.jpg)
Abraham sacrificing Isaac (Ishmael)
Photo by Evgenia Kononova
In July, the journal Evolutionary Psychology published a study concerning religiosity and its effects on society by "independent scholar" Greg S. Paul, who produced results that many people these days would not be terribly surprised to see: To wit, excessive religious devotion leads to societal problems, including everything from divorce to murder.
Concerning Paul's "successful society index," USA Today writer Dan Vergano remarks:
In his bid to answer the question, Paul looked at 25 indicators of economic well-being, crimes such as murder, corruption, alcoholism and life expectancy in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Europe and the United States, and then compared them to surveys of religious devotion in each nation.
"Conservative religious ideology is a probable contributing causal factor of societal dysfunction," he concludes, bad news for the USA, the most religious country in his survey. "Specifically, the U.S. scores the most dysfunctional in homicide, incarceration, juvenile mortality, gonorrhea and syphilis infections, abortions, adolescent pregnancies, marriage duration, income disparity, poverty, (and) work hours," says the study.
Paul is also the author of an earlier study in which he concluded:
Data correlations show that in almost all regards the highly secular democracies consistently enjoy low rates of societal dysfunction, while pro-religious and anti-evolution America performs poorly.
To be sure, Paul and his conclusions have their serious detractors in the religious camp and elsewhere. Every manner of study has been produced by both sides in this debate, which actually dates to ancient times, as one can imagine, when the first rabid religious fanatics murdered the first innocent bystanders who happened not to be "of the faith." Indeed, such behavior ranks as a very old game.
Is religion evil?
So, the question remains, does religion produce insanity, criminality and general immorality? To many people, the answer appears to be a resounding yes, when religion is taken to its extremes, as often propounded in its very doctrines, which suggest that this godman or that is "the Way, the Truth and the Life" and that "no one comes to the Father except through Me," or some other mafioso-sounding dogma. The "only begotten Son of God," the "last Prophet" and so on all constitute absolutes that create fanaticism and intolerance, as we have seen too often on planet Earth, with the result of wholesale murder and mayhem, as exemplified particularly in the monotheistic Abrahamic religions.
Ancient Egypt (Edward Poynter, 1867)
On the other hand, religion has produced some truly outstanding and astonishing human creations, even—or especially—when held fanatically, to the point where entire cultures have been based around it, such as in ancient Egypt or Peru. Of course, there were unfortunately unsavory aspects attached to some of these highly religious cultures as well, such as warfare, slavery and human sacrifice.
The conclusion to this question of whether or not religion produces immorality would seem to be like that of many other subjects: Nothing in excess, and everything in moderation. Where religion has inspired people to great and sublime heights of beauty and consciousness, it has served humanity in a positive manner. Where religious, spiritual and mythological notions have been misconstrued as "reality" and taken as "gospel truths" to the point where their beholders become so maniacal that they are willing to commit rape, theft and murder in the name of their god, religion is obviously highly detrimental to society as a whole. Like every other aspect of reality on planet Earth, there must be a balance when it comes especially to religion, the source of so much tragedy as well as glory.
Sources & Further Reading
The Chronic Dependence of Popular Religiosity upon Dysfunctional Psychosociological Conditions
Cross-National Correlations of Quantifiable Societal Health with Popular Religiosity and Secularism in the Prosperous Democracies
Science, religion debated as evangelical takes top NIH post
What is a Mythicist?
Comments
Religion is not the best option for love or consciousness. It is both good and evil!
I have thought this was true ever since I became an atheist. If we could have gotten away from religion as a society maybe we wouldn't have the ills that we have today. It is so tragic and sad for so many on this planet. To base our society on something that cannot be showen to be true to reality is a tragidy to our planet and our will being.
Kevin
Immorality and irrational thinking causes 'religon' as that term is defined today. The insane (criminally and psychotic) are those who spread their zombie diseases to others, through terror and other means so very clever. Organised relgion is the author of the Lunatic Asylum society infecting the weak-minded, from outside and the offspring from within. So yes, 'Religon' is both the result and the cause of immorality.
Religion doesn't cause immorality. Humanity causes that. Religion excuses immorality. It even justifies it. Therein lies the problem.
Religion, followed to the letter, does cause immorality. If we accept the Old testament as true, (I don't, it is mostly Jewish Fairy tales) look at the slaughter, genocide,incest, condoned by "God". Standing alone, no book has power. But embraced by some to Lord it over others,then power begets obscene power, e.g. the Roman Church.
It's lame that we are still examining religion/'s as anything but what it truly is - a farce, and basically something created by men for men. I kind of wish women created or thought it up, but they've always been opressed, and sadly still are.
Something (know one man may never truly know what that something is) started everything, and whatever that somthing/thing was - was and is in my opinion my creator. Other then that treat each other with respect, hospitality, and like OHANA (family). Because, we all came from the same place and are all going to the same place - period. Just enjoy life and it's journey as much as one is able and keep moving forward as much as possible.
A religon is a matrix, or structure, for relating to God. The problem is that men infiltrate it, manipulate, exploit it to indeed kill others and enrich themxelves and to act out evil psychopathic mental problems.
God/Gods/and Goddesses are the inventions of manipulating minds of men. They the Gods cannot be proven to exist.
People are too terrified to look anywhere else for life's answers. Man's life on this planet has been cruel and hopeless many times so it is no wonder they invent gods that they have to appease in order to have some sort of comfort in his life time. Problem is that man has had the desire to have control over other men and this, I believe, will be the downfall of humanity. Puzzles me as to why it is taking so long from people to wake up and smell the coffee. Humans haven't taken that evolutional leap yet.
One problem is: "Conservative religious ideology is a probable contributing causal factor of societal dysfunction." The term 'conservative religious ideology' is subjective. Which type of religion is 'conservative?' Another problem is: what is 'societal dysfunction?' Finally, it is impossible to prove which came first: societal dysfunction or religion. For explanation these issues, the subjectivity of terms like 'liberal,' 'conservative,' etc. please see: www.RootsofMindControl.com.
The more things change, the more they remain the same. This is a contrdictory statement and unfortunately its true for religion. Men for years have worshiped the sun, the moon, the stars and saturn. Today people still do worship these things under the canopy of 'The Son of God', 'Allah', YAWH' etc. Now do you think these the paganic rituals attributed with the worship of these dieties will be neglected because of people calling them different names? NO.
Muslims are sacrificed yearly in Mecca at the Kaballa. That black cube represents saturn, Jew/christainity are dying in wars wordwide due to believes in the sun and moon....Wake up every body. A man would only ride your back if its bent. Enough with these religious myths. There is a great difference between religion and spirituality and unfortunately religion is doing every thing to destroy spirituality
Granted the United States may be the most religious country in this given test group, but it is not the most religious country in the world. It would be interesting to see the results if Islamic countries, especially those practicing Sharia, were included as well. Does fervent religiosity coupled with uncompromising punishment lead to societal homeostasis or simply suppress its underlying issues, allowing them to fester?
I appreciate how you ended this article. If the Golden Rule is considered universal law, moderation should be its first amendment.
>>Felix wrote<<
>>There is a great difference between religion and spirituality and unfortunately religion is doing every thing to destroy spirituality<<
Truer words were never spoken above!! I'd rewrite this slightly...
"There is a great difference between Exoteric (faith) Religion and Esoteric (knowledge) Spirituality and unfortunately Exoteric (vulgar) Religion is doing everything to destroy Ancient Esoteric (KNOWLEDGE) spirituality."
When the Helios Biblios is turned back into Mythology. Only then will the Seeker of Truth be known! It would mean nothing to some that the Great Pyramid dimensions are encoded in the first 5 (Penatagon)of the O. T.. The Bible is a Grand SYMBOL! And any moron that takes it literally--is eligable for a--Dunce Cap!
Dan Brown--he has it all figured out! His FICTIONAL works are encrypted with the ancient teachings. His new book out today--"The Lost Symbol" should be a smash hit! Woe be to Him who takes his story literally! Look Behind!
>>Richard Wrote<<
>>please see: www.RootsofMindControl.com<<
Dear Richard: "You can not pour more ancient knowledge into a vessel; than that vessel will not hold."
Knowledge comes from: "The Top Down!" Not the other way around Sir!
The Faithful do not want to THINK. Their too LAZY! They want everything handed to them on a silver platter! Sorry--Nature does not work that way! She'll sweat you down--if you do not follow her rules! Pain is Natures device to kindly remind you--TO CHANGE COURSE! If you eat too much? If you drink too much? She'll give notice...The Dumb Faithfull just run too the Drug Store for another: "get out of jail free sin card"
"The Body is to the Soul(ar); As the Horse is to the Rider"
"Do unto others as you would have done unto you...." This is the only answer I have and it is borrowed from Jesus, who say: "Love, as I have loved you!" I only steal from the BEST! Regards, Shirley H.
i thought that the question "Does religion cause immorality?" is a wrong questions, because religion is itself a moral system, it does not matter what you think about it, or the fact that you believe it is right or wrong, perhaps it could seems "for you" inmoral, based on your own morality, but that is juts your subjective opinion, and you can consider as that, a merely opinion... there is not such a good or a bad moral system,
perhaps we should study a litle bit of metaphysical ethics
An atheist arguing that there is an objective morality and that religion violates it? Now I've heard everything.
"An atheist arguing that there is an objective morality and that religion violates it? Now I've heard everything."
Who is this atheist you are speaking about? I have never categorized myself as an "atheist." You keep misrepresenting me in order to be insulting, so please don't preach about "morality."
And this instance would be the first time you've ever heard about an atheist discussing morality? You really need to get out more.
Fine. Whatever you choose to categorize yourself as is fine with me. I don't need to play semantic games.
The point is that you are making the claim that religion causes immorality. On its face, that is patently absurd. A religion is a moral code, invented by human beings. For you to invent another moral code and then condemn religion because it violates your totally invented and arbitrary code is ridiculous.
There is no objective morality. You cannot claim a religion is immoral, by its very definition it will always be moral because it DEFINES morality. You can say "according to some other moral code" religion causes immorality, but what good is that? Now you're just comparing two totally arbitrary moral codes against one another and trying to hold one over the other. Both were invented by humans, neither is greater than the other and both are totally false.
"The point is that you are making the claim that religion causes immorality."
I'm sorry, but who are you addressing? You have not even read the article at all, but here you are fallaciously attempting to pull the moral card to trump what you have misrepresented as my position. Frankly, your arrogant attitude and snide, disrespectful remarks only confirm that religion causes immorality.
What part of this remark did you not understand?
"On the other hand, religion has produced some truly outstanding and astonishing human creations, even—or especially—when held fanatically..." And so on.
You appear to be simply trolling what you assume are atheist sites in order to spew hatred at their owners.
I understand your trite conclusion: everything in moderation, everything's got good and bad points, blah, blah blah.
Please read what I am saying: How is it even possible for you to judge the morality and/or immorality of religion? To do that, you would have to hold it up against some sort of objective moral metric. Exactly where are you getting these lofty moral decrees that transcend even God? This is what cracks me up about "freethinkers" - they have their own arbitrary moral codes just like everyone else, but feel that they are "enlightened" enough to judge the "ignorant and superstitious."
"Frankly, your arrogant attitude and snide, disrespectful remarks only confirm that religion causes immorality."
Guess what, you judgmental bigot? I AM NOT RELIGIOUS. I AM NOT CHRISTIAN.
It's truly amazing how swiftly YOU leapt to conclusions. And frankly, I could really care less if you claim the "moral high ground."
"It's truly amazing how swiftly YOU leapt to conclusions."
Same with you. You came in here full of anger, spewing hateful nasty comments and insults at me. You made several inaccurate statements and have said nothing positive at all. You are an armchair critic who apparently goes around trolling and spewing. Whatever your ideology is, whether religious or not, it is unpleasant, and I am not interested in furthering it.
You need to take a long look in the mirror and stop harassing others about their perceived faults.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!