Religion is not the Problem: But is it the Answer...?

[Tigress DEM]

74. Yes, the Catholic Church became a powerful component in the world. Still is.

The Catholic Church and many others have done awful things when at times they were led by people who were either corrupted by power (the Medici's, Henry the IV - Church of England, Jim Baker, Jerry Follwell) or blinded by fanaticism ("Pat Robertson" All those who led the Crusades, the 9/11 terrorists, people who kill women because men found them easy to rape...) ok not just a religious thing, KB put a woman in a shipping container and she happened not to die after being raped and left for dead.

I'm not denying that the Church as an Institution can do damage, but it can also do good. Church and State need to be separate, but Church is like government in one way, it can be led by thoughtful and insightful leaders or corrupt, backward thinking ones.

Churches are being given an increasing burden of meeting the needs of the poor, not only for their own reasons, but because the wealthy refuse to be taxed to pay for services that would keep people from becoming homeless and/or starving. How many food shelves and other services for the poor are provided by Churches? Of course they need money to help the community.

You have NO IDEA how many people good and decent people are out there in churches. People of faith whose deep down belief that it is good and right to care about others, often placing their needs ahead of your own wants, sometimes even your own needs.

I know there are people who don't hold religious beliefs and also think that we must do the "right thing" or the "left thing" when it is needed and they give their lives to righteous because of their own moral compass. I can give credit where credit is due without dragging all the people who aren't/weren't religious that did/do heinous things in the name of science or power.

The crew performing Nazi experiments on people certainly weren't practicing Christians. But I DON'T do the THEM vs US thing and say stupid stuff like, "Hey, they were NON-Christians, called themselves scientists and they murdered people by the scores and took notes. Can't pin them on me, must be the way ALL scientists think." I wouldn't say that because it's not fair to blame anyone here for things others have done in the name of science.

Can you understand how unfair it is to group all Christians into one lump and blame them for every crazy thing done in "God's" name?

Most of us here on DU whether Christian, Jewish, Atheist, Hindu, Buddhist, Pagan or any type of Non-believer are basically reasonable folk for the most part. We have our pet peeves, our passion for certain causes but we believe in Democracy and doing something to make the world a better place.

I'd rather see us start there and actually get things done, than argue about what's wrong with churches or science when they go to extremes. Nuclear bombs and every other weapon wouldn't be available without scientists and their ilk willing to dance with the devil and take them from blackboard to manufacturing floor. Governments couldn't justify using all these weapons without the whole US vs THEM and they are evil mentality. So it's ALL connected and we ALL have some accountability. There is enough blame to go around, but the blame game is just a waste of time.




There is a little bit of good in the least of us...
And a little bit of bad in the best of us.

So it hardly behooves any of us...
To talk about the rest of us.