This article is for those who say we need religion to control the masses. They claim that without fear of eternal life in hell, people will run amok - stealing, raping and killing. But... what about wars?
Let's look at WARS. Why do we have wars? Religion is the age-old justification for wars of all types as you will see in the examples below. Millions have died in wars fighting for their "sacred beliefs" or "sacred ground". Far more have died, we believe, than if religion did not exist and some people did 'run amok'. What actually deters people from stealing, raping and killing? It is ethical behavior that is derived by years of education. It is also the laws of the country. And, it is people's general aversion to doing bad things to other people. It is not religion! Below, you will find brief descriptions of wars in the name of religion.
World War II - Hitler
Some claim that Hitler was an atheist and point to his actions in criticizing atheism. However, this is nonsense! Hitler was born and bred a Catholic, he grew up in a religion and in a culture that was anti-semitic. He was motivated by a desire to purge the earth of the evil Jews and set out to 'cleanse' the world of Jews in his 'final solution'.. In Mein Kampf, he states, "Therefore, I am convinced that I am acting as the agent of our Creator. By fighting off the Jews, I am doing the Lord's work." Again, in a Nazi Christmas celebration in 1926, Hitler stated: "Christ was the greatest early fighter in the battle against the world enemy, the Jews . . . The work that Christ started but could not finish, I--Adolf Hitler--will conclude." In a Reichstag speech in 1938, Hitler again confirmed the religious origins of his crusade, "I believe today that I am acting in the sense of the Almighty Creator. By warding off the Jews, I am fighting for the Lord's work." He was a Catholic until his death. Hitler discussed his Catholocism with many including Gerhard Engel, one of his generals, in 1941. He told Engle, "I am now as before a Catholic and will always remain so," he told . Hitler was nearly assassinated in Munich in November, 1939. His response: "Now I am completely content. The fact that I left the Burgerbraukeller earlier than usual is a corroboration of Providence's intention to let me reach my goal." The Pope also sent his special personal congratulations! Later the Pope was to publicly describe Hitler's opposition to Russia as a "high-minded gallantry in defense of the foundation of Christian culture." Several German bishops openly supported Hitler's invasion of Russia, calling it a "European crusade." Other religious victims of Hitler's wrath were in Yugoslavia, where Hitler installed a Croatian, Ante Pavelic, as his puppet, and Pavelic, a Catholic like Hitler, began extermination of the Serbs, who were Greek Orthodox. [1]
Dachau Gas Chambers [2]
Mideast
Jews and Muslims are slaughtering each other over religion. They are fighting for 'their' sacred ground. They kill in the name of God or Allah and according to the scriptures. They fight against the 'great satan' which is America. See our article on "Origins of Christianity, Islam & Judaism" for more on the irony of this never-ending religious war.
World Trade Center |
Palestinian Suicide Bombing |
Israel Shells Nablus |
Ireland
Protestants and Catholics are slaughtering each other over religion.
Burned
out car in Belfast
Serbia/Croatia
Catholic Croats and Orthodox Christian Serbs slaughtered each other over religion while both slaughtered the Bosnian Muslims over religion.
India
Hindus
slaughter Muslims and Sikhs slaughter Hindus over religion.
Pakistan
Sunni
Muslims and Shite Muslims slaughter each other over religion.
Algeria
Crusaders
for God hack to death thousands and cut off their heads over religion.
Europe
- Crusades and Inquisitions
Christianity
spread across Europe and butchered or burned Muslims, Jews and Protestants
- over religion. "Nulla salus extra ecclesium" ("Outside the Church
there is no salvation.") It was "open season" on those who taught
any doctrine other than that which the Pope allowed and this made such
people enemies of the Catholic Church. How does this sound?...
"Neca eos omnes. Deus suos agnoset" or "Kill them
all. God will know His own." answer from Arnaud-Armaury, the
Abbot of Citeaux in the 1200's as to how to identify the heretics.
All 20,000 residents of the town were slaughtered.
Americas
In
the New World, Christian missionaries slaughtered and butchered the Aztecs,
Incas and Mayas and destroyed their 'sacred' temples over religion.
Moses
This
man was a killing machine! Again, the killing was over religion,
directed by God and carried out in God's name.
References:
1 "Hitler's Religion" from the book Lead Us Not Into Penn Station, by Anne Nicol Gaylor, 1983.
2 "The Dachau Gas Chambers", an essay by Harry W. Mazal OBE, The Holocaust History Project
[Created: 10/06/2002]
[Last Update: n/a]