Comments on: God Is on Our Side. Does That Mean War? http://www.endhereditaryreligion.com/2009/05/god-is-on-our-side-does-that-mean-war/ Information clearinghouse for research and information about child religious freedom rights. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:59:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: James Tracy http://www.endhereditaryreligion.com/2009/05/god-is-on-our-side-does-that-mean-war/comment-page-1/#comment-2097 James Tracy Sat, 23 May 2009 05:58:42 +0000 http://www.endhereditaryreligion.com/?p=550#comment-2097 I never understand it when I hear people comment that religion had no role to play in past violence where it quite clearly does. This study suggests that religion might even play a role where it is <em>not</em> clear that it does. This is an important thing to study. Good post! I never understand it when I hear people comment that religion had no role to play in past violence where it quite clearly does. This study suggests that religion might even play a role where it is not clear that it does.

This is an important thing to study. Good post!

]]> By: Richard_Collins http://www.endhereditaryreligion.com/2009/05/god-is-on-our-side-does-that-mean-war/comment-page-1/#comment-2088 Richard_Collins Sat, 23 May 2009 00:41:39 +0000 http://www.endhereditaryreligion.com/?p=550#comment-2088 When debating theists over the role of religion in creating violence, they often retort that all people can be violent and it is not the fact people believe in god that causes intractable wars and skirmishes. Intuitively when you look at history, it is hard not to draw the conclusion that religion is a major problem preventing communities from achieving peace. Yes, there is competition for land and resources, especially in hot, arid climates like the Middle East. Yes, there are historic animosities that go back for generations, and indeed hereditary religion plays a large part in keeping generational disputes going. But, it is hard to refute the notion that people who believe a powerful supernatural being can be implored to takes sides in a war might be the deciding factor. We will never find out until religion is banished from the earth. This pernicious belief that god can be on your side is every more present in athletic competitions here in the USA. It makes me cringe to hear a player attribute his team's win to God. Don't they know how asinine this sounds? What about the players on the defeated team? Was Satan perhaps on their side? The idea that a powerful supernatural being would have the slightest interest in these pathetic people and their pathetic game is risible. When debating theists over the role of religion in creating violence, they often retort that all people can be violent and it is not the fact people believe in god that causes intractable wars and skirmishes. Intuitively when you look at history, it is hard not to draw the conclusion that religion is a major problem preventing communities from achieving peace. Yes, there is competition for land and resources, especially in hot, arid climates like the Middle East. Yes, there are historic animosities that go back for generations, and indeed hereditary religion plays a large part in keeping generational disputes going. But, it is hard to refute the notion that people who believe a powerful supernatural being can be implored to takes sides in a war might be the deciding factor. We will never find out until religion is banished from the earth. This pernicious belief that god can be on your side is every more present in athletic competitions here in the USA. It makes me cringe to hear a player attribute his team's win to God. Don't they know how asinine this sounds? What about the players on the defeated team? Was Satan perhaps on their side? The idea that a powerful supernatural being would have the slightest interest in these pathetic people and their pathetic game is risible.

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