Is religion to blame?

I hesitate in starting this thread but due to the 'heavy' content in threads previously I have formed the opinion that users of this forum are capable of reasonable debate.

I am an atheist, and as such I may offend some deep seated beliefs that some forum members may hold. My intention is neither to poke fun, offend or insult anyone here.

I believe that religion has served man well in the past to answer questions that science was unable to at the time. I believe that (if you choose to read it) the bible should be used as a guide to reasonable living rather than fact.

My point however is this, how many wars/conflicts can be directly atributed to someones faith/belief being in conflict with someone elses?

Erradicate religion from this world and most of the wars would be erradicated also.

Discuss.

If religion was taken out of the equation, only religious wars would cease.

But given that most religious wars have had as much to do with territory and privilege as anything else, I suspect that fresh ideologies would occupy the vacuum left by religion to justify the human urge to conquer and subjugate other people.

Er, I think.

Quote: Graham Bandage @ June 19 2008, 12:38 PM BST

If religion was taken out of the equation, only religious wars would cease.

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And people blowing themselves up all in the name of someone who doesn't exist

Good point. So now that you and I have erradicated all religious wars, i.e. Holy Wars, does that now mean that George Bush is even more likely to push his weight around. Mmmmmmm perhaps this isn't going to work after all >_<

Quote: shaggy292 @ June 19 2008, 12:44 PM BST

And people blowing themselves up all in the name of someone who doesn't exist

View original

Suicide bombing is not the preserve of religious fanatics, as the kamikaze pilots of the Second World War would demonstrate.

All wars are to do with money. Fact. Religion is used as a way of helping rich people get richer by persuading the poor people to die on their behalf.

Which has nothing to do with religion per se.

Unless you are an Apache.

Quote: Marc P @ June 19 2008, 12:57 PM BST

All wars are to do with money.

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What? Even the Falklands?

No that was for political gain.

Quote: Graham Bandage @ June 19 2008, 1:00 PM BST

What? Even the Falklands?

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Yes.

Humans are violent, humans with anything below average intelligence and in a group are very violent....football fans for example.

In fact, i'd say a Muslim 15 year old living in a shit hole, parents killed by whoever, shot at/bombed daily has less to loose as a suicide bomber than your average footie fan who, if caught committing whatever retarded act they have been coaxed into doing by their peers, will loose their job, family and access to a lovely way of life in the UK.

If you want to stop war you stop morons from gathering in large groups but after church and football you'd still have plenty more similar gatherings to try and police!

Quote: Marc P @ June 19 2008, 12:57 PM BST

All wars are to do with money. Fact.

View original

Is that like a Jedi mind trick? 2 + 2 = 5 ... FACT. (did it work?)

Quote: Sofa_Matt @ June 19 2008, 12:22 PM BST

I hesitate in starting this thread but due to the 'heavy' content in threads previously I have formed the opinion that users of this forum are capable of reasonable debate.

I am an atheist, and as such I may offend some deep seated beliefs that some forum members may hold. My intention is neither to poke fun, offend or insult anyone here.

I believe that religion has served man well in the past to answer questions that science was unable to at the time. I believe that (if you choose to read it) the bible should be used as a guide to reasonable living rather than fact.

My point however is this, how many wars/conflicts can be directly atributed to someones faith/belief being in conflict with someone elses?

Erradicate religion from this world and most of the wars would be erradicated also.

Discuss.

View original

I'm Jewish and pretty much aetheist

but Stalin Hitler and Polpott aetheists one and all.

sorry Sofa but basically humanity sucks given half a chance.

Politcal gain equals power. Power equals Money. Money equals power.

Maintaining power equals more money for the ruling classes. The argentian junta wanted to stay in power so invaded The Falklands - the Thatcher Junta wanted to stay in power so responded big time. Seemed to work for her too.

Bush is now talking about getting Oil from Alaska which they said they wouldn't do. Keep your eyes peeled on the Falklands and thereabouts. There's oil in them there hills!

Quote: Graham Bandage @ June 19 2008, 1:00 PM BST

What? Even the Falklands?

View original

Yes it's the gateway to the Antarctic where eventually we'll drill for oil.

Also jsutified massive defence expenditure, the illusion of which drives much of our economy.

Quote: Pete @ June 19 2008, 1:11 PM BST

Is that like a Jedi mind trick? 2 + 2 = 5 ... FACT. (did it work?)

View original

I don't know, did it?

Also Islam is being used by dubious people to recruit the disenfanchsied, in the same way Communism used to, and liberty was in France and America in the 18th Century.

It's quite unusual for religion to have moved back to being a motivation for violence over politcal ideology