Quote:
|
There are religions worshipping Satan and other "evil" powers (definition of evil in this case being that which is taken as evil or wrong by society). but I do hope most of you agree with me when I say that "Satanism is bad"
|
To be fair, Satanism isn't about worshipping an evil power. They just interpret the Bible differently than others, and are generally good people. Satanism is in fact more about respecting and "worshipping" the self. Of course, just like Christians, some "Satanists" misinterpret the teachings-or, should I say, just have their own interpretation that the majority wouldn't agree with. Besides, there's so many types of Satanism.. what do you think of LaVeyan Satanists?
Consider that more people have been killed in the name of God than in the name of Satan.
*cough*
Why do you say that Satanism is inherently "bad"?
Quote:
|
I've heard this often, but I've never seen it backed up. Certainly Religion wasn't the cause of the American Revolution, nor was it the cause of the War of 1812, the Civil War, the Spanish American War, the Mexican Amercian war, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, or Desert Storm
|
Before I say anything else, consider that all the wars you cited are American and that there are wars constantly going on throughout the world that we rarely hear about in the mainstream media or even in schools.
So, besides those wars, there were many others that most DEFINITELY were caused by religion... among the more well-known... the French Wars of Religion; the Second Sino-Japanese War; the First through Seventh Wars; the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre; the Thirty Year War; the Wars of the League; the Saxon Wars, etc. etc.
And of course, the Crusades should probably be mentioned... and what about inquisitions? What about current conflicts such as between Palestine/Israel? There are many wars being fought this day in the name of religion.
Even when religion isn't the motivating factor for war, religion often has a place... the Pope would send his blessings to the commanders, and even bless battleships. (of course, ALL religions often play a part, but this is just an example).
You could even argue that religion is the source of all war, because people go to war based on their morals...
So, no, your teachers aren't trying to force an Atheist agenda on everyone. Religion has certainly be the source of MANY, many wars, and many, many deaths.
But religion isn't inherently bad... almost always, it's people that twist its message for their own desires, or cherry pick certain passages.
Quote:
|
Elsewhere, there was indeed a religious component to the Crusades, but I submit that religion was more of an excuse, just as religion is an excuse in the middle east today (the fighting there has never ceased even from a time before there was a Jewish religion), and in Northern Ireland (the English and Irish were fighting from a time before Christianity was brought to the British Isles).
|
Even so, is that not just as troubling? I wouldn't say an excuse so much as JUSTIFICATION. Without religion, how would it have been justified to the people? What would they have done without religion? Certainly religion hasn't DETERED war...
Quote:
|
Do you agree that without religion, those killings would still have occurred?
|
No, I don't. Certainly some would have, but not all (or perhaps even most). Religion provided moral justification, and without it, what reason would they have had? If it's "for God" or "by His will," and therefore for morally just reasons, it makes it that much easier and that much more likely. Just as if Bush had said "We're going to war with Iraq for oil!" that never would have flied, but he justified it by telling the people it was being done for good.. hell, some have even justified it with religion. With religious justification, there is also unquestioned obedience... at least with other forms, it can be logically challenged by people rather than blindly followed.