religions isn't necessarily bad but they have a history of causing diversion among people.
Exploiting money from people.
Wasting productive time, with prayers for example.
Offering false hope.

But on the other side of the coin religions have a history of doing charity work, giving people in bad situations hope and so on.

I think that your answer falls more under the how religion is bad that is so often gone over. We know that they offer false hope and exploit people but why? What is it specifically about religions that attracts so many of these negative qualities or is it not specific to religion?

[vorlon13]

That current example of a bakery again refusing to make a cake for a gay/lesbian couple in Philly springs to mind. Took the business owner 2 weeks of talks with Jesus Himself to decide to cancel the contract and refund the money.

Like Jesus gives a rats ass about cakes while some of His followers are dying of exposure on an isolated Iraqi mountaintop, besieged by the Moslem hordes.

It's just ludicrous we have this 5th century (AD) mindset still running amok in 21st century America.

[Mr Greene]

The example of astrology, most people believe in astrology, some even take it seriously, but I don't consider it to be a harmful belief, just silly.

Taken to extremes it can be dangerous. The 2012 Mayan prophesy stuff was based on astrology remember.
At another level believers can spend fortunes calling astrology hotlines and getting personal horoscopes made.
Then we can throw in paranoia which acts to bring up all the little flaws in the belief system into stark relief.
Indeed applying paranoia should highlight the problems in any irrational belief system.

[Watchman]

I came across this while checking on religious wars , it concerns the Xhosa people of southern Africa. They fought a series of 9 wars against the incoming white settlers between 1779 & 1879 (non of which were religious in nature) ,they were eventually defeated ,of course, however there was this one episode in their history that clearly demonstrates the potential dangers of religion.

During the pause between the 8th & 9th wars (in April 1856) there occurred a series of extraordinary events.
In April or May 1856, the teenaged Nongqawuse and her friend Nombanda went to fetch water from a pool near the mouth of the Gxarha River. When she returned, Nongqawuse told her uncle and guardian Mhlakaza, a Xhosa spiritualist, that she had met the spirits of three of her ancestors.
She claimed that the spirits had told her that the Xhosa people should destroy their crops and kill their cattle, the source of their wealth as well as food. In return the spirits would sweep the white settlers into the sea. The Xhosa would be able to replenish the granaries, and fill the kraals with more beautiful and healthier cattle. During this time many Xhosa herds were plagued with "lung sickness", possibly introduced by European cattle. Many cattle had died.

Mhlakaza repeated the prophecy to Paramount Chief Sarhili. Sarhili ordered his followers to obey the prophecy, causing the cattle-killing movement to spread to an unstoppable point. The cattle-killing frenzy affected not only the Gcaleka, Sarhili's clan, but the whole of the Xhosa nation. Historians estimate that the Gcaleka killed between 300,000 and 400,000 head of cattle.

Nongqawuse predicted that the ancestors' promise would be fulfilled on February 18, 1857, when the sun would turn red. On that day the sun rose the same colour as every other day, and the prophecy was not realised. Initially, Nongqawuse's followers blamed those who had not obeyed her instructions, but they later turned against her.

In the aftermath of the crisis, the population of the Eastern Cape dropped from 105,000 to fewer than 27,000 due to the resulting famine. In at least one case, people were reportedly forced to resort to cannibalism. Nongqawuse was arrested by the British authorities and imprisoned on Robben Island. After her release, she lived on a farm in the Alexandria district of the eastern Cape. She died in 1898.

[The Grand Nudger]

Finally, an example of ghosts that give shitty advice, just like people in real life do. I've been dying to find a great example of this (as all of the ghosts people round these parts believe in drop "wisdom" like dew off morning petals). I've always countered that if there were such things - there would simply have to be some idiots in the bunch.

[rexbeccarox]

People can be made to do almost anything in the name of their absolute truth.

It scares me, really. Some Christians I talked to have actually said that they would kill humans if God told them to.

There are some on this very forum who have admitted to that.

[Polaris]

People can be made to do almost anything in the name of their absolute truth.

It scares me, really. Some Christians I talked to have actually said that they would kill humans if God told them to.

As opposed to the many more who have actually killed this year alone because some leader ordered them to do so?