In the
Multiculturalism thread,
Tangle and I had a brief discussion about religion's relationship to evil. It was his position that:
quote:
Tangle in Message 1018 in Multiculturalism:
Left to their own devices, religions would be as primitive and destructive as extreem Islam is today.
In objection to this I raised the point that Christianity began as a very pacific religion that only became 'primitive and destructive' when it entwined itself with the
secular components of governing an empire (i.e., the religion became used as a tool to pursue secular goals inconsistent with traditional Christian belief and teachings).
I'd like to discuss this further with a focus on Christianity.
It is my position that there is no basis whatsoever for
Tangle's blanket claim that religions are all inherently evil, secularism inherently good, and the former only pacified by exposure to the latter.
Love your enemies!