Is religion the route of all evil?

[Dazzza]

I was never christened. What does this mean for the future?

 :shock:

[McLovin]

hehehe

[reeves4england]

I'm pretty sure WWII came about because Hitler wanted more power, more land and more Germans. Nothing to do with religion.

Okay he killed millions of Jews along the way but without religion he would have gone the same way generally, it just made it easier for him.

The crusades and other religoius battles annoy me as an argument for this discussion. If these people acted on the words of the Bible Quran or whatever then they would not be going about killing people, so it is not really the fault of religion, it is people mis-using it

[DMR]

Hitler was driven by the desire for a perfect Aryan race as much as anything. Whether that's religious, political or simply plain fanatical is up to you.

[flammableBen]

As a Catholic i have to disagree with all the shit you've mentioned above but...

What pisses me of about Athiets are

When they die, they still expect some kind of funeral or cermony usually performed by a priest.  If they dont believe in an after life, then why should they be buried at all, or why not just get your best mate to perform a cermony in your name

They usually get married in a Church with the blessing made by a priest.  Again whats the point in being Married by a priest in a Church if you dont believe in the religious message behind a wedding.  Again you may as well not get married at all, or get your local bar man to do it for yo


They usually have their kids bapised in the name of God  -  just in case Heaven and Hell really do exist - meaning they child has a chance of going to Heaven i it does exist

Religion isn't the root of all evil - people are  FACT.

Lot's have people have quoted you out already but Id like to make my own points (mainly cos I've had a bit to drink, go you 59p ciders).

number 1. if you want some sort of ceromony done by a priest then you ain't an athiest. Of course it get's a bit different when your family organises something for you after your dead, but meh, it's not your fault then.

I haven't got any statistics but the normal getting married in a church thing is mainly due to a) churches needing money and b) sttill a good chance that one out of 2 of the partners maybe religious.

As other people have said, I wan't baptised, christened or hindued.

I'd agree on your last point to an extent. It's not religion which is evil, it's organised religion. Surely faith is enough? why does there need to be a hierarchical belief structure based upon it? Jesus never killed anybody, but the catholic church has/did/still does.

[flammableBen]

and to be fair it doesn't really matter about juesus and shit anymore. More people go to mosque every week than church - be it catholic or protestant or both. Islam is better anyway.

[yeo]

Ah but Catholics get given Wine dont they? where as Muslims cant drink at all....

[Barnard]

I think you'll find that the a real athiest would probably choose to get married in a registry officer, where you're legally not allowed to mention God (even the music you play can't be religious).

Its also perfectly normal now to have a humanist funeral, which is a ceremony to mark the fact you've died rather than any means of accessing the afterlife.

I had my kids christened despite not being religious myself, not because I want my kids to have access to heaven on the off chance I'm wrong, but because I wanted them to have the option to hear everything that the church has to say and then make up their own minds (its much easier to opt out of religion as an adult than it is to decide to opt in).

As for religion being the root of all evil, I can't agree. Religion is twisted to meet political aims of individuals and groups, most religions are actually pretty hippyish. Jesus would have been more liekly to have been a vegetarian, CND supporter than leading a crusade imho.

As for the communion wine, its rank!

[Stef Troll]

I haven't got any statistics but the normal getting married in a church thing is mainly due to a) churches needing money and b) sttill a good chance that one out of 2 of the partners maybe religious.

I personally don't think thats true mainly because the Church have strict rules on marriage  (ie) if you have already been married once, then the second marriage ceremony cannot be performed in a Church  (unless the first marriage is annulled or void some how.).  Surely if Churches needed money, they would scrap this rule and allow anyone to be married.

In my opinion, the Church isnt some kind of organisation which is simply looking for money.   At the end of the day you can simply go to Church and put no money in the collection box.  In my experience, collections at Churches are for two reasons  (1) To maintain/improve the upkeep of the Church (2) Collections for Charitable events  (ie) Sunami fund.

[Gazza's Fat Mate]

Glad to see that so many of the people on this forum have a sensible view with regard the utter bullshit that is religion.

With regrd to the comments made by StefPol (who seems to be the only person to have respond sticking up for the bullshit) I really hope that Heaven does exsit and that you get let in otherwise all the effort you put into supporting a faith that has:

casued 100's of years of misery been directly responible for the deaths of millions, destoryed countless pice of art, held back the human race by denying scince, is resspobile for allowing beasts to have thier horriblew way with 1000 of children across the world, has robbed the uk of millions and general done all it can to ensure it's conutine power, will be a complete waste of time. goodluck and as you can never complie with all the rules in the bible as they contrdick each other countless time I will see you in hell ha ha ha :twisted:  :twisted:  :twisted:

[Simon Pieman]

It is true that down the years religious organisations have repressed actions and tried to control the people. But then that's what the government do these days.

I don't think religion is the sole reason wars are started (in fact it often comes as a resulting reason). The whole point in religion is (as far as I'm aware) to better ones self by not committing sins. How is not starting a war a sin?

But the war between Scientologists and Church of Latter Day Saints could prove me wrong.

[oxford_fan]

i wouldn't go that far but i do believe religion is pointless

They usually get married in a Church with the blessing made by a priest.  Again whats the point in being Married by a priest in a Church if you dont believe in the religious message behind a wedding.  Again you may as well not get married at all, or get your local bar man to do it for yo

Weddings and Funerals are held because it's the 'traditional' way to do things. I know plenty of people who have got married in a church but aren't particularly religious at all.

What does tradition actually mean though? Very little I reckon. If we stuck by traditions we'd never get anywhere; unless you're religious (or non-atheist, perhaps) I can't see why you'd want to get married in a church and jabber all that God shite which you don't even believe in.

I'd agree on your last point to an extent. It's not religion which is evil, it's organised religion. Surely faith is enough? why does there need to be a hierarchical belief structure based upon it?

amen to that brother.

(its much easier to opt out of religion as an adult than it is to decide to opt in).

says who!? little baby jesus would let anyone join his clan at anytime, no?


back to the War stuff, I'd be interested to know how many conflicts began as a result of £££ issues - quite a few i reckon.

[stfc_carver]

I think religion is a load of bollocks. but that's just my opinion, i don't object to people going to church etc. what does annoy me is when religios try and force it upon you. one of my best mates is a christian, goes to church most weeks. but he respects my view and doesn't mind that i think its a load of bollocks.

what annoys me most the the catholic/protestant situation in Ireland. 2 sets of people how basically believe in the same thing. just slight variations on the same religion. and they fight over it? someone please explain this.

As for outlawing religion. what a stupid idea, it would cause more trouble than its worth.

And on the marriage situation, neither of my folks are religious, they still got married in a church though. Churches tend to be more picturesque (spelling?) than a registary office, also my mother is quite traditional, thus wanting the traditional wedding (in a church).

[janaage]

It's likely that if the Treaty of Verseille (sp) hadn't have been so harsh on the german people post WWI, there wouldn't have been a Nazi rise to power in the 30's.  Other factors pushed the world along the road to war at that time but religion wasn't necessarily the greatest factor.

It seems nowadays that religion is used as an excuse to go to war when, like OF says, money may be the prime reason i.e. war in Iraq.

[Samdy Gray]

Religion is not the root of all evil, just people's fanatical beliefs.

It seems nowadays that religion is used as an excuse to go to war when, like OF says, money may be the prime reason i.e. war in Iraq.

I totally agree with this. My dad was intruiged as to where Muslims actually get their beliefs from and if their religion is actually as fanatical as it's made out to be, so he read the Quran. No where in the Quran does it say 'kill all Westerners for they are the scum of the earth'. It's basically just a never ending fucking story just like the Bible. You just get one Muslim who takes a different view on the Quran, who then spreads his belief to other Muslims and the whole 'kill all Westerners' idea is widely believed.

Therefore, I believe, individuals fanatical beliefs are the root of all evil.