I hate religions apart from Pastafarianism

[Anthea]

Most people would agree that religion has caused more deaths in history than anything else

As well as the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East: all are based on a religion, either man-made or reputed to be 'of god'

The brutality of religion is well-documented and is apparent in all aspects of man’s existence

Even terrorism is often justified by its perpetrators “in the name of God”, or one of many variations

Whether one believes in a certain god or just uses the idea of that deity as a means to an end, there is no denying that BILLIONS of deaths that have been caused, either directly or indirectly, by religion

Apart from Jains, I doubt there is a single that has not taken part in any religious conflict

I like the Jains 'the function of souls is to help one another'

How much better the world would be if we all believed this

[Piling]

Most people would agree that religion has caused more deaths in history than anything else

Wrong Before XXth century, it was plagues (so rats and fleas) that killed millions and millions of human (1/3 of people died in Europe and Middle East in 13545-50 because of Black Plague).

After XXIth century, the greatest genocides were decided by 2 secular anti-religious ideologies : nazism and communism. Not because religion changed for the best, but they lost their political power in XIXth century.

For the XXIth-XXIIth centuries, we could expect that millions of humans died because of human activity and its pollution, lack of water, overcrowding, etc.

[Anthea]

Wrong

Both Christians and Muslims invaded other countries and slaughtered millions who refused to share their faith, or who were the indigenous peoples of those lands

Conversions to Islam were generally at the point of a sword and it was not until Suleiman the Magnificent conquered countries, that those conquered were allowed to live in peace. Prior to Suleiman most conquered people were either slaughtered or enslaved

The native Americans who were slaughtered directly and by offering payment for their scalps. Or killing them indirectly by slaughtering 60 million buffalo and depriving natives of their main food source and the skins that made their clothing and shelter

Every single native in Tasmania was slaughtered and the Australian aborigines nearly suffered the same fate as the 'good Christians' slaughtered them on mass

The Australian aborigines, whose ancestors have lived on THEIR land for 40 thousand years, have less rights than any other invaders to their lands. In recent years, a great many have died in protests as they continually seek rights to THEIR own land

New Zealand was almost as bad but now the country is proud of it's Maori heritage, unlike Australia

Africa, where so many millions were slaughtered by both Muslims and Christians

An example:

Good Christians told tribes that the Christian God forbade the wearing of skins and it was punishable by death. These people terrified by the great white god wore clothes that did not protect them from the bushes and many died from infections. There were so few let that they were once again allowed to wear skins because they had almost become extinct

Countless millions died from infections that the Christian ministries carried with them when they went to convert the natives

In Africa most countries have lost their religions as conquering Christians and Muslims have torn the country apart with their forced conversions to both Christianity and Islam

MILLIONS died in India with the separation as both Hindus and Muslims slaughtered each other in a conflict caused originally by Christians

[Piling]

Conversions to Islam were generally at the point of a sword and it was not until Suleiman the Magnificent conquered countries, that those conquered were allowed to live in peace. Prior to Suleiman most conquered people were either slaughtered or enslaved

Wrong. Christian population in Middle-East was very important and in some part the majority until the 20th century.

Omayyad caliphs had no interest to massive conversions, for non-Muslims (dhimmis) paid taxes while muslims were free of it. The increasing conversion of Christians and Jewish populations might have been due to that tax-issue (and also because the dominant ideology attract most of people seeing a way to climb the social scales).

Omayyads tried prevent such conversions by refusing to abolish taxes for these new non-Arab Muslims (called Mawali). The general frustration among Iranian population led to the Abbasid conquest of the caliphate, except in Spain.

And then Abbasids decided to tax EVERYBODY … even if a special tax for non Muslims was maintained.

Prior to Suleiman most conquered people were either slaughtered or enslaved

The Arabs conquests submit in one century a empire from Spain and Southern France until India. There was a bunch of Muslims ruling a huge majority of non Muslims. How could have they slaughtered millions of people ?

And it is forbidden to enslave a Jew or a Christian if they pay the dhimmiya tax.

Christian colonialism provoked probably more victims, not because of religious reasons but for pre-capitalist imperialism.

In fact Capitalism, Communism and Nazism were the great exterminators. Now only the 1st survived and it will destroy all human civilisation by destroying our eco-system.

[Anthea]

In politics there is always someone in charge

In the UK we have a democratically elected government and for the most part it works reasonably well

Whatever the government, there will always be those in power motivated by capital gain

Apart from my HERO

Can anyone guess who my HERO is???

[Anthea]

In their histories , many Africans have tales of how Muslims enslaved the non-Muslim natives and how many African tribes became Muslims in order to prevent themselves from being enslaved

In Africa today, most of the violent conflicts are between Muslims and Christians

[Piling]

According to Islam you have the right to enslave/kill pagan / animist people. For that reason, Christians were not enslaved by Daesh but have to pay a tribute. Unfortunately, yezidis are considered as belonging to the first group and endure this fate. All the ideology in Daesh can be read in Coran, as American pro slavery in 19th century justified it by Bible.

[Anthea]

According to Islam you have the right to enslave/kill pagan / animist people. For that reason, Christians were not enslaved by Daesh but have to pay a tribute. Unfortunately, yezidis are considered as belonging to the first group and endure this fate. All the ideology in Daesh can be read in Coran, as American pro slavery in 19th century justified it by Bible.

Shows how vile and twisted these religions are

[Piling]

Religions are a product of their societies. The problem is that human societies are constantly changing and evolving, while religions stay stuck on their sacred books (God's Law) or at least try to break all evolutions.

[Anthea]

I HATE the religious indoctrination of innocent children

Surely such indoctrination is against human rights

Many laws protect adults from indoctrination and brainwashing

I believe innocent children deserve protection from indoctrination and brainwashing