RE: Rant Mode. Some Religious People Are Really Good.
March 17, 2015 at 10:41 am
(This post was last modified: March 17, 2015 at 11:00 am by Jenny A.)
I'm going to make a very simple response to your rather more thoughtful and involved OP.
Neither religion nor atheism, is likely to bring about any great change in moral behavior, though religion might cause people to think new things (like eating pork, or dancing) are immoral that they didn't consider immoral before. However, religion and some other strongly held beliefs can be used to justify truly horrendous behavior as moral such as shunning your family, The Inquisition, holy wars, genital mutilation of children, suicide bombing, picketing military funerals, etc. Religion can also emphasize some of the nastier aspects of tribalism (back to those holy wars.)
Neither religion nor atheism, is likely to bring about any great change in moral behavior, though religion might cause people to think new things (like eating pork, or dancing) are immoral that they didn't consider immoral before. However, religion and some other strongly held beliefs can be used to justify truly horrendous behavior as moral such as shunning your family, The Inquisition, holy wars, genital mutilation of children, suicide bombing, picketing military funerals, etc. Religion can also emphasize some of the nastier aspects of tribalism (back to those holy wars.)
If there is a god, I want to believe that there is a god. If there is not a god, I want to believe that there is no god.
