Why Do People Hate Religion In General?

[Sir Winston Churchill]

Ok, actually this question is two parts:

1. Why are people so against the teaching of religion is public schools? Now before you say "Because religion isn't based on facts and doesn't belong in a place where you're taught facts!" hear me out.

Religion is a part of history, culture, and is a very important part of modern life. So why not teach about it in public schools? No biases, with all religions being covered, and simply teaching students about it. Of course the students can make their own opinions of things, but I find people who are educated in different religions and not brought up on a single religion aren't as immediately hostile and more apt to accept other people and their beliefs. Sure, education in different religions may cause someone to want to follow a religion, but that's their choice on it isn't it?

Because in my opinion at the least, say a person is brought up on only one religion, say... Christianity. This person is influenced by his/her parents on only Christian teachings, and since he/she never learned anything about anything else or an unbiased view of Christianity, it's all he/she knows. Dogmatic beliefs ensue, and he/she might become the type of Christian that annoys the crap out of people with "YOU MUST FOLLOW JESUS OR YOUR SOUL WILL BE CONDEMNED TO FRY IN HELL!"

Now think like this: Person A is taught a wide-range number of religions, from Christianity, to Judaism, Islam, etc. etc. This person learns about the basic teachings, their customs and culture, and why they believe what they believe. This person will have a greater understanding of other people now, and will be less likely to make the same kind of... faux pas while interacting with people. Better people skills, better understanding, less problems. I mean, I was sitting in History class and we were talking about India, Hindus came up. This kid in the back then began to tell the class of how his older brother went there and they took his blood for some ritual. I could tell the class took him seriously.

Even I didn't know the answer, but it sounded pretty outlandish for a religion Buddhism was based on. Had in a class we were all educated in religions like Hinduism, they might have not even been that statement made let alone my confusion as if it was or was not true. Same rules goes for the world in general. What if the German people were educated on what Judaism was really about during the 30's and 40's? Would the Holocaust have happened? Would Hitler have rose to power? Would Hitler have even hated the Jews? What about the Muslims today? People hate Muslims because they are associated with terrorists and the impression that they think we should all die, but no one mentions that good parts of Islam because no one has ever really heard about them.

Even for those who would say "Well religion should not be taught in schools because it might influence people to be religious, and religion is bad!" maybe the education will make some people not want to be part of a religion or take up Atheism? It would be their choice after being fairly educated on religion.

Which brings up the 2nd question:

Why is it people hate religion in general? All around? People like Richard Dawkins who thinks religion should be banned everywhere and it is nothing but evil?

Yes, religion has had it's parts in the negative areas of the world throughout History. I won't deny that. Yes, the Vatican is a corrupt thing, it has been since the fall of Rome, it's sole purpose was probably to control Europe and keep it from killing itself in conflict. Then there were the Crusades (which, back to question 1, might have been prevented had both sides been fairly educated on each other, hey they might have been friends!), there's the IET's, there's alot of bad things, but is religion really nothing but bad?

One way people describe religion as only a tool for controlling people, but does that apply to all religions? What about Buddhism? What's in Buddhism that seeks to control people? When have you ever heard of a Buddhist crusade? I sure haven't.

Plus there are the good sides to religion lots of people don't mention. All religions have a code of conduct, rules which one must follow in life to attain the end product. Usually, these are noble and good rules that instill someone with morals. Don't kill people, don't steal, etc. They are good morals that people should have anyway, but how many people would have them if religion didn't give them a reason to be good? Not to mention many times religion has instilled hope, brought happiness when there was nothing to be happy about, etc.

That's basically my question, why is it people totally hate religion, think it should be banned worldwide, even though religion has its good sides? Do they really mean all religions? Every last one? If so, why?

[Strelok]

Depends on how many people actually want to ban it to this extreme.

Personally I want this:

A. Religion to have no political power
B. To not have an influence on public school education
C. To not have exceptions to government laws

[Banana Jelly]

Depends on how many people actually want to ban it to this extreme.

Personally I want this:

A. Religion to have no political power
B. To not have an influence on public school education
C. To not have exceptions to government laws

Ironically every country has this, except 5-10 others

[Strelok]

Ironically every country has this, except 5-10 others

Exactly.

[Banana Jelly]

Exactly.

Don't know if you know what I meant. I meant mostly every country uses the thing's you personally liked

[Strelok]

Don't know if you know what I meant. I meant mostly every country uses the thing's you personally liked

I know. That's why those countries don't exactly need a significant change. I was explaining my personal feeling on what religion should be restricted to, I wasn't trying to suggest that it wasn't the case in most first-world countries, as it mostly is.

[Denny Crane!]

Ironically every country has this, except 5-10 others

Could you give me 5 which have this please?

[Scorch]

Could you give me 5 which have this please?

I live in Australia, where people laugh at places like America where some people suggest that intelligent design be taught in schools. The Australian people consider us to be a very secular, modern nation, yet ...

• Our constitution states that "our nation is humbly relying on an almighty God".
• Our parliament says a Christian prayer before convening on a daily basis.
• Homosexual marriage is not allowed, despite being against our own anti-discrimination laws, due to an almost exclusively religious discourse.
• Politicians want the Bible to be taught in schools as a 'great work of human literature'.
• Our government currently funds, to the tune of millions of dollars, Christian pastors as ethical advisors in public schools and does not fund those of any other religion.
• Members of the Catholic Church have escaped criminal prosecution for sexual crimes against children simply by virtue of being Priests of the Catholic Church and through the influence of the Vatican.

It would be erroneous to claim that only 5-10 countries in the world do not have those three things described earlier:
A. Religion to have no political power
B. To not have an influence on public school education
C. To not have exceptions to government laws.

In fact any single nation where Catholic priests have avoided being criminally prosecuted for disgusting sexual crimes against children or where homosexual marriage is not allowed because of almost exclusively religious discourses could never claim to have either A or C.

[Tacitursa]

my problem with religion is the supernatural rewards of heaven and eternal life. It just makes people take a back seat in life and not really care about the planet and what happens as much as they should.

It effects some people worse than others but it is an issue. I can pretty much gaurantee no muslims would be blowing themselfs up if meeting allah and 70 virgins in heaven was impossible and a fairytale. Obviously not all religious people are effected that extreme but any effect atall is a negative one.

Its just that a huge majority of religious people have a first priority of religion and the afterlife. everything else comes second.

The term dont count your chickens before they hatch comes to mind.

Religion and faith should not be the main priority in life. Scandinavia is a great example of that rule and the rest of europe is slowly following suite.

And dont use that pathetic atheist arguement about having no afterlife leads to murder and rape etc because its total nonsense. Highest murder and rape statistics come from religious countries commited by religious populations.

[Denny Crane!]

I live in Australia, where people laugh at places like America where some people suggest that intelligent design be taught in schools. The Australian people consider us to be a very secular, modern nation, yet ...

• Our constitution states that "our nation is humbly relying on an almighty God".
• Our parliament says a Christian prayer before convening on a daily basis.
• Homosexual marriage is not allowed, despite being against our own anti-discrimination laws, due to an almost exclusively religious discourse.
• Politicians want the Bible to be taught in schools as a 'great work of human literature'.
• Our government currently funds, to the tune of millions of dollars, Christian pastors as ethical advisors in public schools and does not fund those of any other religion.
• Members of the Catholic Church have escaped criminal prosecution for sexual crimes against children simply by virtue of being Priests of the Catholic Church and through the influence of the Vatican.

It would be erroneous to claim that only 5-10 countries in the world do not have those three things described earlier:
A. Religion to have no political power
B. To not have an influence on public school education
C. To not have exceptions to government laws.

In fact any single nation where Catholic priests have avoided being criminally prosecuted for disgusting sexual crimes against children or where homosexual marriage is not allowed because of almost exclusively religious discourses could never claim to have either A or C.

The point was 5-10 where religion does not hold sway.

I was struggling to think of one where religion doesn't hold sway - I'll give you AU, but I'm trying to think of more where religion does not play a big role and I'm seriously struggling. Which countries don't have a powerful religious lobby? Every EU country I'd say. All of the Americas. China??? But hell they have their own religion of Communism and nationalism

[Banana Jelly]

Could you give me 5 which have this please?

It may not be five, as i just made a guess from what i knew previously, but i am still correct its a minority,

[Denny Crane!]

It may not be five, as i just made a guess from what i knew previously, but i am still correct its a minority,

Those grey ones that I looked at are under the sway of religious fundamentalism.

But aside from that religion plays a massive role in every country in the world and its governance bar Australia perhaps? I am struggling to think of more. I mentioned China where the fundamentalism is just channeled differently.

Ohhhh Japan. That is a good one, singapore perhaps?

[cfmonkey45]

Ironically, that's what Daniel Dennet suggests we do.

[Gobbledigook]

If religion is taught in a purely historical perspective, I have no problems with it. It's when people insist that it's science that it becomes infuriating. Also, the way to which religion affects politics is disheartening, as there really should be no link between the two. It'll be a long time until we get a non-christian president.

Now, I don't think religion is evil, but generally people use religion to fulfill evil motives, it gives one power. I just think that it's so easy to discount religion, why believe in it? I mean I put the belief in deities aside when I was 9...9! It shocks me how full grown people can honestly believe that there's a being in the sky watching over them. Not that I'm one to judge someone on behalf of their beliefs, but it just seems like an evolutionary flaw when someone simply has to use fiction to fulfill the mysteries of our world.

[MaximiIian]

1. Why are people so against the teaching of religion is public schools? Now...hear me out...

You seem to be mixing up teaching about religion with teaching of religion. One is informative on culture, history, and sociology.
The latter is indoctrination.

Why is it people hate religion in general? All around? People like Richard Dawkins who thinks religion should be banned everywhere and it is nothing but evil?

Which isn't Dawkins' position, and your assuming such reveals a clear bias you have against atheists. Not everyone who isn't of a religion is against religion; it's just simply not for them.
For most, I think it's the result of a bad life experience with a particular religion, which in turn turns them off from religion in general. Which isn't necessarily fair, but they often do have reasonable or at least understandable complaints.

[Banana Jelly]

Originally Posted by Isaristh
1. Why are people so against the teaching of religion is public schools?

Even though I am a theist, I don't actually support this either. I don't care about private school's, but if a state is secular, public school's have to follow the same regulation's because a public school is affiliated with the government. But other then that, the other problem is that, you may not be the same religion of one person, and may feel uncomfratable. Also that, a school is for education, rather then religion, that's why there are seperate religious schools/churches/mosques/temples for people who want to learn about there religion.

[43rdFoot]

For a proud Marxist, you're awfully interested in the positive elements of religion.

[Strelok]

For a proud Marxist, you're awfully interested in the positive elements of religion.

Next we need a topic on the beauty of capitalism.

[MaryPoppinCaps]

1. Like Max said, religion should be taught about, not taught for what it is. My AP World and AP US History classes run like this. History is impossible and inaccurate without religion.

2. Everyone thinks different things. Only the opinions of vocal people are heard the most. Many people are very tolerant and rational about other ideas, but only the ones with loud mouths are the most prevalent. But in specific regard to your question, I think many non-theists see only the bad aspects of religion and demonize it. It is easy to condemn something when you don't understand it or refuse to learn about it. There will always be wackjobs will crazy opinions. In general though, it varies from person to person. I grew up in an atheist family. Until maybe last or this year, I held a very prejudiced view on religion. I wasn't taught properly about it from school or my parents, so I developed some warped views. I think this goes for many people. Until we mature and are able to reassess what we have learned, people often take their opinions from family, peers, community, authority, etc. Sometimes this carries onto adult life but generally people think smarter with age. In that respect, I think people are taught to think religion is just bad like some others are taught to think that atheists are immoral and soulless or whatever. Neither is true, but that doesn't matter - we are often conditioned what to think. And then the rest just to refuse to learn about things that they are unfamiliar with or outside their comfort zone. Not many are open to things that are different than themselves.

I also think that in modern times the world is generally turning more secular and less religious/fundamental than it used to be. With that there are bound to be people that rail against religion, just like there are those that still stick to their religious guns. It depends who you are and where you grew up.

Like you said, religion has been responsible for many atrocities throughout time. What many people refuse to see is that religion cannot be solely credited them. People do bad things, not religion. Religion could be the most perfect entity mankind has created. But the fact that it was created by humanity makes it inherently flawed; humanity is inherently flawed. People want to gain power and influence others and what better way to do that than religion, manipulating the minds and hearts of many. But again, that is not a fault of religion. People make religion. Many of the rules and conducts trumpeted by religion - and those that say religion is the source of morality - are simply codes of conduct in society that carry over into that institution. Religion in ancient times was patriarchal. Society was patriarchal. People of the time wanted an effective society and a law-abiding citizen. They create religion which is an excellent way to do that, both benignly and through coercion.

I think some of the smartest people have been religious. Religion, does not mean someone is stupid or enlightened. It's just an opinion. My personal view is this: who honestly cares? Really? So you believe in a singular god or a spaghetti monster. It has no impact on your life, beliefs and spirituality are highly personal. In that way, I am somewhat against organized religion as an institution - not that I am against the idea of a god or creating a way to promote good citizenry and the best in people. However, it is when people are dogmatic and push their beliefs onto others or think that they are right and others wrong...is when the problems occur. And again, that is not a fault of belief. That is a fault of humanity. I am open to the idea of a god but I do not necessarily believe in one. I have no evidence either way so I have no real opinion on it. But I do not judge someone based on whether they believe in God or not.

I guess what I'm getting at is that people are bad, not necessarily religion. People create religion ---> religion is used for bad things. People are bad ---> atheists can be just as bad.

Plain and simple.

[Manco]

1. Why are people so against the teaching of religion is public schools?

They aren't, as long as it's about the historical, social,... aspects of religion; and not actual indoctrination of one specific religion.

Why is it people hate religion in general? All around? People like Richard Dawkins who thinks religion should be banned everywhere and it is nothing but evil?

They don't.

Both your premises are wrong (and horribly biased), therefore no sensible answer can be given till you rephrase them.