Believing in a diety or omnipresent figure is something that has been around since, according to some, before the beginning of time, and will continue to be widespread throughout the world no matter what. Over the years, wars have been fought in the name of religion. Whole countries have split apart over their form of ‘God’. In fact, religion has been the primary motive behind 11 of the world’s deadliest wars in history. Now, this is not to say that religion is a bad thing. Sometimes, believing in something higher or more powerful than yourself can be comforting and bring one courage. But I believe that religion does more harm than good not only in today’s world, but in the past as well.
Religion fosters the idea that we should all be one and the same and promotes herd thinking over having any individual thought. Sometimes people will even go so far as to put themselves deliberately in harm's way for the sake of the church. It creates divisiveness between groups of people the same way race and sexuality do; allowing groups to hate and hurt each other over their version of God or the Messiah. Believing in God and being a part of the church can give groups of people an identity, but this encourages worshippers to think that they are the insiders and others who don’t believe what they believe are the outsiders, and that those people are different, and different is wrong.
Religion also encourages individuals to ignore logic, reasoning, and sometimes even common sense. According to the US Library of Medicine, 55% of surgeons allow their religious beliefs to influence how they practice medicine. Not to mention the amount of people that turn down life saving medicine or operations because their religion is against it, no matter how dire the situation. It’s easier and more logical to believe in a hard, solid, scientific fact that can be proven than what is often referred to as “the man in the sky”. Once people have learned to accept things like God on faith without evidence, it can lead them to believe anything, or do awful things in the name of God.
When the Catholic Church first emerged from the Dark Ages, they began to encourage science. However, as science began to explain and bring reason to things that the church opposed, they tried to squash it, going so far as to try famous scientists like Galileo Galilei for heresy-- which is beliefs contrary to what was orthodox practice. Simply put, a complete 180. And what of the infamous Salem Witch Trials? Innocent women were hung or burned at the stake for things that science can explain, such as natural disasters, storms, and livestock diseases. They were believed to be the cause of these things and, therefore, devil worshippers and killed… in the name of God.
To end this post, I’d like to say that I respect any and all religious practices, no matter how devout you may be. I also do not think that belief in a higher power is a bad thing. My stance is that religion proves time and time again to do more harm than good. It starts wars, it allows for people to justify horrible deeds, it clouds judgement and logic, and so on and so forth. It is the primary factor behind so many of the greatest disasters of civilization and one of the biggest things that continues to tear people apart from one another.
Do you think religion does more harm than good? Why?
Do you think that religion has gotten more or less accepting as time goes on?
Do you think that people use religion to justify things that they shouldn’t?
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1490160/
https://soapboxie.com/social-issues/Does-Religion-Do-More-Harm-than-Good
Replies
Great topic choice, well written and super job overal Scarlett!
I think that religion does not do more harm than good because it teaches people respect and to be a good person. I think that religion has become a lot more accepting than it was a long time ago like 100 years ago. However I was not alive 100 years ago so I couldnt say, but if I had to guess I would say religion has become a lot more accepting. I think that people use religion to justify things in their life all the time however wether they are things they should or should not is debatable from person to person.
I don't think religion does more harm, because first of all everyone lives their religion in their own way that means everyone can have a different perspective of the same thing. For most people religion is a way of living and not only thinking. I think religion has been less accepted over the years because the new generations start to think differently and many years ago if you didn't believe in god it was seen as something really bad, but in actuality you can believe in whatever you want. I think that there are some people that use religion to justify their actions, sometimes in good ways and sometimes in bads. At the end it is everyone's decision to make something and if it is not correct or legal it should be punished no matter what it was based on.
I think that still for a lot of religious cultures around the world, if you don't believe in God or whoever the majority worships, you're not accepted by the culture or even potentially the general public. You really can't believe whatever you want.
I personally don't think that religion does more harm to the good overall, but in cases it can. Religions are like laws in certain ways. They suck you into believing their "laws". Every religion has different beliefs, different thoughts, and different rules. I think it can help a person in a very good way sometimes but not other times. I think that Religion has gotten less accepted because there are more rules or things you need to believe. Yes many people use their religion as an excuse or to justify things.
I agree that religions do have certain types of "laws" or rules you have to believe in in order to be a member of the church in an adequate way. I also think that, yes, religion can help people in positive ways and give people things to believe in.
I dont think it does more harm, people have there own belifes. Its there way of being themselfs. I think people have accepted others religions more because people are gonna do what they believe in and people just accept it. Somethimes i think people use there religion a bit to much on someone or something but i dont think they do it on purpose.
I think that religion may have gotten more accepting over time, but I still believe that in all each church is on a larger scale very unaccepting of other beliefs or ways of worship.
I don't think that religon does more harm. To blame horrible deeds on people who believe in God just doesn't make sense. Wether or not religion was around people would do bad things for other reasons to substitute it. Number on part of being christian is that we are all brothers and sisters and to prcatice kindness. Another phrase, WWJD, that christians follow to make better decisions. The bible is confusing and many people take it to literally which does go wrong. That's why I believe it needs to be talked about more on how to follow the bible within reason. Religion has had many flaws in the past and still does now. We have learned from it and I believe that if people who believe in God try to reach that common goal of kidness that religion is an amazing thing. You have to remember everyones path is different and sometimes they have to do things wrong before they do it right. So let people learn how to folow God the right way before you just blame it on the religion itself.
I don't mean to blame anything on religion, per say. It's more about what religion allows to happen, and it's not just one church, it's all of them. It's not like I'm saying, "This man killed this woman. Oh, he goes to church on Sundays? Then it must have been in the name of God." It's that people DO horrible things sometimes BECAUSE their religion allows for it or even tells them to, though this may be extremist on some ends. There are some people who use God to justify awful things, but there are also some people who do awful things because of God. You, unfortunately, cannot ignore this. People's religious values, from experience, are often set in stone, and some are just not willing to learn and "grow with the church". This can be partially to blame on the people, yes, but you cannot rebuke that the thing they believe in the first place has no fault in the matter either.
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