Religion *is* a Problem

This blog is about specific instances of harm and suffering caused by religion and religious faith around the world. It is a response to the argument I am so often confronted with when I tell religious people that the world would be better without religion:

“But, what harm is religion doing anyone? Why does it bother you so much that I believe certain things? Religions do so much good in the world, why would you want to stop that?”

This blog is a direct answer to those questions. I hope that every post I make to this blog will help someone - religious or not - to see that religions are not benign organizations that only do good. Rather, that they cause and allow real harm and suffering, grotesque crimes against humanity, and wholly unnecessary conflict. There is something amiss with what these religions are teaching if people who most firmly believe in them are capable of such atrocities.

I do believe in “live and let live” but religions don’t. People attack each other on the basis of their religious beliefs. I would not be safe in many parts of the world because I am an atheist (and I’m not talking about far away lands here). That is not “live and let live.” For as long as religion is a source of negativity and violence in this world, I will not “live and let live” and neither should anyone else. I will speak my mind, your overly sensitive, close-to-the-heart beliefs be damned. It is absolutely absurd that religious institutions and religious followers are afforded so much tolerance from our society but they don’t give any in return.

And now, I can hear in my head the reply of the typical “moderate” religious person:

“But you are lumping us all together! I am not an extremist, I am not hurting anyone. I am a good person and religion helps me be better. Why should I stop believing in something just because of a few nutcases who are ruining it for everyone?”

To them I say this, the nutcases are not ruining anything for you, they are helping you (in an unfortunate way). They are exposing religion for what it is at its core and helping you to see that what you believe is not true. You can still be a good person - perhaps a better person - when you realize that religions are not divine sources of truth in this world or dispensers of the ultimate morality. I don’t hate religion or religious people but I do feel that it is time to leave religion and faith in God in the past and move forward into more secular thought.

Recently there has been a call to arms (figuratively speaking) among atheists spear headed by, among many others, Dawkins, Harris, Dennet, and Hitchens. I have heard that call and am here to answer it. Religion *is* a problem and the sooner we realize it and spread the word, the sooner we can leave these archaic beliefs in the past, replace the benefits religion provided with secular institutions that fulfill the same role, and begin to progress as a species. Let’s finally leave the dark ages and see what we are really capable of when we stop believing in ancient myths and mystical worldviews.

When you are asked, “What harm is religion doing anyone?,” I hope that you will point them here so that they can read for themselves a chronicle of the undeniable role religion is playing in violence and human suffering, everyday, all around the world.

Also, if you become aware of a relevant news story that I have missed, please email it to me.

A Christian preacher was attacked by up to 25 masked men in view of his family. The attack is believed to be a scare tactic to get him to stop converting Hindus to Christianity. The preacher is hospitalized but believed to be in stable condition.

More here: http://www.hindu.com/2007/04/30/stories/2007043005341200.htm >

I don’t know for sure, but I don’t believe that these were necessarily bad men. It is more likely that their religious beliefs are such that they thought that violence was the lesser of two evils in this situation. They couldn’t just sit idly by while their people were being tricked into joining a false religion and worshipping a false God. When salvation is thought to be at stake, even otherwise “normal” people will do some fiendish things… and this is why religion is a problem.

“If the concept of God has any validity or use, it can only be to make us larger, freer, and more loving. If God cannot do this, then it is time we got rid of Him.” - James Baldwin, African-American Writer

“Pattani, Thailand - Suspected separatist insurgents on Monday killed a father and son, beheading the father, in revenge for the weekend bombing of a mosque in Thailand’s deep South, where more than 2,100 have fallen victim to violence over the past three years.

The decapitated body of Preecha Nuanthong, 30, and the bullet-riddled corpse of his son Dusit, 16, were found on a roadside in Nongchik village, 730 kilometres south of Bangkok, said Pattani Police Sub-Lieutenant Nanthachai Janpoh.”

Via http://eye-on-the-world.blogspot.com/2007/05/thailand-suspected-muslim-separatists.html >

An eye for an eye and another two tragic deaths due to religious delusion.

“Scientology has not attempted so publicly, so grotesquely to capitalize on a national tragedy since they descended like vultures at Ground Zero post-9/11. While hindering legitimate, heroic rescue efforts with their spurious “therapies” at the site, Scientology claimed they were from the non-existent National Mental Health Assistance outfit, and falsely aligned themselves in the media with the Red Cross.”

From Hollywood Interrupted >

Hindering “real” aid to victims while prosetylizing? Misrepresenting themselves in order to recruit? Capitalizing on tragedy? Only a religion could get away with this. If it were a more well-respected and accepted religion - such as Catholicism - we would hear even less - if anything - about it.

“TEHRAN, April 18 — The Iranian Supreme Court has overturned the murder convictions of six members of a prestigious state militia who killed five people they considered “morally corrupt.”

The reversal, in an infamous five-year-old case from Kerman, in central Iran, has produced anger and controversy, with lawyers calling it corrupt and newspapers giving it prominence.”

Reposted from the NYTimes:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/19/world/middleeast/19iran.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

When a government is intertwined with religion - officially or unofficially - this type of injustice is likely, nay, bound to happen.

“For people with God on their side, monotheists are a touchy lot. In Exodus, Moses gets the tribe of Levi to go with “sword at side” and massacre 3,000 calf-worshippers. And we are supposed to celebrate such a violation of the freedome of worship? Why are they so touchy? The problem is partly that all monotheisms are, by their nature, anti-pluralistic. They’ve got the one true God, the very latest version of his thoughts. It is asking a lot of monotheisms to coexist with other faiths and views.” - David Aaronovitch