Why is there so much good done in the name of religion?

[Derek]

I notice a lot of atheists and even agnostics view religion for all the bad in it. Well is it surprising there's bad in it? Religion is a human institution. Of course there's bad people in it, of course people do bad things because of it.  But why do you think people do so much GOOD in the name of religion as well? Why is it that so many people who, for whatever reason, go through a very difficult time in their lives, and then are brought out of it by focusing on a religion? There's got to be SOMETHING there that religion provides that atheism/agnosticism can't/doesn't, why else would it be so popular?   Because epeople are afraid of punishment? Personally I think that is a very cynical view of religion.  Why think the glass is half empty?

Also, I often wonder, why point out the crusades, the inquisition, when one could just as easily point out communism, which is an atheist ideology (yes I know it is primarily political, but it is practically a religion, given the zeal so many people feel/have felt for it).

Now I don't know very much about any of these things, so I'll just let the more well read individuals of this website enlighten me.

[opus10no2]

As previously said, good done in the name of religion is fear of supernatural wrath during or after life.

Good done in the name of humanity is done because, by and large, it's good to be good.

Society has gotten where it has because of all the good in the world, and I can't help think that with time, there will only be more good.

With intelligence should come understanding, and understanding is really the only barrier that prevents the goodness from shining out in everyone.

[prometheus]

Because some people need a little encouragement.



Anyway, you are throwing a lot of different things on top of each other.



You seem to be quite confused about the religion-issue and you seem to try hard to find arguments that support religion.



Anyway, let me just repeat that no one does good because of religion. No one. They may do it in the name of religion, but that's something different.


Also, a lot of things that are viewed as goodness being done in the name of religion is actually not good at all. Look at mother Theresa. Contrary to myth she had little compassion.

Not many people actually know what she was doing.


Just let it go. There is no reason to struggle to be religious. Just be yourself. Just accept this world and your life as it is.

[opus10no2]

The argument that organised religion teaches morals, even if the theological element is flawed, is also flawed.

It generally DOES teach good morals, but they shouldn't be taught in order to, like I said, be fearful of a deity's wrath, they should be taught to fear the wrath of humans, and to value the simple art of making someone smile.

[opus10no2]

haha Interesting mother teresa reference there prometheus, what is it based on?

'Analyzing her deeds and achievements, John Paul II asked: "Where did Mother Teresa find the strength and perseverance to place herself completely at the service of others? She found it in prayer and in the silent contemplation of Jesus Christ, his Holy Face, his Sacred Heart."'

Woah, that's where I'm going wrong 

[ramseytheii]

I notice a lot of atheists and even agnostics view religion for all the bad in it. Well is it surprising there's bad in it? Religion is a human institution. Of course there's bad people in it, of course people do bad things because of it.  But why do you think people do so much GOOD in the name of religion as well? Why is it that so many people who, for whatever reason, go through a very difficult time in their lives, and then are brought out of it by focusing on a religion? There's got to be SOMETHING there that religion provides that atheism/agnosticism can't/doesn't, why else would it be so popular?   Because epeople are afraid of punishment? Personally I think that is a very cynical view of religion.  Why think the glass is half empty?

Also, I often wonder, why point out the crusades, the inquisition, when one could just as easily point out communism, which is an atheist ideology (yes I know it is primarily political, but it is practically a religion, given the zeal so many people feel/have felt for it).

Now I don't know very much about any of these things, so I'll just let the more well read individuals of this website enlighten me.

The problem here is blaming evil that arises from religion on individuals.  The evil is inherent in the religion, and 9/10 times someone does something destructive in the name of God, they have support from their holy book.  Yes, there is good in religion; but there is evil too, that does not originate from man any more than the good does.
The Bible clearly demonstrates that it is all right to kill when God says it is, but wrong when he says it isn't.  Certain murders were praised, and certain were condemned.  This still happens in religious instutitions today; as I said before, they are societies who consider themselves above all laws, including their own.  People can all too easily draw comparisons between today's situations, and ancient situations as described in the Bible or whatever holy book, and feel compelled to act in a destructive way, based on what God approved on record.

Walter Ramsey

[opus10no2]

god can suck my balls.

That's not an insult, I'm simply praising his omnipresent abilities.

[ramseytheii]

haha Interesting mother teresa reference there prometheus, what is it based on?

'Analyzing her deeds and achievements, John Paul II asked: "Where did Mother Teresa find the strength and perseverance to place herself completely at the service of others? She found it in prayer and in the silent contemplation of Jesus Christ, his Holy Face, his Sacred Heart."'

Woah, that's where I'm going wrong 

There's a terrific expose on Mother Teresa called "The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice."  The media deification of her has been so complete, that to suggest she was less than saintly is to risk utter ridicule and humiliation.  Here's a brief article about it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Missionary_Position_%28book%29

The article doesn't mention the bit about divorce.  Mother Teresa flew to Ireland to battle against the lifting of a state ban on divorce, but that same year, publicly congraulted Princess Diana on her divorce, and said she hoped her life would be better because of it.
Yet another example of the religious ordaining themselves over their own rules.

Walter Ramsey

[rimv2]

There's a terrific expose on Mother Teresa called "The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice."  The media deification of her has been so complete, that to suggest she was less than saintly is to risk utter ridicule and humiliation.  Here's a brief article about it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Missionary_Position_%28book%29

The article doesn't mention the bit about divorce.  Mother Teresa flew to Ireland to battle against the lifting of a state ban on divorce, but that same year, publicly congraulted Princess Diana on her divorce, and said she hoped her life would be better because of it.
Yet another example of the religious ordaining themselves over their own rules.

Walter Ramsey

We're all more religious that we think

https://dictionary.reference.com/browse/religion

[Derek]

Because some people need a little encouragement.



Anyway, you are throwing a lot of different things on top of each other.



You seem to be quite confused about the religion-issue and you seem to try hard to find arguments that support religion.



Anyway, let me just repeat that no one does good because of religion. No one. They may do it in the name of religion, but that's something different.


Also, a lot of things that are viewed as goodness being done in the name of religion is actually not good at all. Look at mother Theresa. Contrary to myth she had little compassion.

Not many people actually know what she was doing.


Just let it go. There is no reason to struggle to be religious. Just be yourself. Just accept this world and your life as it is.

Since we cannot know whether God exists or not, the only rational question one should ask oneself concerning faith is:

Will believing in God make me a better person?

The answer to this question may very well be no for a large number of people. But for whatever reason, maybe due to reading C.S. Lewis since a child, maybe due to genetics, who knows, I find it incredibly inspiring to believe in God, and it helps me be a better person.

I start conversations like these because I do like learning about philosophy and argument and so forth. However in terms of WHY I believe in God, there is absolutely no struggle. It inspires and augments me in many ways.

[prometheus]

Ok, but the question you asked in the 'What reason do you have for being good to others?' suggests a kind of different view.

So do you think god is the foundation of morality? Or do you believe religion helps people do what they think is good?



Anyway, it is clear that religion often allows good people to do bad things. Mother Theresa had a lot of energy to do what she believed was good. But her belief was that suffering was good because it would help people accept Christ and then go to heaven. Because of that maintaining suffering on the short term would reduce it on the long term.

If she didn't believe in religion she would still have all this energy but this time she would actually help the poor and the ill by reducing suffering instead of trying to convert them.