Why religion is fading in the West

[Yorktown]

126. You tend to confuse the holy texts and their interpretation.

Let's take the different elements of your answer by religion:

• Judaism: yes, the Torah is insane. And yes, it's only basically a violent land claim. However, from a doctrinal point of view, Judaism has decided that the Talmud somewhat takes precedence over the Torah. From then on, Judaism can pretty much do what it wants as the readings of the Talmud can say pretty much black or white on demand. So, doctrinally, it would be difficult to ascribe inherent violence to Judaism.

• Christianity: yes, the 'fathers' of the Reformation were nutjobs. What I personally see as the most unforgivable is the execution of Servetus. That execution alone should have sent Calvin to roast in hell if there was such a thing as hell. And Luther and his growing antisemitism and antirationalism was not a nice guy either. BUT even if it contains some wacko parts, the essence of the NT isn't too bad IF one assume that Yeshua only paid reverence to the Torah only so as to be heard.

• Islam: there is no escaping the fact that Islam is doctrinally more violent. As I stated above, both in foundational text (Quran) and in hagiography (hadiths, history of the 4 guided Caliphs). Yes, Sam Harris does tend to take an Americanocentric view of religion (and his origins are Jewish/Christian), I also radically disagree with Harris's statements about the use of torture (waterboarding), BUT he's dead on the money about Islam.

Harris used a funny image comparing sports and religions. Sports share the fact that sportsmen all breathe. Very little beyond that: if you hurt yourself playing badminton, you feel silly, if you hurt yourself while doing thai boxing, it's pretty much par for the course. Same for religions: hurt others in the name of Jainism, and you're out of that reliion. Hurt someone in the name of Islam (my quotes above), and you won the fast track to heaven. Not quite all religions are peaceful.