Re: God detrimental to society?
 

Um, guys, did you bother reading my entire post? I wasn't blasting science, I was making a point. That point was that blaming science for our actions is as silly as blaming religion. If you want, you can argue that puppies are the reason why we are so violent. I'm sure there is some sort of data out there that you can extrapolate anything from to attain results that meets your agenda, if you wish to do so.

Rome was a almost a completely secular society in function, to the point that their government and leaders became God-like. Yet they were one of the most violent and morally corrupt civilizations ever, promoting pedophilia, slavery, mortal combat for entertainment, extravagence, gluttony, promiscuity, etc. Did religion cause the downfall and horrific nature of their society or compel them to conquer civiliation after civilization from war to war to war? No. What drove them was pride, lust for power and greed. All of which are SINS in Christianity.

We should stop trying to BLAME things outside of our nature for violence, especially when the things that we are blaming actually keep us from committing violence if we actually FOLLOW THEIR TEACHINGS. Even if you believe that all religion is a creation of man and there is no God, and religion is the cause of violence, then religion is just reflection of that side of human nature and man itself is violent.

Either way, the author is foolish and publishing a scapegoat, not a solution or a genuine conclusion. Its such a simplistic and juvenile thesis.

Re: God detrimental to society?
 

But Rome wasnt Christian until Constantine.

Up until that Christians were the "underlings", they were sent into battles, and into the gladiator arenas for not swearing to things by the Roman Gods.


I'm pretty sure what drive them was the Roman Gods. The Gods told them that Power, and conquering all was the "only" way to truly worship them. The more power they have, and the more people Rome enslaved, the more people they could force to worship Roman Gods.

Re: God detrimental to society?
 

What does that have to do with anything I wrote? I was making a comparison of the teachings of popular Western religion, AKA Christianity, and secular Romanism. I wasn't talking about Christian Rome. Also, what Christian Rome did is not necessarily a reflection of the religion, as well as western violence today is not necessarily a reflection of religion.

I was arguing that a secular scoiety, which the author says is less violent than a religious one, can be horrifically violent and immoral. Thus disassembling his whole thesis, which isn't very hard to disassemble in the first place.

And why are you convinced that it was their Gods that drove them? Do you have any sources to back that up, because everything I've seen on the History channel and read points to the generals and emporers trying to CURRY THE FAVOR OF THE PEOPLE, NOT THE GODS. That is a secular society. You are letting your own personal views on religion, or lack there of, taint your objective mind.

And once again, if Religion is created by man, is it not then that man is to blame for the violence? Religious beliefs have evolved for thousands of years, and they have always evolved with societies beliefs in right and wrong. Morals and Religion have shaped each other over the years and are a reflection of the hearts of mankind. If man is violent, it is his fault, because his creation is what makes him violent. Do not blame the instrument, blame the creator and wielder of that instrument.