There's a saying, I'm not saying it's entirely true but there is probably some truth to it.
'With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil - that takes religion.' ~Steven Weinberg
I know a few people who I think are genuinely trying to be helpful, but are just hurtful because of religion. If they didn't have some institution telling them to have these feelings about certain issues I don't know if they would take the stance they are.
I do get your point that it's probably the people running these organizations that are bad more so than the religion, but at the same time the people following it are doing so in the name of religion. Also if you actually read the old testament, which a lot of people still follow, there's some fucked up shit in it (there's some fucked up shit in the new testament too just not as much).
Tbf, there are probably many people who do actually good and productive things solely because of religion as well.
pwned555 t1_j1e2twg wrote
Reply to comment by WillUmbrellaYou in Afghan Men Stand in Support of Women After Taliban College Ban by BlitzOrion
There's a saying, I'm not saying it's entirely true but there is probably some truth to it.
'With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil - that takes religion.' ~Steven Weinberg
I know a few people who I think are genuinely trying to be helpful, but are just hurtful because of religion. If they didn't have some institution telling them to have these feelings about certain issues I don't know if they would take the stance they are.
I do get your point that it's probably the people running these organizations that are bad more so than the religion, but at the same time the people following it are doing so in the name of religion. Also if you actually read the old testament, which a lot of people still follow, there's some fucked up shit in it (there's some fucked up shit in the new testament too just not as much).
Tbf, there are probably many people who do actually good and productive things solely because of religion as well.