During my lifetime I have seen and heard of much evil committed in the name of religion.
From the child brides of Short Creek to the mass murder and suicide in Jonesville. An I continually ask the question Why do human beings go for it?
I think that it is because we have been indoctrinated since childhood into believing that there was a pre mortal existence, a mortal existence, and a post mortal existence. Two of the three are unprovable
If I can convince you that I can control what happens to you in the post mortal existence then it is probable that I can get you to do anything that I tell you during this existence.
Also if I can point to your misfortunes and convince you that a specific group or culture is responsible then I can incite you anger against that group or culture to the point when, at my command, you will indiscriminately murder them.
This has happened more than once in the history of the world. A few examples would be the Spanish inquisition, Brigham young and his Danites, Adolph Hitler and his gestapo to name a few.

You are correct on both counts. According to an NPR story that aired in 2010 or 2011 (I can't remember now), the creation of religion was in fact used to control the behaviors of members of a particular human group. As the NPR story noted, there were no police in the history of early humans so early leaders found it useful to threaten those who didn't go along with them with revenge in the hereafter.

With regard to the scapegoating of different tribes, the BBC is reporting this morning that Etheopian soldiers and police have been exterminating members of the Tigrean tribe living in the province of Tigre. Since the press were not let in to report on what was happening in that province, the evidence is only now surfacing as both bodies and survivors have been showing up in Sudan which borders the province on the west.

Ultimately, I suspect that human beings are animals that are very superstitious and tribalistic and whose leadership appears to be largely incapable of self-reflection and the admission of both counselling and encouraging destructive behaviors towards other human beings deemed to be not part of their tribe.

It's a small step from state sponsored religion to state sponsored terrorism.

Isn't Christianity state sponsored? Emperor Constantine was pretty much the state.

MMM ?

If you believe in Harvey, a 6 foot tall invisible rabbit you are deemed crazy.

If you believe in Jesus, Noah, Abraham and so much religion - a vast cauldron of fairy tales and outright lies - you are all right and a good person?

Religion is "Safety in Numbers". You have to pick the popular belief because believing the same as everyone else is what lets you claim to be sane. Numbers are THE proof you are right.

50/50 is the worst number because it makes it impossible to tell who is right, dammit.

"Mormonism isn't a cult. Cults don't have 15 million followers!" And that is why they cling to the lie, "fastest growing church". That gives them credibility and they know they need to find some somewhere, cuz, numbers-wise, things are tough. So built temples by the dozen. Numbers. Get those missionaries out by the thousands to be seen. Numbers.

"You've been hoodwinked, baby!" - Boingo

Tell us what the bible says about abortion.

One and the same in my mind.

thedesertrat1 Wrote:
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> If I can convince you that I can control what
> happens to you in the post mortal existence then
> it is probable that I can get you to do anything
> that I tell you during this existence.

At least you included the word "probable." Good for you. Jumping from religion to Hitler is a leap of faith. Literally.

I would have thought this rather hyperbolic, but religion is the opium of empire. It's a tool of empire. That’s why it's not taxed. Religion gives white supremacy legitimacy so it can commit unspeakable atrocities abroad.

The Christianity of Trump and the Christianity of Biden are the pipe dreams of crack heads. Bedtime stories for the masses. You think an enlightened being came here 2000 years ago to start this stupendous mess? He would have known better.

A god born asexually as an asexual man took the form of their own image to be convicted of crimes and receive a capital sentence for us.

No thanks.

Elder Berry Wrote:
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> A god born asexually as an asexual man took the
> form of their own image to be convicted of crimes
> and receive a capital sentence for us.
>
> No thanks.

His version of "suicide by cop"?

Being God is like "Groundhog Day".

So maybe we should thank George Washington for leading his Taliban against King George to give us "religious freedom", which curiously seems more like a life sentence.

I read a saying once but can't remember who said it. Some of you might. It goes something like this:

Good men will generally do good things, bad men will generally do bad things, but to get bad men to do good things and to get good men to do bad things requires religion.

Gordan B always said the mission was to make bad men good and good men better - he left out how "good men" lie for Lord etc.

No one mentioned the middle east and religion. Religion works really well in this part of the world. No evil in Syria, Beruit, Isreal, Afganistan etc...

squirrely Wrote:
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> Gordan B always said the mission was to make bad
> men good and good men better - he left out how
> "good men" lie for Lord etc.
I give reference to lying for the Lord.
THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS
AKA Don't LIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I see religion as being a deeply human endeavor, in which the best and worst of humanity, and everything in between, is manifested.

Not to mention all the child abuse enabled by abusive religions like the one we inherited, unfortunately, which still, to this day, forces kids to sing the praises of a serial rapist.