Religion is ‘the new social evil’

A CHARITY set up by an ardent Christian to fight slavery and the opium trade has identified a new social evil of the 21st century - religion.
A poll by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation uncovered a widespread belief that faith - not just in its extreme form - was intolerant, irrational and used to justify persecution.
Pollsters asked 3,500 people what they considered to be the worst blights on modern society, updating a list drawn up by Rowntree, a Quaker, 104 years ago.
The responses may well have dismayed him. The researchers found that the “dominant opinion” was that religion was a “social evil”.
Many participants said religion divided society, fuelled intolerance and spawned “irrational” educational and other policies.
One said: “Faith in supernatural phenomena inspires hatred and prejudice throughout the world, and is commonly used as justification for persecution of women, gays and people who do not have faith.”
Many respondents called for state funding of church schools to be ended.
The findings contrast with Rowntree’s “scourges of humanity”, which included poverty, war, slavery, intemperance, the opium trade, impurity and gambling.
Poverty and drugs remain, but are joined by issues such as family breakdown, young people’s behaviour and fears over immigration.
Tom Butler, the Bishop of Southwark, rejected the indictment of faith. He said: “People meeting together, week after week, for worship, support and education in church, synagogue, temple, gurdwara and mosque can not only help people build local community but can teach children to become good citizens.”
However, Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, said he was “extremely pleased”.

“Britain has had it with religion,” he said. (from Times Online)

Is Religion dangerous?
Would the world be a better place without it?
Or does it just need to change to fit in with society today?

Your comments please..

i am not a Christian in today's sense of the word.meaning i don't attend church.i was christened into the church of England and attended church and Sunday school as a child and teenager so yes i had a Christian up bringing.i think in some cases religion can be very dangerous.we all know about these religious sects brainwashing people into doing goodness only knows what kinds of cruel and evil acts.i think we need religion in our society but it is up to the individual to choose to believe or not and people should not be vilified for choosing not to attend church etc. does religion need to change maybe on some levels but as i have already said each to their own.i can't believe in a man sitting on a cloud but i do believe we are here on earth to learn what we can and at death our immortal soul takes that learning to some other place.i also believe in re incarnation and that we will all meet the essence of people we knew in our past lives .seems a bit silly i know but anymore silly than a man with a long white beard running a huge hotel for peeps up in heaven and the devil waiting below for us baddies lol

I have looked in to a lot of religions all have there spiritual part's .
I take what I like and leave the rest .
I believe religion has played a part in seperating people .and feel spiritualality is the path to be on ...
Jesus taught forgiveness and love ,he also taught universal laws as we know them today ,ie karma etc.
If we left religion and dogma alone and just simply practiced the words of Jesus ,the world may be a better place

Is Zaina William Audoire in disguise?

I don't think religion itself is dangerous - but I do think the way some people use it to justify what/why they do things is very dangerous!!! especially in the case of George Bush and Tony Blair - marching to war with a bible in one hand and a bazooka in the other....talk about 'Onward Christian Soldiers' would not be half as bad if they went and did the dirty work themselves instead of sending in others.....

...........and yes my name is Karma for a reason! I try to do to others as I would like done to myself thereby trying not to attract more Karma onto myself - while I am still paying off for my last life (or two or three)

P.S. Bug - who the hangy is Willian Audoire?????

i sure dont know who zania is but some of there posts are very weird

Karma-William Audoire is a local character who regularly appears in the GP letters page.

..........right ~ I'll look out for him - now you say I have read some on his letters!!!

bill is a very clever man and writes some strange but very interesting letters.

removed

the prob is some of your threads and posts are not relevant to this forum,

sorry my mistake ,