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[Yobor]

Originally posted by plague@Feb 7 2006, 04:44 PM
Religion is ok, it hasn't killed anybody. People are just stupid when they use religion as a reason for completely pointless wars.

Ahh, but you contradict yourself. Religion HAS killed people.

[Sebatianos]

Religion itself can not kill people. It's an abstract thought incapable of inflicting fatal damage to a person.

Certain people who twisted religion (or followed it blindly) have caused many death.

[iepeulas]

There are good things about religion.

Religion is a very efficient vehicle for introducing "values" and "morality", especially to children. It serves as a deterrent, similar to laws and prisons.

Lets say a dictator wakes up one morning. He thinks to himself, "Well, I wonder what would happen if I mass murdered my citizens...."

If his religion prohibits the shedding of innocent blood, the citizens will be spared. If he's not so religous, he may think "Well hell, lets kill some people, it could be fun, and who is goin to stop me..."

Then again, he may be a religious fanatic and think, "Lets go kill people because God told me to..."

I think people who perscribe to a non fanatical religion often have a very concrete view of what is right and wrong, where as people who are not bound by a religions belief will be more likely to "bend" the rules of what is right or wrong.

Before I get flamed, notice that I did not speak in absolute terms, there are always exceptions. The key is moderation in all things, don't let religion, or lack there of, cloud your common sense.

Oh, and religion dosen't kill people, armed fanatics do. :Titan:


Now for my thoughts on the muslim/cartoon thing. The unrest caused by the cartoon has proved one thing. Many people in the muslim world are not ready to embrace basic human rights such as free speech. Tolerance is the key to peace. Until people can control their anger, and realize that all people are entitled to their opinions, there will never be peace. It brakes my heart that one of the oldest civilizations is so prone to violence, and unable to evolve beoynd playground fights with automatic weapons and I.E.D's.

[Sebatianos]

Originally posted by iepeulas@Feb 8 2006, 10:22 AM
Lets say a dictator wakes up one morning. He thinks to himself, "Well, I wonder what would happen if I mass murdered my citizens...."

And why on Earth would we say such a thing? Let's not say it, because it can never be possible, nor would religion be the thing that would prevent this imaginary dictator from killing citizens.