If you believe that religion is the cause of most of the suffering in the world, you are deluded. Getting rid of religion will NOT reduce the amount of conflict and war on this planet either.
You know, they tried to stamp out religion in China, and you know how many people they killed. They tried to stamp out Christianity in Japan. Do you know how many Christians were ironically crucified in Japan? Money and power will always drive war and violence in people. Don't fool yourself about religion being the "cause of all evil"...
Oh I agree religion is not the main cause but I would dare say it ranks right up there with money and power. Well let me restate that, the extermist religious rank up there. And if anyone knows anything about history they would know that pretty much all religions at one point in time (and some continuous) have been extreme in death and destruction.
"People wanted an explanation for what happened" . . . how appropriate, and how ironic, that they turned to religion - the source of the problem. However, all children grow up, and within humanity, some of us are now doing so. Our superstitious childhood as a species is not yet behind us, but the adulthood of humanism is slowly growing.
Religion has stimulated people to do good things because they have god judging. There are plenty of secular organizations doing just as much good in the world. Religion is an UNNECESSARY, divisive and destructive force based on invisible gods with no evidence for their existence. Most people, will realize their sense of morality would have been there regardless of religion or not. When are we going to "come of age" in our collective consciousness and realize it's okay to not know the answers?
It is ironic thatin some places(e.g.Balkans)the thorough knowledge and the practicing of religion is associated with hatred and destruction(ex.Yugoslavia)while at some other places poor religious practice is associated with an unprecedented religious tolerance (Albanian-inhabited places).Interesting.
As I recall, the Qu'ran states "It is foolish for those who have knowledge to continue to seek it." While Islamic civilization did enjoy a period of science(Moorish Spain), it was a relatively brief history.
I have never met Muslims who, for instance, study things like paleontological fossil records or zoology. If it is not knowledge that is in service to Islam then it has no merits.
I find it a rather strange contention that the greatest scientific minds belong to muslims, no doubt many are but your statement sounds like thinly disguised arrogance of the like that is most problematic with religion in general ie: "my religion is the only truth". If you begin with that assertion how can you apply the scientific method with any sense of objectivity?
It is certainly true that Islamic civilization has contributed much to science, particularly in the area of mathematics, but there will be a point though where Islam's dogma will be in conflict with evidence...that will be the point where religious doctrine will be chosen over the evidence.
He says the religion blocked science, now that refers to christianity. Islam, on the other hand, promoted science and history can prove that the first universities sprung from arabia and the greatest scientific minds belong to muslims. That is because Islam teaches both men and women to seek knowledge as far as China.
I read the entire Qur'an, which does indeed teach men and women to seek knowledge, but it's knowledge limited to the parameters of Allah. Much like those universities founded by the Catholic Church, pedantic places that didn't allow any inquiry beyond its dogmas.
The early years of Muslim scholarship and learning were IN SPITE of Islam, not because of it.
you ar wrong my friend, islam teaches all to seek knowledge. what do you mean limited to the parameters of Allah, according to the Quran Allah created everything so does that then mean we should gain knowledge of everything? Yes sir.
We can thank the early scholars of Islam for rescueing the works of classical antiquity from the ravages of the Catholic Church. However, as leading experts on Islam have laid out, the achievements of early Islam were always where temporal power was weak. Islam is wholly totalitarian in nature. Its Holy Book emphasizes obedience to authority, in mind and deed, over the fulfillment of the individual. And this is why the Islamic world is stuck in the middle ages.
Not much different from the Catholic Church, which established major universities, but knowledge went only insofar that Church dogma was not subverted.
Religion serves a very useful purpose. It offers comfort to billions around the world. For many it is difficult to 'unlearn' a religious view of the world, but I don't believe that intelligence and religious beliefs correlate. American society is 75% Christian, and there is deep mistrust of 'non-believers'. I agree with booster744, name calling really does not strengthen anyone's argument. Watch the Richard Dawkins videos, very intelligent and well articulated discussion of 'The God Delusion'.
The fact that religion offers comfort to billions of people is precisely why it is so dangerous. It's an illusory comfort, a testimony to the weakness of human beings in facing the perils of life.
Ok, I take it all back. Apparently meta-analysis of 42 studies show that 38 of them conclude that IQ or levels of education do correlate with levels of atheism. Basically clever people ARE more likely to be atheist. So I guess I was wrong.
Dlomas, Your rambling mess of a commentary does little to promote your point of view, and your name-calling should be readily applied to someone of your own character, I believe Prof. Kurtz's position is that religion can be both destructive and beneficial depending on how it is manipulated by those who hold the reigns of power...
I love the ominous soundtrack.
If you believe that religion is the cause of most of the suffering in the world, you are deluded. Getting rid of religion will NOT reduce the amount of conflict and war on this planet either.
Outsider451 4 years ago
"Getting rid of religion will NOT reduce the amount of conflict and war on this planet either."
Wow you can say that for a fact? Man please give me next week's lotto numbers!
netwolf 4 years ago 3
You know, they tried to stamp out religion in China, and you know how many people they killed. They tried to stamp out Christianity in Japan. Do you know how many Christians were ironically crucified in Japan? Money and power will always drive war and violence in people. Don't fool yourself about religion being the "cause of all evil"...
InternationalGreg 4 years ago
Oh I agree religion is not the main cause but I would dare say it ranks right up there with money and power. Well let me restate that, the extermist religious rank up there. And if anyone knows anything about history they would know that pretty much all religions at one point in time (and some continuous) have been extreme in death and destruction.
netwolf 4 years ago
open your eyes outsider. Don't Argue that blindly kiddy.
errrzarrr 3 years ago
"People wanted an explanation for what happened" . . . how appropriate, and how ironic, that they turned to religion - the source of the problem. However, all children grow up, and within humanity, some of us are now doing so. Our superstitious childhood as a species is not yet behind us, but the adulthood of humanism is slowly growing.
seathanaich 4 years ago
Religion has stimulated people to do good things because they have god judging. There are plenty of secular organizations doing just as much good in the world. Religion is an UNNECESSARY, divisive and destructive force based on invisible gods with no evidence for their existence. Most people, will realize their sense of morality would have been there regardless of religion or not. When are we going to "come of age" in our collective consciousness and realize it's okay to not know the answers?
vindog34 4 years ago
I met Kurtz once. One hell of a man.
bjarczyk 4 years ago
It is ironic thatin some places(e.g.Balkans)the thorough knowledge and the practicing of religion is associated with hatred and destruction(ex.Yugoslavia)while at some other places poor religious practice is associated with an unprecedented religious tolerance (Albanian-inhabited places).Interesting.
CLEMENTGUARDIAN 4 years ago
As I recall, the Qu'ran states "It is foolish for those who have knowledge to continue to seek it." While Islamic civilization did enjoy a period of science(Moorish Spain), it was a relatively brief history.
I have never met Muslims who, for instance, study things like paleontological fossil records or zoology. If it is not knowledge that is in service to Islam then it has no merits.
Fudgeya 5 years ago
I find it a rather strange contention that the greatest scientific minds belong to muslims, no doubt many are but your statement sounds like thinly disguised arrogance of the like that is most problematic with religion in general ie: "my religion is the only truth". If you begin with that assertion how can you apply the scientific method with any sense of objectivity?
booster744 5 years ago
It's a curious fact that virtually all the fruits of scientific inquiry that the Muslim world enjoys comes from the west.
BeatBuddy 5 years ago
It is certainly true that Islamic civilization has contributed much to science, particularly in the area of mathematics, but there will be a point though where Islam's dogma will be in conflict with evidence...that will be the point where religious doctrine will be chosen over the evidence.
booster744 5 years ago
He says the religion blocked science, now that refers to christianity. Islam, on the other hand, promoted science and history can prove that the first universities sprung from arabia and the greatest scientific minds belong to muslims. That is because Islam teaches both men and women to seek knowledge as far as China.
liquiduser 5 years ago
I read the entire Qur'an, which does indeed teach men and women to seek knowledge, but it's knowledge limited to the parameters of Allah. Much like those universities founded by the Catholic Church, pedantic places that didn't allow any inquiry beyond its dogmas.
The early years of Muslim scholarship and learning were IN SPITE of Islam, not because of it.
BeatBuddy 5 years ago
you ar wrong my friend, islam teaches all to seek knowledge. what do you mean limited to the parameters of Allah, according to the Quran Allah created everything so does that then mean we should gain knowledge of everything? Yes sir.
liquiduser 5 years ago
We can thank the early scholars of Islam for rescueing the works of classical antiquity from the ravages of the Catholic Church. However, as leading experts on Islam have laid out, the achievements of early Islam were always where temporal power was weak. Islam is wholly totalitarian in nature. Its Holy Book emphasizes obedience to authority, in mind and deed, over the fulfillment of the individual. And this is why the Islamic world is stuck in the middle ages.
BeatBuddy 5 years ago
Not much different from the Catholic Church, which established major universities, but knowledge went only insofar that Church dogma was not subverted.
BeatBuddy 5 years ago
Religion serves a very useful purpose. It offers comfort to billions around the world. For many it is difficult to 'unlearn' a religious view of the world, but I don't believe that intelligence and religious beliefs correlate. American society is 75% Christian, and there is deep mistrust of 'non-believers'. I agree with booster744, name calling really does not strengthen anyone's argument. Watch the Richard Dawkins videos, very intelligent and well articulated discussion of 'The God Delusion'.
mandrewsvideos 5 years ago
The fact that religion offers comfort to billions of people is precisely why it is so dangerous. It's an illusory comfort, a testimony to the weakness of human beings in facing the perils of life.
BeatBuddy 5 years ago
Ok, I take it all back. Apparently meta-analysis of 42 studies show that 38 of them conclude that IQ or levels of education do correlate with levels of atheism. Basically clever people ARE more likely to be atheist. So I guess I was wrong.
mandrewsvideos 5 years ago
That somehow explains why churches, all around the world, historically want more blinded ignorant masses of people.
errrzarrr 3 years ago
YEah, that comfort is like a drug, like a opium.
errrzarrr 3 years ago
Dlomas, Your rambling mess of a commentary does little to promote your point of view, and your name-calling should be readily applied to someone of your own character, I believe Prof. Kurtz's position is that religion can be both destructive and beneficial depending on how it is manipulated by those who hold the reigns of power...
booster744 5 years ago
It is the trout mouth religious haters, such as the likes of that dark creature, that cause the wars, persecution, and murder!What an asshole!
dlomas12345 5 years ago
That assohole is the pinnacle of rational thought. Read his articles in Free Inquiry and you gain nothing but respect for the man.
BeatBuddy 5 years ago
I see the perspective, yeah! He associates religion with armies and murder. Ignoramus!
Yet he fought for his government and country?
Or was he apart of the a "local baptise army"?lol
Murders, liars and dictators are dangerious, not your local church! That guy has his own agenda!
dlomas12345 5 years ago
The video begins with the words, "I don't deny that religion has positive contributions..." x_X
TrueIntentions 5 years ago