What’s the worst thing in religion?

[abaddon]

Some would say religion is a big problem among other big problems in the world. Some would say religion is the world’s biggest problem because it causes so many of the other problems. Some would say religion has problems in it, but those can be addressed without arguing for or hoping for the end of religion itself.

I was thinking of making a poll but then I realized the difficulty of breaking a rather nebulous topic, religion, into categories without raising questions about overlapping categories and what options I left out of the poll. So generally I'm hoping people will find a label or two to describe what is/are the major problem(s) with religion. Is it supernaturalism, authoritarianism, faith-based beliefs, indoctrination, it's anti-scientific, the shaming of people with "sin", or what else?

How would you label the one or two worst things in religion? And, if you want, add why the one or two worst things are the worst.

 

[none]

The parts that disparage non believers

 

[rousseau]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: religion isn't a problem, religion is a symptom, people are the problem.

 

[credoconsolans]

The arrogance, presumption and rudeness of proselytization.

 

[Valjean]

Faith -- belief without adequate cause.

 

[Underseer]

Thanks to evangelical missionaries, Africans are killing children for "witchcraft."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchcraft_accusations_against_children_in_Africa

An estimated thousand children have died, many by being burned alive.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/18/african-children-denounce_n_324943.html

Oh look, you can watch video of it!
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=cfd_1367882372

Seriously. I can't think of a single thing going on in the world of religion more disgusting, more savage, more inhuman than this.

Good job, Christianity!

Ugh. Sorry for my attitude, but this is so tragic and upsetting. Of course the people who are burning those children are not evil, nor are they choosing evil. They genuinely believe they are making the world a better place by doing what they are doing. The problem is that they believe something that is not true: that witchcraft is real. Once you accept that bad conclusion, it is not hard to imagine a whole slew of other bad conclusions based on that one. How do you identify a witch? How do you defend yourself from witchcraft? Once you accept that one bad conclusion, it is terrifyingly easy to imagine yourself making a bunch more bad decisions.

This is my biggest problem with religion. Faith is accepting conclusions with insufficient evidence. Once faith convinces you something is true, how can evidence or reason convince you that it is not true?

 

[DBT]

Faith. 'Gospels' and numerous 'Holy Books' ... narrative built upon oral tradition and hope for a Messiah, the Hero, the Savior, looking for signs and wonders within a natural progression of events and finding what is being sought for based on a foundation of faith. The smoke and mirrors of minds in denial of the reality of a vast and complex World.

 

[C_Mucius_Scaevola]

The assumption of certain knowledge. Once you're sure you "know", all other avenues of research are closed and no contradictory evidence is accepted, no other opinion is acceptable. It's from this that all the other evils flow.

 

[Tinker Grey]

Imperialistic tribalism.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

The communion wine. Who the fuck only gives you one sip of wine and then makes you wait until the end of service before you can go home and have some more? That shit is just cold.

 

[GenesisNemesis]

The disdain for non-believers.

 

[Kharakov]

So generally I'm hoping people will find a label or two to describe what is/are the major problem(s) with religion. Is it supernaturalism, authoritarianism, faith-based beliefs, indoctrination, it's anti-scientific, the shaming of people with "sin", or what else?

How would you label the one or two worst things in religion? And, if you want, add why the one or two worst things are the worst.

The conversations it starts. Maybe the jokes. Maybe the critical thinking that surrounds it?

What are the worst things about children?

 

[Underseer]

So generally I'm hoping people will find a label or two to describe what is/are the major problem(s) with religion. Is it supernaturalism, authoritarianism, faith-based beliefs, indoctrination, it's anti-scientific, the shaming of people with "sin", or what else?

How would you label the one or two worst things in religion? And, if you want, add why the one or two worst things are the worst.

The conversations it starts. Maybe the jokes. Maybe the critical thinking that surrounds it?

What are the worst things about children?

Am I understanding your statement correctly? Religion causes critical thinking?

 

[Kharakov]

A lot of thought structures have been built around critical analysis of religion.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

A lot of thought structures have been built around critical analysis of religion.

That's like saying murderers are great because they've done a lot to advance the field of forensic analysis.

Go Murderers! W00t!

 

[Underseer]

A lot of thought structures have been built around critical analysis of religion.

Wow, that's really stretching.

So because religion is so obviously awful, it deserves credit for critical thinking because of all the effort people had to put in to refuting all those brilliant theist arguments?

 

[Atheos]

I doubt even the most stalwart opponent of religion would argue that religion produces no redeeming by-products. I suppose the real question is whether or not the benefits of religion outweigh the cost. It is my considered opinion that they do not. There are other ways to accomplish the few positives that come from religion that would be more efficient if well thought out and organized. And as an added bonus nobody would have to be burned as a heretic or witch in the process. Holy wars would no longer be part of the equation and children wouldn't have to go hungry for no other reason than their parents imaginary friends are different from the imaginary friends of the folks with the food. Win, win.

 

[braces_for_impact]

I think to me, the worst of religion is the way it taps into tribalism and then reinforces itself with faith. Yes, it can foster incredible in-group cooperation, but at the expense of creating a hostility to the out-group.

People often say extremism or ideology is what causes the problems, but in my opinion nothing has that just right toxic mix that religion brings to the party. Sure, people can get worked up and kill over secular ideologies, but ideology eventually has to put out the goods it promises or the people will stop supporting it. Not so with religion. It taps into the worst parts of humanity, and it never needs to deliver the goods because faith has people convinced that it provides the goods when it actually doesn't, or will provide them at a later time after one is dead. There's no real world checks and balances for religion like there is for everything else.

 

[PyramidHead]

Worship.

Faith is a factual error, a problem for epistemology and critical thinking. The act of worship is worse, because it implies a total blindness to reality that would persist even if the object of their worship were proven to exist. It's bad enough to believe in some all-powerful creator without much evidence, but given that dubious premise, it seems an additional justification is needed to explain why anybody should praise this being. Yet, to my knowledge, there are few religions that posit an omnipotent creator and take the next logical step: acknowledge that by any standard of decency, this entity must be either malevolent, negligent, or indifferent.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

It glorifies ignorance, thereby causing great harm. In short it is a license to commit crime.