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tonyrey
Guest
Why are many of the worst atrocities committed in the name of God?
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pianistclare
Guest
Because that “justifies it” in some people’s minds.
“It’s not my idea…it’s God’s will. I’m just doing the work of God”.
Uh, No.
Sad, huh.
Peace.
“It’s not my idea…it’s God’s will. I’m just doing the work of God”.
Uh, No.
Sad, huh.
Peace.
F
Flopfoot
Guest
What else would motivate it?
Greed? But the spoils of war have to be shared among many and often most of the things you recover are broken as a result of the war anyway.
Revenge? In the time it takes to get your troops ready you’ve probably cooled off about whatever offended you.
Greed? But the spoils of war have to be shared among many and often most of the things you recover are broken as a result of the war anyway.
Revenge? In the time it takes to get your troops ready you’ve probably cooled off about whatever offended you.
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eightydeuce82
Guest
Please read the book On Killing gives you a pretty good idea of the human psyche in war and in killing.
Since we are not naturally inclined to kill,let me put that a different way we are designed with an aversion to killing other humans. this is built into the human person from the beginning and for us Catholics in our understanding is apart of the natural law. Since we are human we fight and we kill because of our fallen nature. Coping mechanisms are then used by us to alleviate some of the hesitation or mental blocks that naturally occur when presented with the necessity to kill someone else. For instance we dehumanize our enemies. Anyone that’s been in the military knows we begin calling our enemy by different names…i.e. Nip, Jap, Jerry, Charlie, etc…
This dehumanizes them in our minds and prevents or blocks us from realizing that he or she is a person, mother, father, son, a person with a name. This makes it easier to preform the task. Using God or in the name of God is another such tool and its used by people to justify and also to brainwash others into committing acts that naturally are unacceptable. Its also a cause in which people would be willing to enter into when otherwise they would not.
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tonyrey
Guest
What do you think leads them to that conclusion?Because that “justifies it” in some people’s minds.
“It’s not my idea…it’s God’s will. I’m just doing the work of God”.
Uh, No.
Sad, huh.
Peace.
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tonyrey
Guest
But why religion in particular?
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Flopfoot
Guest
Religion promises the greatest rewards
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SonOfMan
Guest
Because religion is a powerful political tool that influences millions of people. If you are the leader of a religious group, you can influence many people to carry out what you want to do, whether its good or bad.
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tonyrey
Guest
But surely religion is based on respect for others as persons?
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eightydeuce82
Guest
Many certainly are but some are not! Respect for other persons is apart of our natural character however we are fallen humans engulfed in sin and pride.
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tonyrey
Guest
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tonyrey
Guest
Which is linked to the dictum: *Corruptio optimi pessima *(The corruption of the best is the worst)!
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PumpkinCookie
Guest
I’m not sure that many of the world’s worst atrocities are committed in the name of God, but rather that many of them are perpetrated by those who have a false and arrogant confidence in their own “righteousness” or “truth.” The ancient Greeks recognized hubris as a dangerous moral failing, and I think excessive religious belief is a kind of hubris.
Skeptics and those who question their surroundings, the authorities, and most importantly, themselves, rarely go on killing sprees or whip up mobs into murderous frenzies. It seems like it is always those who are supremely self-confident and assured that they are the ones who possess the “fullness of truth” who are agitated to horrendous evil. The one who yells “she’s a witch!!” is more likely to set the blaze than the one who questions “is she a witch?” They’re both superstitious; it is the hubris that makes the difference.
Religious belief of certain varieties discourages self-doubt and the questioning of authority figures. However, many political, economic, and racial beliefs discourage self-doubt as well. Essentially, it isn’t only religious people who commit atrocities, but extraordinarily self-confident people who are convinced that they know the truth and exactly what they should do who are at greatest risk of alienating themselves from their own humanity enough to kill, imprison, and torture others without pause or remorse.
But even so, maybe I’m incorrect. Maybe self-confidence is warranted in certain cases if one has very special knowledge, I suppose if God himself appeared to me and gave me very specific instructions in front of thousands or millions of witnesses it would warrant the confidence many seem to have after a cursory reading of some sections of the bible!
Skeptics and those who question their surroundings, the authorities, and most importantly, themselves, rarely go on killing sprees or whip up mobs into murderous frenzies. It seems like it is always those who are supremely self-confident and assured that they are the ones who possess the “fullness of truth” who are agitated to horrendous evil. The one who yells “she’s a witch!!” is more likely to set the blaze than the one who questions “is she a witch?” They’re both superstitious; it is the hubris that makes the difference.
Religious belief of certain varieties discourages self-doubt and the questioning of authority figures. However, many political, economic, and racial beliefs discourage self-doubt as well. Essentially, it isn’t only religious people who commit atrocities, but extraordinarily self-confident people who are convinced that they know the truth and exactly what they should do who are at greatest risk of alienating themselves from their own humanity enough to kill, imprison, and torture others without pause or remorse.
But even so, maybe I’m incorrect. Maybe self-confidence is warranted in certain cases if one has very special knowledge, I suppose if God himself appeared to me and gave me very specific instructions in front of thousands or millions of witnesses it would warrant the confidence many seem to have after a cursory reading of some sections of the bible!
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johnjacob2004
Guest
James 2:18-20
“18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless”
“18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless”
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tonyrey
Guest
Any extreme ideology is vicious: Marxism, Capitalism, National Socialism, (Neo-)Darwinism, Behavourism, Scepticism, Materialism, Nihilism…
Scientists have advocated and encouraged such atrocities as lobotomy and sterilisation…
Like Hitler, Stalin and Mao Zedon in particular who was responsible for 45 million people being worked, starved and beaten to death.
They forget that the Bible is a collection of writings selected by the Church…
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