A new question has been posed by the famed atheist, Richard Dawkins.

He asks, "Is religion the root of all evil?"


I'd like to answer this question with my belief that yes, religion IS the root of all evil. The entire idea that one may kill, torture, hate or love because of a holy spirit is rediculous, and it's hurting this nation, and every person in the world.

Your thoughts?

Religion is what made up the term "Evil" so it must be the root of it.
Exactly

Religion is what made up the term "Evil" so it must be the root of it.


I agree.

I dunno, I think the terms good and evil are worthless. We use them so frequently that even if we could trace their roots, the meanings have travelled far enough along to mean something different from their origins. Don't forget at one point there were no demons, only angels and they could be both kind and malicious, wasn't until much later we developed demon and that itself was the contrapositive of the gods.

Greed is the root of all evil.

No religion is.

No, greed is.

*cough* I beg to differ. Religion and Money are the roots of evil. Religion spreads prejudice which leads to evil and violence and bloodshed. Money, on the other hand leads to greed which leads to evil which leads to violence and bloodshed.

What about Stupidity and Ignorance they spread violence and bloodshed too.

Money doesn't do anything to anyone. It's just paper. People's lust for it however, causes some terrible mess. Same with religion... sort of. So in a way gwia is right with the ignorance and stupidity. Though you can't blame a person for their ignorance; it's not exactly like they know they're ignorant. So I guess it's stupidity and greed that are the root of all evil. Oh I don't know! It's impossible to really tell 100%.

Too much lust is greed, is it not?

anyone else getting deja vu?

Yes... but you can play along anyway.

WAIT, first shouldn't we define evil? No one clarified what the parameters for it are. I would probably say commiting crime, acts of cruelty- both emotional and physical- and playing on the weaknesses of others for purely selfish reasons. Thoughts can't really be counted as we all have thought mean things at least once.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/evil

I think it's selfishness... I mean greed, lust, power, comes out of people just looking out for themselves and trying to fulfill their own desires. I don't know if you guys will agree but I'm just throwing that out there, because I think everyone is pretty selfish to a certain degree.

I don't think what's at the heart of religion is what makes it destructive, but its the way people interpret it. I mean, Jesus Christ lived a life that was all about love and forgiveness and serving others. You didn't see him pointing fingers, or holding up signs reading "God hates fags," etc, and yet thats what alot of his followers are doing today. So back to my previous point, I think the "evil" that comes from religion is a result of humans taking something potentially good and distorting it to get what they want out of it.

Has anyone read Crime and Punishment? If so, what about Raskolnikov saying that "extraordinary" men are allowed to take lives for the good of humanity? Does it mean that only "extraordinary" can bypass this "evil".

A new question has been posed by the famed atheist, Richard Dawkins.
He asks, "Is religion the root of all evil?"
I'd like to answer this question with my belief that yes, religion IS the root of all evil. The entire idea that one may kill, torture, hate or love because of a holy spirit is rediculous, and it's hurting this nation, and every person in the world.
Your thoughts?I don't believe in God, however insulting those who do without providing evidence or a reasoning other than "You don't think logically" marks him as one of the biggest fools of our time, and you're the same for taking his word as gospel. Religion is not the root of all evil, man however is.

two things: yes, everyone is somewhat selfish, this keeps us all alive and whoever said he interpreted it as a gospel?

People need to first fulfill their own needs for survival before they can be giving;some people need less to feel comfortably thus are naturally more giving and are usually percieved as good people. I do believe in God, many actually, and have often pondered why I declare myself a pagan as oppose to following a main form of religion. The reason is not so much that most of these faiths have defined their own set of ethics, the good, bad, evil etc. it is because in order for a person to be comfortable, psychologically, physically and spiritually, they need to figure out their own path.

Religion is not the root of evil, it is not rooted in evil, it is designed for people who have similar mind sets to come together, finding common ground and feel uplifted and this makes religion good. Zealots with the desire to convert everyone very often do harm and this is viewed as a form of evil.

Also, if anyone has read any of this before, I mean word for word do tell me as I wish to know the archetype for my opinions other than those formed from experience.

There is no evil.

By that I mean that what we call evil is our opinion, and somethingwe shouldn't generalise. Yes, religion is twisted and fucked up, and is probably the worst thing in existance, but religion is not evil. I'd like to think religion as being retarded, IE not the same level as science and everyone else.

I too, do not bellieve in a god/gods. I do however bellieve that religion is a necessary component to human society.

Religion has formed the basis of our current laws.

Religion, in modern times, forms a moral base for society, in the form of scare tactics.

I'd rather not get into specifics....

I think it's selfishness... I mean greed, lust, power, comes out of people just looking out for themselves and trying to fulfill their own desires. I don't know if you guys will agree but I'm just throwing that out there, because I think everyone is pretty selfish to a certain degree.
I don't think what's at the heart of religion is what makes it destructive, but its the way people interpret it. I mean, Jesus Christ lived a life that was all about love and forgiveness and serving others. You didn't see him pointing fingers, or holding up signs reading "God hates fags," etc, and yet thats what alot of his followers are doing today. So back to my previous point, I think the "evil" that comes from religion is a result of humans taking something potentially good and distorting it to get what they want out of it.

I remembered hearing somewhere that fag meant kindling, but when I looked it up the first meaning was, "A student at a British public school who is required to perform menial tasks for a student in a higher class.", but anyways, that is besides the point. The idea that God hates any person is completely absourd; God loves the sinner, but hates the sin. Here is an interesting story that a friend of mine sent to me:

Who Created Evil?

As you read this, I challenge you to really let it's meaning sink in. This
eloquently answers one of the profound questions of life.

Did God Create Evil?
The university professor challenged his students with this question:

"Did God create everything that exists?"

A student bravely replied "Yes, he did!"

"God created everything?" the professor asked.

"Yes sir," the student replied.

The professor answered, "If God created everything, then God created evil
since evil exists, and according to the principal that our works define who
we are, then God is evil."

The professor was quite pleased with himself and boasted to the students
that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth.

Another student raised his hand and said, "Can I ask you a question
professor?"

"Of course," replied the professor.

The student stood up and asked, "Professor , does cold exist?"

The professor replied "Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?"

The students snickered at the young man's question.

The young man replied, "In fact sir, cold does not exist. According to the
laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat."

"Everybody or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits
energy, and heat is what makes a body, or matter, have or transmit energy.
Absolute zero (- 460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat. Cold does not
exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no
heat."

The student continued. "Professor, does darkness exist?"

The professor responded, "Of course it does."

The student replied, "Once again you are wrong sir. Darkness does not exist
either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light, we can study,
but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton's prism to break white light
into many colors and study the various wave lengths of each color. You
cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of
darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is?
You measure the amount of light present. Isn't this correct? Darkness is a
term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present."

Finally the young man asked the professor. "Sir, does evil exist?"

Now uncertain, the professor responded, "Of course, as I have already said.
We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man.
It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These
manifestations are nothing else but evil."

To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does
not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like
darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of
God."

"God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does
not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when
there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light."

The professor sat down.

The young man's name --- Albert Einstein

Lmao!

I remember that article...

But Albert Einstein was Jewish, sounds like he just wanted to make the proffesor sound like a dumb arse.

I too, do not bellieve in a god/gods. I do however bellieve that religion is a necessary component to human society.
Religion has formed the basis of our current laws.
Religion, in modern times, forms a moral base for society, in the form of scare tactics.
I'd rather not get into specifics....
you say that like its a good thing
i do not believe that religion is necessary to human society, education however, is
i also do not believe religion formed the basis for our current, most basic, laws, i do however believe that some of religious doctrines most basic moral principles simply coincide with that which is intellectually conceived as right and wrong

religion forming a modern moral base simply shows how detached we have become from feelings of family and community

i am an anarchist, and as such, i do not believe "scare tactics" are the proper method for "controlling" the populace, in our modern age, we have a vast library of historical information which, if used properly, can teach what is morally appropriate

If you're an anarchist, does that mean you pretty much rebel against everything and everyone?

If you're an anarchist, does that mean you pretty much rebel against everything and everyone?
no, it means i am against the use of force to control, i am against inequality, bigotry, and hate, i am against the government, i am against the church

i do not solely believe in solidarity, i believe in voluntary cooperation

i do not believe in borders, i believe in free-trade

http://www.geocities.com/capitolHill/1931/

you say that like its a good thing
i do not believe that religion is necessary to human society, education however, is
i also do not believe religion formed the basis for our current, most basic, laws, i do however believe that some of religious doctrines most basic moral principles simply coincide with that which is intellectually conceived as right and wrong

religion forming a modern moral base simply shows how detached we have become from feelings of family and community

i am an anarchist, and as such, i do not believe "scare tactics" are the proper method for "controlling" the populace, in our modern age, we have a vast library of historical information which, if used properly, can teach what is morally appropriateSo, If I shot your entire family, because I was angry, and then raped you, you would be completely okay with that?

no, id shoot you

you say that like its a good thing
i do not believe that religion is necessary to human society, education however, is
i also do not believe religion formed the basis for our current, most basic, laws, i do however believe that some of religious doctrines most basic moral principles simply coincide with that which is intellectually conceived as right and wrong
religion forming a modern moral base simply shows how detached we have become from feelings of family and community
i am an anarchist, and as such, i do not believe "scare tactics" are the proper method for "controlling" the populace, in our modern age, we have a vast library of historical information which, if used properly, can teach what is morally appropriateWhy would I give a shit about what is right and wrong if there is no one enforcing your ideas of freedom? Do you honestly think trying to "enlighten" me will create this perfect Utopian society where no one pays taxes and has any responsibilities other than the ones we want to have? Go smoke some more pot and play your playstation, because you're living in a fantasy world, kid.

I don't believe in God, however insulting those who do without providing evidence or a reasoning other than "You don't think logically" marks him as one of the biggest fools of our time, and you're the same for taking his word as gospel. Religion is not the root of all evil, man however is.

But he does give evidence.
Loads and loads of it.

He isn't insulting religious people, he's trying to help them by freeing them from something as silly as 'God'.

But he does give evidence.
Loads and loads of it.
He isn't insulting religious people, he's trying to help them by freeing them from something as silly as 'God'.
When trying to covert someone to your beliefs, it's best to not insult them and simply tell them they are wrong for what they believe. Richard Dawkins is so conceited; he often quotes himself when citing his sources.

I believe Evolution to be the most accurate explanation for how things came to be, but Richard Dawkins is one of those in your face, know-it-all Atheists that does nothing good for the education of the general population.

The root of all evil is the illusion that there is a strict border between the ethical and the unethical. Different people have very different ethics, these are formed by a people's culture and as dickweed, I mean Dawkins suggests religion however religion is still not the source, the individual is the source. Most people reject that which does seem morally acceptable to them and do everything in their power to persuade/convert others to their system of ethics. I suppose either because people want to feel as if they an active part in a community or they simply have the survival instinct which states whenever among a throng (I said throng, shove it dirty minds, shove it) of people that "SURVIVAL IS DEPENDANT UPON CONFORMITY." Of course, from Ghost in the Shell a single virus can whipe out an entire set of systems. In other words, the herd animal mentality is begging for trouble partly because it eventually becomes mob mentality when a population's culture is threatened by acculturation. Thus, evil originates from the over zealous conformists who while not exactly conforming to the group they support are conforming to an even more dangerous sect, the radicalists, the people old cynical senile people are absolutely terrified of.

Why would I give a shit about what is right and wrong if there is no one enforcing your ideas of freedom? Do you honestly think trying to "enlighten" me will create this perfect Utopian society where no one pays taxes and has any responsibilities other than the ones we want to have? Go smoke some more pot and play your playstation, because you're living in a fantasy world, kid.
so what youre saying is, you wouldnt feel bad about hurting others if there was no consequences for your actions, and that striving for a better society is fruitless? i think im gonna go smoke some more pot and play playstation

The root of all evil is the illusion that there is a strict border between the ethical and the unethical. Different people have very different ethics, these are formed by a people's culture and as dickweed, I mean Dawkins suggests religion however religion is still not the source, the individual is the source. Most people reject that which does seem morally acceptable to them and do everything in their power to persuade/convert others to their system of ethics. I suppose either because people want to feel as if they an active part in a community or they simply have the survival instinct which states whenever among a throng (I said throng, shove it dirty minds, shove it) of people that "SURVIVAL IS DEPENDANT UPON CONFORMITY." Of course,
--------------------
In other words, the herd animal mentality is begging for trouble partly because it eventually becomes mob mentality when a population's culture is threatened by acculturation. Thus, evil originates from the over zealous conformists who while not exactly conforming to the group they support are conforming to an even more dangerous sect, the radicalists, the people old cynical senile people are absolutely terrified of.
That's... an interesting point of view.

posted by The Electric Monkno, it means i am against the use of force to control, i am against inequality, bigotry, and hate, i am against the government, i am against the church

i do not solely believe in solidarity, i believe in voluntary cooperation

i do not believe in borders, i believe in free-trade

I wish to make this very very perfectly clear, being against the government is a form of bigotry, as is hate, you sir a bloody sodding hypocrit and anarchy is a terrible evil thing, I do mean evil because even though when all those punk bands in the U.K. started that jolly assed tour "Anarchy in the U.K." they made word cool and it is not. Anarchy includes but isn't limited to rape, murder, arson, theft/looting (New Orleans after Katrina) and just plain miserable chaos that causes everyone to suffer. I get angry when I hear people say they hate government like you just did because without, we would all be bloody dead. God may not be the source of evil but the intended cause of pain is and pain, is not the abscence of pleasure, it exists, we even have a word that describes the whole shabam, hurt, anarchy hurts people and if you wanna hurt people tell me right now dammit so I can launch your ass into space because that isn't at all a bit of my evil side I will be ashamed of.

Religion is just an opinion, the ideas of an entity (a person or many). Like any other opinions, one entity forcing it's opinions on another entity will result in an argument. No religion can be proved true. It is simply impossible. People will always look to a divine being for a reason. This being said, religion will always exist, but religion can be distinguished as seperate from evil if two entities of religion allow each other to coexist. This is where all other things like ignorance and hate and greed come into play. But this is what I think:


Power is the root of all evil. Usually, the power originates with a belief, which is generally synonymous to religion.

Would one entity try to kill unless they had the power to do so? No. Would one entity try to destroy another entity unless it had a large following? No. It all comes down to power.
=====
As for Anarchy,

"Oh, I could fend for myself in our society,"

"Where's your next meal coming from?"

"My refrigerator."

"Where did you get what's in your refrigerator?"

"From the supermarket."

"Would you open a supermarket in an anarchistic society?"

"I wouldn't."

"Who would?"

"Someone else."

"Nobody would open a supermarket. Since it's an anarchist soceity, people would steal from the supermarket and it would quickly go out of buisness."

"The shopkeeper would hire guards."

"With whose money? The government's! Oh wait there isn't one. Dang. And there would be no one willing to guard, as they would use their skills to bully people more efficiently, like steal food from the supermarket, if it existed. If it didn't exist, then they would get all of the food from everybody else, as everyone else so kindly collected all of the food for them. Unless you could beat those guys out, you wouldn't eat."

*silence*.

Anarchy does not work.

When trying to covert someone to your beliefs, it's best to not insult them and simply tell them they are wrong for what they believe. Richard Dawkins is so conceited; he often quotes himself when citing his sources.
I believe Evolution to be the most accurate explanation for how things came to be, but Richard Dawkins is one of those in your face, know-it-all Atheists that does nothing good for the education of the general population.

Then how do you propose we rid Earth of the religious disease?

Rehab, you are just as bad as the Westboro Baptist Church. Let people think what they want to think.

If evolution were to be proven as fact, and I'm speaking hypothetically here, how would that rule out the existence of a God? Just because people understand the world better than we did 2000 years ago doesn't mean we can say a higher power didn't create it (or even facilitate evolution). What if your father built the house you live in, and you grew up always beleiving your father built your house. Then you got older and became an architect. Now you understand HOW he built the house, but that doesn't mean your father never actually built it.

yes, contrary to popular belief, evolution doesn't contradict creationism. However when hardline Christians start saying that everything was created how it is, that creates problems.

The only way Evolution can work with Christianity is if you throw out Genesis. Basically all of evolution is Hypothesis (excluding Micro-evolution which has been observed). And also the main reason evolution has come about is to try and disprove the existence of God, so that man can say we don't need God, and so that man will not have to worry about facing God after he dies. Here is an interesting article I found today: http://www.all-creatures.org/discuss/svtevolution-clt-23jan99.html

Just because I am debating a subject, I am preaching?

You have some mind there then...

The only way Evolution can work with Christianity is if you throw out Genesis. Basically all of evolution is Hypothesis (excluding Micro-evolution which has been observed). And also the main reason evolution has come about is to try and disprove the existence of God, so that man can say we don't need God, and so that man will not have to worry about facing God after he dies. Here is an interesting article I found today: http://www.all-creatures.org/discuss/svtevolution-clt-23jan99.htmlyou wouldn't even need to throw out genesis.

I say that we should all just leave the whole subject alone, as all of these things can, indeed, coexist if we admit to ourselves that there is no right or wrong. Only independent visions.

no need to get fancy Neverender, they're just opinions.

I say that we should all just leave the whole subject alone, as all of these things can, indeed, coexist if we admit to ourselves that there is no right or wrong. Only independent visions.

That is a condradicting statement there Neverender. You say you believe there is no right or wrong, but you think you're right. Its like what some evolutionists have said before," There is no absolute truth", which, in itself, is an absolute statement.

Offcourse The Friend From America Who Started This Thread Is Correct -that Today's Main Reason Of Violence In World Is Because Of One Religion (that We All Know!!!) .........................but That Doesn't Mean All Religion Are Same.
Religion Gives Us Inspiration,love,teaches 'to Believe'......please For God'd Sake Dont Hate Any Religion............b'coz Its People Who Spread Violence........not Their Faith............................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ......................................it Is All Because Of Those People Who Misguide Others For Their Own Interest

I get the feeling you're a victim of the Caps Filter.

I say that we should all just leave the whole subject alone, as all of these things can, indeed, coexist if we admit to ourselves that there is no right or wrong. Only independent visions.
very good Neverender, I was waiting for someone else to touch into that point. Morals are subjective and evil is what we believe contradicts morality thus evil is subjective and can't really be explained beyond that and it has no one origin.