[Muta]

Originally Posted by Inglewood Jack

I wonder what the billions of peaceful religious people would think of us painting all religion as the root of evil. I am not religious myself anymore, but I bristle at the suggestion that if there was no religion then the entire human race would be all utopian/enlightened etc.

But if people are killing and committing violence in the name of God (or whatever they think Allah is telling them to do, for example), does not the minimalization in religious belief result in less chaos and disorder?

What about the billions of peaceful people who get along just fine without religion?

Originally Posted by Inglewood Jack

I guarantee even if you somehow magically converted those Taliban murderers to Athiests, they would still cook up a justification to commit atrocities.

Now isn't that reaching for sweeping generalizations. People that are heavily influenced by religious beliefs will still commit atrocities, even if their religious beliefs dictating a great amount of the way they conduct themselves is completely gone? Does that mean suicide bombers trying to achieve martyrdom will still suicide bomb for martyrdom, even when they don't follow that belief system anymore?