religions do they cause more problems than they solve?

[matthew12]

Hello

  Basically i have been studying various religions for a couple of months now and while they have not changed my views on being an athiest i cannot understand why a lot of other athiests i know believe that religions are wrong some even say evil.
 I cannot understand this i just cant see many reasons people hold this belief to me personaly they havent casued a lot of problems in the world, a lot of people will just jump to the conclusion of religions casue wars, but do they? I dont think so i think some radical peoples will use religon as a sort of scape goat to justify there actions. But in the religious texts ive read these include the bible, koran and hindu texts such as vedas ect ect, none of these condem killing in any way (and especially none have any violent belifes in what to do with people that dont belive in there religion)
 So i think on a personal level that religions are good, they offer people hope, condolance, solace, peace of mind, community and support not to mention the vast amounts of money the varyous religious orginisations give to charitys.
 I do understand religion is abused by some people. But on a whole i think they are a great part of our culture and people should bear less hostility towards orginized religions.

 So whats your opinion? Do you think religions are constructive or destructive?

[Dretlin]

Hey Matthew12, I would like to briefly tackle your points,

Hello
Basically i have been studying various religions for a couple of months now and while they have not changed my views on being an athiest i cannot understand why a lot of other athiests i know believe that religions are wrong some even say evil.
 I cannot understand this i just cant see many reasons people hold this belief to me personaly they havent casued a lot of problems in the world, a lot of people will just jump to the conclusion of religions casue wars, but do they? I dont think so i think some radical peoples will use religon as a sort of scape goat to justify there actions. But in the religious texts ive read these include the bible, koran and hindu texts such as vedas ect ect, none of these condem killing in any way (and especially none have any violent belifes in what to do with people that dont belive in there religion)

Motivation for conflict will always come from where ever a person can scavenge it from. Religion just happens to be one source, which can shamefully stand alongside politician fundamentalism and not feel out done.

I would recommend reading those texts again, as in my study I have found very strange and bizarre excuses that justify killing and discrimination.

So i think on a personal level that religions are good, they offer people hope, condolance, solace, peace of mind, community and support not to mention the vast amounts of money the varyous religious orginisations give to charitys.

As Carl Sagan said - "It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring."

"Vast amounts of money" also go to promoting the warped version of Islam, that is spread around the world by bigoted aristocrats in Saudi Arabia. The Vatican's stance on contraception has lead to a complete misunderstanding of HIV and caused unmeasurable suffering.

Abrahamic religions are, sadly, a prime source of festering homophobia.

I do understand religion is abused by some people. But on a whole i think they are a great part of our culture and people should bear less hostility towards orginized religions.

 So whats your opinion? Do you think religions are constructive or destructive?

I am the kind of person that feels slow change is the answer, I do not kick down the kirk door and start preaching - so to speak.

So is religion bad? To answer your question, we need to know motivation - motivation for hate, discrimination, censorship, good, bad deeds and from what perception.

As we both probably know - people can be motivated by anything - the faithless included. Though I can not help but feel particularly bitter when religion is the motivator, as it is irrational and ridiculous.

[pinkocommie]

I think they can be both, but I think the destructive aspects are a legitimate cause for concern regarding religion.  If a killer is also a community soccer coach and has a lot to do with raising money for cancer kids and the like, those good deeds don't somehow make up for the murder the person committed.

[Davin]

Religions are like children, they usually mean well but often mess up.
They need rational people to watch them to make sure they don't screw things up.
We can't let religions go around unsupervised because they might hurt themselves and/or someone else.
...
Any way before I get onto a rant: I don't think religions solve any problems but they cause a lot of problems.

[Killa_Kron]

Name one thing they have done to help the world.....now name 10 things that have been religion-motivated to hurt the world.

[SSY]

This chap may disagree with you, when it comes to religions hurting people.

[EssejSllim]

Hello

   a lot of people will just jump to the conclusion of religions casue wars, but do they? I dont think so.

Well, there was the Thirty Years War. Linky. Though not fought exclusively over religious differences, the war originated from Protestant vs. Catholic feelings and hostility.

But on a whole i think they are a great part of our culture and people should bear less hostility towards orginized religions.

Yes, religions are a huge part of the world's many cultures, but being part of a culture does not necessarily make something good. Part of the Aztec culture was ripping out the hearts of still living people to give to the Sun God. This was cultural, but that does not make it good.

[Killa_Kron]

This chap may disagree with you, when it comes to religions hurting people.

I don't necessarily mean people...but look at the Crusades, 9/11, N. Ireland and Ireland, Aztecs, Spanish invaders, etc. There is an abundance of religion-related destruction throughout the years, and a very dry river bed of things it has done to help people. I am not suggesting religion hasn't done ANYTHING good, just the amount of bad done in its name vastly outweighs the good.

[SSY]

This chap may disagree with you, when it comes to religions hurting people.

I don't necessarily mean people...but look at the Crusades, 9/11, N. Ireland and Ireland, Aztecs, Spanish invaders, etc. There is an abundance of religion-related destruction throughout the years, and a very dry river bed of things it has done to help people. I am not suggesting religion hasn't done ANYTHING good, just the amount of bad done in its name vastly outweighs the good.

No, no, no, no, I was agreeing with you. That chap was Salman Rushdie, an author who wrote a book Muslims did not approve of, and so had a fatwa declared on him by the supreme religious head of Iran.