Is Religion Bad?

Certainly religions have done terrible things. Wars have been fought, people murdered, children abused, etc. All for the sake of, or in the name of, religion. Christopher Hitchens goes on about this in his book, and you can read that, if you like. Lots of description of wrong, there.

But if we looked at religion's virtues, instead of the punishment of vices, we see a different picture. For what reason would we have to forgive someone's sins, except for religion? To be nice to someone? That means nothing when, like the Amish, someone shoots into a school, killing all the girls. Why did the Amish forgive? Because of religion. No other reason than that. And this forgiveness isn't perverse, but beautiful. And that picture wouldn't be found without religion supporting it.

What about the humility of the saints? Certainly one could find a number of people who are bold, proud, and self-seeking in religion. But where do you find the truly humble, those who work at it as if a daily exercise? Only in religion. Yet without humility the world would be a much darker place. Without humility, we would all be self-seeking, self-aggrandizing. Humility is part of the beauty of the world, and it is glorified only in religion.

I have an atheist friend of mine who complains about Christian charity work. He's not unhappy it exists-- on the contrary. But he says that it is a shame that there is very little charity work for the homeless, the needy, the immigrants from a non-religious basis. It is there, but for some reason, it is hard to get people stirred up to love one's neighbor practically, to take that extra step, unless it is done on a religious basis. We need to remember that it is religion that instituted giving to the poor. It is religion that continues to offer the best reasons for sacrificing one's own goods to those in need.

In sum, the world would be much poorer without religion, even on a secular basis. If religion did not exist, someone would have to invent it.