Debating The Merits Of Religion- Does It Do More Harm Than Good

Larry Taunton, does religion do more harm than good? Well, I think it depends on the religion that we're talking about. I certainly believe as a Christian that Christianity brings much good to the table. Like what? Well, the data suggests that the average evangelical for instance, gives 10 times

the amount of money and time as the average atheist, I'm sure that that Dan is is well up the list on that, but they, they they bring a lot of good benevolence to a culture. So benevolence to a culture, religion does more good than harm, particularly Larry Thompson's religion, according to Larry Taunton, Dan Dennett, well, I agree that Christianity does a lot of good for many people, many people really need it. And I think we should, we should honor that and try to preserve that. The big problem with it is the systematic hypocrisy, the way in which it encourages people even really obliges them to lie, and valorizes hypocrisy and and irrationality in a way that's really

detrimental. How seems to me that faith is a sort of gold plated excuse not to think, and the problems in the world are very difficult. And the answer you get from your faith is usually very simple. And it's wrong in Europe, and in this particular country, perhaps we might not have seen the abolition of slavery, if it wasn't for some very fundamentalist Christians, if you like from the Quakers and and others, perhaps not. And, and the truth civil rights movement. Yes. But you've got to remember, for all the good that the churches did in furthering civil rights, right, they were fighting against Christian churches in the South that were that were working for segregation, every

meaningful.

Reform movement in the West has been motivated by a Judeo Christian worldview, beginning with, if you like, abolitionism. Right through. How about gay marriage? Well, but I don't I don't consider that to be a legitimate civil right. Oh, well, you see, I mean, even gelato that's evangelical Christians, when, of course, they're not gonna get on board with something like that, because it runs counter to what they believe marriage, which has been defined a particular way for millennia. Dan, is, and that's a faith based position. Yeah. Because evidence Absolutely. The evidence, Dan Dennett, scientifically absolutely shows that it is innate to people. Absolutely. Right. And, in

fact, it's a perfect example of how religions for hundreds of years have been dragging their feet been pulled, kicking and screaming into modern morality by secular movement. But then welcome back that spring in Imam Zaid, Shakir co founder and senior faculty member of zaytuna College. The question is, is violence in the name of religion more prevalent in Islam in this day and age? On the one hand, or people can claim on the other hand, that they're motivated vated by religion in general, or Islam, particularly, but I think we need to step back and analyze what are the true motivations humans are motivated in any particular action by a very complicated formula? In many

instances, religion might be part of that equation, but is it the operative value? Okay, so for al Qaeda for ISIL it's a main value their religious on their claims to religion, are a sort of religion that doesn't accommodate for the things include religion, including Islam have historically promoted such as patiently and with dignity and during oppression. Just like Christianity has a bloody history. Islam is a bloody history as well. I think this is just a 20th

century. I would I would say that that isn't true. Christianity does the Crusades. Oh, come on. No. I'll tanish Inquisition these steps. I mean,

I'd be delighted to go through all of these but the Spanish Inquisition and the Crusades were patently unChristian, and much the same way. In much the same way that I'm hearing the Imam say, and I'm glad to hear him say that violence that is done in the name of Islam. He says his is not consistent as I understand him with Islamic true Islamic teaching.