How do religious adherents explain the cruel and vicious history of their religious groups?

Question

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

History is filled with cruelty in the name of religion. There is no doubt that much evil has been done in the name of this god or that god. Many false gods, and much evil, has also been done in the name of Jesus Christ—waving a cross on their banners and shields, the Crusaders slaughtered Jews, Turks, and so forth, in the name of Christ. What Islam has done in the name of their god Allah—and is still doing—is horrendous beyond belief almost.

So I would say there needs to be a distinction between those who claim to belong to a certain religion, and don’t follow its teachings, and those who claim to belong and do follow the teachings. Take Christianity for example. You can’t just invent your own Christianity, and you can’t call yourself a Christian unless you follow the teachings and practice of Jesus. The early disciples didn’t kill anyone. They were killed. Jesus said to turn the other cheek. We are told to give our lives for others. Christ taught us that we were to love our enemies, and pray for those who mistreat us and abuse us.

Daniela1982 · Accepted Answer

The Catholic Church has been behind a lot of this stuff, such as killing Indian children in their schools, burning at the stakes, torture devices, and the Crusades. I myself don't call them a Christian organization.

jennifer_bloom · Answer

The bible says that many are false prophets and false believers and false religious executers who do not actually perform the will of their religious doctrines. Jesus himself was murdered by a guy who claimed to follow him.

lightbulb27 · Answer

that's hard to justify isn't it and is good cause for people to fear religion. people take things to the extreme. "david koresh" did as well. I don't know these people that did this, but their beliefs caused them to make decisions. the believed in "witches" and evil spirits in people... not all unlike the groups that would throw people into volcanos to appease gods.

so the root here is "beliefs". their beliefs were wrong.

you can see that today in religious and non relgious people. trouble is, they can believe they are right. Some people are dangerous.

Ever hear of Alex Jones... of the same cloth in my opinion.

There is no heart to these people, where is the love of Christ. Christ never burnt people. These people were twisted. Who knows what they were about and whom was leading them, I don't have the history. But it is pathetic... to burn people alive, whom were likely exposed to bacteria and sick or recently recovered. some burned years later. I cannot imagine.

They aren't all that different from the Jews that crucified Christ.

It's a sad chapter in humanity.

And then we ask ourselves... how do we justify dropping A-bombs on Japan, and drone bombs on Gaza children. That's a little different, but yea...

NamerOfStars · Answer

By simple acknowledgement of the fact that religion isn't mind control. The question is like asking how someone could get lost while having a map. Worse, actually, because a map is generally going to be a very accurate and detailed description of a specific place, as opposed to a more generalized set of principles and ideas.

Also: 1. being a woman doesn't mean you aren't also a witch; 2. with only a handful of exceptions, witches were hung, not burned; 3. religion doesn't magically make the needs of secular governance go away; 4. execution for petty reasons (state-sponsored murder, if you prefer) is hardly non-existent, or even less common, in secular societies, and; 5. Christianity, in particular (possibly other faiths as well, but I don't have statistics), put a major check and eventually total STOP on witch hunts, as, per the canons of both western AND eastern Orthodox Christianity, witchcraft doesn't exist.

So unless you're going to argue that history and human psychology somehow don't apply to historical human behavior, you have to admit that- in this example, at least- religion has been, at worst, a moderating force, and raised the standards of human ethics. Any honest person will admit that raising hasn't been uniform; religion has enabled, exacerbated, and possibly even caused some human evils, but there's really no question that it's been a net positive. If you're still dubious, ask a slave.

Oh, wait.

Lionman95 · Answer

By acknowledging what they did.

First of all the people that led the crusades against witches and so on were the political leaders of the day. It´s therefore wrong to just say they were bad because they were religious. That´s not to a way to justify what happened but blaming it on them being religious is neither the complete answer. The people that decided who´s to be killed weren´t the average people. That´s something that needs to be acknowledged since in many European states until enlightenment religious leaders were political figures. A bishop had a position and the political power of a duke or a prince. Those positions were held by aristocrats where it didn´t matter how religious they were.

So what they did was using their political powesponsible by anyone neither were religious politicians. Since back then the political powers were not hold responsible neither were religious politicians. They were able to kill who ever they didn´t like.

by the way religion is the problem look to China or North Korea societies that claim to be atheistic and look how they treat people.

strateguy632 · Answer

this grouping , "religion" to discriminate Christianity is worse than grouping racism "all _ are criminals just look at jail". same problem but worse than racism.

it simply depends which religion. can't group religion.

a religion among many, even now says they must do what their god commanded , in the cruel book, claimed it is right to obey their god to do cruelty to deniers.

the pope was like a dictator acting same as atheist dictators Stalin to gain subjects! using fear and death inquisition etc. same as stalin etc. but not caused by christian faith nor obeying it.

budhist monks supposedly the most peaceful religion assassination leader in burma or near it. claiming he was protecting his religion. but protestants did not assasinate popes! they defended when catholics attacked in Ireland poland and Germany. that is the difference.

i am appalled people dont flee the two religions that i can't name if i want my opinion to stay visible.

desidoll · Answer

Hirohito, the Japanese Emperor was one of the most cruel human existed and he’s not even religious. Few of the Chinese Emperors were ruthless too. Now we have Kim Jong Un who HATES religions. This is a passive aggressive post to attack Theists but I’d say more directed to Christians 🫠

ManInChains · Answer

“ There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord.”

patois · Answer

Everyone is accountable for their own actions. That said, it's common knowledge that Satanists often infiltrated into positions as midwifery in order to carry out witchcraft and murder babies as offerings to the devil. It's pretty common for murdered to face the death penalty, especially when the victim is a child or multiple children. They got off easy being burned.

Bricealan · Answer

That is the absolute insanity of religion per se. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake when she was 19 years old... Now just can anyone justify that kind of insanity?

The Romans nailed a man to a cross, tortured him and put a crown of thorns on the mans head because he said he was the Son of God !

Then again, the Roman Barbarians that they were, nailed hundreds/thousands of people to crosses all up and down the Apian Way

AviatorTom · Answer

They usually do one of two things:

1. Change the subject, ignore the bad history ever happened

2. Claim that it was God's will

by the way, burning witches is pretty much a myth, it was rare. More common was to hang a witch, or throw her into a body of water and see if she floated or sunk... if she sinks, she isn't a witch, but she's dead. If she floats, she is a witch, and dead.

OtterMan68 · Answer

Misinterpration of scripture.

Fear and ignorance (A witch poisoned my cattle!) (Jews caused the Black Death!)

Using religion for political power.

Thankfully, Christianity and Judaism grew out of that phase. No one is executed for blasphemy, adultery, or heresy any more.

TommyMountainFigure · Answer

Usually by quoting how it's every other religion's fault but theirs!

handsomelad70 · Answer

Unquestioning religious adherence makes it much easier to justify these faiths' sometimes murderous oppression of those they deem "infidels," i. e. non-believers.

Avicenna · Answer

Are atheists asked to explain the cruel and vicious history of the Soviet Union and Communist China, or North Korea, among other atheist regimes?

Agape93 · Answer

We don't have one really. Closest are drug induced orgies

SotiCoto · Answer

They don't.  They only associate themselves with the bits they like, and completely shun or excuse the bits they don't like.

LiamJHayden · Answer

Asking people to explain what others did hundreds, even thousands of years ago, is ridiculous.

jahaims · Answer

They say things like God allows people to have free will

Astarlessnightsky · Answer

By dehuminizing the victims of their cruel and violent crimes.

genericname85 · Answer

dude it's obvious. you just pull the "they weren't real christians" bullshit.

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

Well, I would start by saying the Catholic BS of Satan isn't Biblical nor christianity which isn't.

Fromdusktilldawn · Answer

the blame game of course

grega239 · Answer

I asked that a few times. Got no answer.

DrPepper12 · Answer

Lies and "God's will".

How do religious adherents explain the cruel and vicious history of their religious groups?

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How do religious adherents explain the cruel and vicious history of their religious groups?

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