Why might I come off as an atheist? Currently I believe atheists have a more convincing argument than theistic believers. Might that change? Sure. Do I know either side to be right or wrong? Of course not. The door is certainly not shut on either front and I certainly don’t want to surround myself with like-minded people. I think that’s a big reason we started this blog: to continually learn about varying viewpoints and write. Our viewpoints may change.

If we gave our blog more attention, I’m sure we could better clarify this throughout our pages.

Thanks for reading our site and your constructive comments!

Cheers!

1. When belligerents in a tribe want to go and smite the other folks across the valley for one reason or another, they have to run this by the priests, who hold a lot of cards in the tribal discussions. Since priests like more people in the tribe and since smiting other tribes can increase his crowd, they look for theological backing. No good priest that starts with an agenda fails to find substantiation in his miserable holy book or related religious texts. The bias is therefore — go get the (word banned in polite discussion).

2. Organized religions hold very regular meetings. These meetings are an opportunity to drive the war cry home or to say organize a demonstration if the priests so desire. You just need to look at the mobs that come pouring out of Friday prayers in countries like Pakistan, all full of incited hatred and given permission to riot.

3. Holy texts are full of examples of genocide and mayhem. They justify war.

4. Religious indoctrination of vulnerable children includes not only religion, but the long laundry list of tribal hatred and animosity against “those” folks. This is how disputes rage for generations instead of getting settled.

5. Ok, I did say four, but I just thought of another reason. In harsh living environments where land and water resources are scarce (does the Middle East pop into your mind?) there is a dog eat dog mentality. Tribal loyalties and religion are first and foremost. Raw survival places a high value on vindictiveness and deceit. You do not see generational strife in places with abundant food and water, for example Polynesia. Why fight over coconuts when they are free for the taking? Spear all the fish you can eat in the lagoon. Kick back, relax.

Religion Poisons Everything —

On facebook, End Hereditary Religion:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10129512247

In my opinion and in social science terms, religion is the ideology that supports war.

There’s always some material reason for war, religion just provides “reasons” to justify what people are doing, giving a moral basis strong enough to override most people’s natural unwillingness to kill people or put themselves at risk of being killed.

Even the Crusades themselves were about struggles for lots of things in the real world - land, wealth, power.

Maybe religion is more dangerous than nationality because it is a personal choice.

@Andy - It’s a scary point you bring up. Two sides are both fighting in the name of God, who is nowhere to be found.

@ James - Yes, it’s truly frightening how many religions reward killing in the name of God. Though this kind of terrorism probably gives a bad name to other, more peaceful and rational religions.

But yes, we have religion as catalyst, religion as scapegoat, we also, I think rather insidiously, religion as justification and religion as appeasement. When we look to scripture or practice to justify our violence – be it to prop institutions like slavery or Apartheid or to underwrite a practice of killing adulterous women or gay men – we are using religion to fuel a fire that is already underway. We ignore what in scripture we don’t have a problem with, but we take our highlighters out and get busy when it comes to things we’re hot and bothered about.

We also use religion to close down calls for peace and justice. A war like the current one on terror is not ostensibly about the righteousness of Christianity, yet it is supported and perpetuated by appealing to not just the cultural differences arising from religious differences – but also by suggesting that what the US is doing is somehow liberating the oppressed. That by killing thousands upon thousands we are being merciful and compassionate neighbors, implying that this is yet another war Jesus is smiling on and that one can be a good Christian and still bomb children.

Predictably I have more to say, but should probably address some of it over on the linked page, since it speaks more directly to some of what he presented there. Thanks for giving us yet another thought-provoking topic to chew on!