Nick Nicholson wrote:
Religions were not the relevant issue. The issue was revolution against the too rich that resulted from uncontrolled capitalism, and churches were another competitor for the money. Had absolutely nothing to do with athiesm. Had everything to do with the type of government tump is trying to arrange in America. Churches murdered millions and still are murdering people over religious issues.
Do you blame the plank or the nail? Since the nail attaches to the plank, to establish a deck, which do you blame the nail or the plank? Further thought is the wax, that is applied to the nail and plank at fault?
Religions provide hope to the people. It provides temperance, wisdom, and discipline. There are other virtues as fruits of its labor. But if one school of thought emphasizes a specific point where the other school of though is against it, then there will always be debate on how it's supposed to be. But that's critical thinking, where the answer is told in the fruits of the labor after the decision is made. Anything goes.
Now with that being said, more people were killed not because of religious issues or even in the name of religion, but more people were killed due to the seven deadly sins. Anger, greed, lust, and pride are the reasons people are killed and it transcends religious teaching. Because if the system is not self governing, then someone had to control it.
Self-government is more open to a new way of doing the same thing, and based upon the person. The seven deadly sins will either destroy or be destroyed by self governance.
Knowing this principle gains a great trust. Politics, religion, and philosophy, all are used to stand for or against, custom or tradition. Religion teaches self-government, politics seek control, and freedom destroys that control.
Freedom enhances self-government and Carl Marx, showed that full government control is best. A free society can't be trusted, therefore the people are enslaved to the government. But America in its history alone has proved that to be wrong.
America gained its prosperity alone, where communism needed a starting point. Force was required to keep the nation together for communist regimes, but America did it willingly and maintained freedom. There's the difference which makes religion a non issue. Atheism is forced, where Jewish, Christian, and incidently Muslim are chosen not forced. This is how it is today, but in the past that wasn't so.
These three religious groups helped humanity to understand humanity in the nature of human society. Even now freedom and self-government is more powerful than any form of governance.
Each form of slavery, from socialism, to communism, to monarchy, proves to be wrong. Human beings can't grow under these systems.
Humans only become wise and prosperous only if they are disciplined from self over others. Prosperity comes with such disciple which incidently religion teaches. And now I've come full circle.
I cannot agree with.your post, blaming religion as the reason for countless murders since the murders are committed because the reason for the murders done in the name of religion, are due to one, if not multiple, of the seven deadly sins.
St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St Jerome all agree this to be true, and it transcends Christianity into all human religions.
Therefore, if the excuse to murder is God made me do it, no longer applies.