Oddbean new post about login | logout Saw an interesting vid, and towards the end it mentions religion being a means of control. Control towards what, though? Religion mostly says, "be "just" ppl & society will be more pleasant for you & everyone." This statment is a scientific FACT. To discount religion as just a means of control, is to undermine it's contribution towards the increased civility, society now enjoys. Interesting vid nonetheless; glad I saw it.
Religion has historically used fear as a means of control ie you sin you go to hell. Hell isnt even in the bible some my argue otherwise. There many more examples of this. Being kind to you neighbor is golden rule imo you dont need religion for that. All of the wars and crusades in the name of religion!!! Yeah not so good! But the devout will argue otherwise. I have faith but not blind devotion
You are right in the sense, that Some ppl don't need to be taught religion to be good ppl, but That is a tiny minority of the human race. Most ppl do need to be taught right from wrong/about religion in other to forgo their basic instincts. Till religion became more wide spread, ppl were basically eating eachother. Yeah there were wars in the name of religion, but there were wars that weren't about religion, even before religion was perpetuated. The difference being that, religion taught morality, while the other wars were just about acquisition of wealth :)