Quote from: SiL on Sep 26, 2013, 05:51:06 AM
Quote from: maledoro on Sep 26, 2013, 01:28:09 AM
I already addressed that in response to Eva's comment. Using that logic, you (and Eva) are saying that it's okay to keep piling on reasons to kill.
Then, using your logic, why stop at saying religion is bad because it gives people more reason to kill? We should engage in no activity, creative or scientific, social or political, which could conceivably, at a later date, be used as justification to murder someone else.
I realize this may sound cold to people who put a lot of value in emotions, but I look at this as a cost/benefit analysis.
Yes, people can use a Government as a catalyst for atrocities. But what we gain from a well utilized Government is worth minimizing the chances of it's misuse/abuse. There is far more to gain from making a good/functional Governemt then simply removing it because there are examples of bad Governments.
And yes, people use Science as a catalyst for atrocities, or more often a tool for atrocities spawned by other things. The nuke for example was created with science, but not for the sake of discovery/knowledge. It was a tool utilized for war. White Supremacists like to use Eugenics to prove that the Caucasian race is somehow superior, or to propose methods of genetic purity control. Yet what we gain from the scientific method and it's proper applications is literally the rise of humanity out of the muck of beasthood.
What does organized, and even personal Religion do? What is the benefit that justifies the ritualistic stifling of critical thinking? Name for me a single beneficial thing that can only be provided by Religion?
Name one. I've yet to receive a satisfactory answer to this.