The most dangerous human invention...Drum roll

[jayem]

Nope, atheism. In terms of sheer scale and numbers, the atheistic communist countries of the world have been responsible for more deaths than anything else.

No one engages in mass murder in the name of atheism. It's done for political power and control by deranged megalomaniacs. But history is replete with murderous wars fought in the name of religion. Ever heard of the Cathars? (also known as Albignesians.) They were a French Christian sect in the 13th century. They had major doctrinal differences with the Catholic church. Which couldn't tolerate noncomformity, made war against them, and essentially wiped them out. At least 10,000 people died.

https://www.medievalchronicles.com/medieval-life/medieval-religion/albigensians/

Of course, we can't forget the European Catholic/Protestant wars of the 17th century. Christians fighting other Christians over religious differences. About 8,000,000 people died--not just in battle, but also from starvation, disease, and the general social upheaval of a war lasting 30 years.

I'll also mention the Taiping Rebellion. In the mid 19th century, Hong Xiuquan, a failed Chinese civil servant, became enamored with Christianity and got the notion that he was the son of God. (It may have resulted from an illness which affected his drain.) He attracted millions of followers in a sect he called the God Worshiping Society. He formed an army, and took over the city of Nanjing. Which he ruled as an iron-handed dictator for over 10 years. The Qing dynasty eventually took back the city. The final death toll on both sides is estimated at 20,000,000.

Taiping Rebellion

Non-Christian religions have plenty of blood on their hands, too. Thousands of people were killed when the Muslims conquered Constantinople in 1453. Who knows how many prisoners of war were sacrificed by the Aztecs to their sun god? My point is that all these atrocities weren't committed by atheists. They were done in the name of religion. That's why it's dangerous. Religion puts a veneer of righteousness on brutality. As Blaise Pascal said, men never do evil as cheerfully, or as completely, as when they do it from religious conviction.

BTW: My father got one of these as a WW2 souvenir. It's a Wehrmacht uniform belt buckle. The inscription is GOTT MIT UNS. God is with us.



Sorry for the long post.

 

[Yaaten]

No one engages in mass murder in the name of atheism.

Yes they do. Ever hear of the Militant Atheists League of the old USSR?

League of Militant Atheists - Wikipedia

As for the 'Nazi' belt buckle, the sentiment expressed on it pre-dates the rise of the National Socialists in Germany. It dates from at least 1871, and can be traced as far back as 1701.

 

[Hans Blaster]

(It may have resulted from an illness which affected his drain.)

Never let drainage issues go untended to.

 

[jayem]

Yes they do. Ever hear of the Militant Atheists League of the old USSR?

League of Militant Atheists - Wikipedia

As for the 'Nazi' belt buckle, the sentiment expressed on it pre-dates the rise of the National Socialists in Germany. It dates from at least 1871, and can be traced as far back as 1701.

So what? The point is that religion is used to cover and justify atrocities. Do you think the Holocaust would have occurred to the extent it did if the European Catholic and Protestant churches hadn’t taught for centuries that Jews were evil and responsible for Jesus’s death?

 

[AV1611VET]

The point is that religion is used to cover and justify atrocities.

All religion?

And if not, are they the exception to the rule?

 

[jayem]

All religion?

And if not, are they the exception to the rule?

Not all religions. Modern Christianity has largely grown out of it. (Though a case might be made that religion was a factor in the Serbian "ethnic cleansing" of Bosnia back in the 90s.)

The worst offender of the last 50 years is Islam.

 

[Landon Caeli]

No one engages in mass murder in the name of atheism. It's done for political power and control by deranged megalomaniacs. But history is replete with murderous wars fought in the name of religion. Ever heard of the Cathars? (also known as Albignesians.) They were a French Christian sect in the 13th century. They had major doctrinal differences with the Catholic church. Which couldn't tolerate noncomformity, made war against them, and essentially wiped them out. At least 10,000 people died.

https://www.medievalchronicles.com/medieval-life/medieval-religion/albigensians/

Of course, we can't forget the European Catholic/Protestant wars of the 17th century. Christians fighting other Christians over religious differences. About 8,000,000 people died--not just in battle, but also from starvation, disease, and the general social upheaval of a war lasting 30 years.

I'll also mention the Taiping Rebellion. In the mid 19th century, Hong Xiuquan, a failed Chinese civil servant, became enamored with Christianity and got the notion that he was the son of God. (It may have resulted from an illness which affected his drain.) He attracted millions of followers in a sect he called the God Worshiping Society. He formed an army, and took over the city of Nanjing. Which he ruled as an iron-handed dictator for over 10 years. The Qing dynasty eventually took back the city. The final death toll on both sides is estimated at 20,000,000.

Taiping Rebellion

Non-Christian religions have plenty of blood on their hands, too. Thousands of people were killed when the Muslims conquered Constantinople in 1453. Who knows how many prisoners of war were sacrificed by the Aztecs to their sun god? My point is that all these atrocities weren't committed by atheists. They were done in the name of religion. That's why it's dangerous. Religion puts a veneer of righteousness on brutality. As Blaise Pascal said, men never do evil as cheerfully, or as completely, as when they do it from religious conviction.

BTW: My father got one of these as a WW2 souvenir. It's a Wehrmacht uniform belt buckle. The inscription is GOTT MIT UNS. God is with us.

View attachment 320916

Sorry for the long post.

You concede that the atheists who have engaged in mass murder tend to be megalomaniac's behind it all... But what makes you think these same megalomaniac's won't seek any route to power including religiosity?

If you prefer to conclude that there's something inherent in religion, that causes wars and violence, then what exactly is that quality? And how does that quality differ than a desire for *power*?

 

[Landon Caeli]

Perhaps power is always the root cause of conflict. We saw it with Judas Iscariot right from the start wanting the power that money brings. And the scriptures go on, talking about "wolves in sheep's clothing" - more people bent on power.

...In fact, I could maintain a logical argument, that every single one of the seven deadly sins, revolves around "power", and are the fruits of one's lavishing in it.

 

[jayem]

If you prefer to conclude that there's something inherent in religion, that causes wars and violence, then what exactly is that quality? And how does that quality differ than a desire for *power*?

The difference is that most all religions invoke belief in gods--supernatural entities with powers far above human capabilities. Tyrants exploit these beliefs. It's much easier to convince a population to engage in war by claiming that an armed conflict is righteous. And that the gods will reward those who fight. Centuries ago, Crusaders were recruited by offering immediate remission of all their sins. The photo I posted of that German army belt buckle shows the Nazi's (many of whom despised Christianity) weren't above claiming that God was on their side. Even in today's world, I'm sure that the promise of eternal paradise is used to entice deeply religious Muslims to go on suicide missions.

BTW: Getting off-topic a bit. I can understand that a defensive military action may sometimes be an existential necessity. But is there really any such thing as a "holy" war?

 

[Trogdor the Burninator]

Tyrants exploit these beliefs. It's much easier to convince a population to engage in war by claiming that an armed conflict is righteous.

Not really. In just the last 100 years governments of varying persuasions have managed to convince people to turn in and murder their neighbours in the name of the state.