Its apparent that in the modern day and age, religion is more detrimental than beneficial as it is (arguably) the number 1 instigator of violence, cruelty and division among mankind.

Take for an example conflicts in the Iraq and Afghanistan, if you remember correctly, their invasions were provoked by the unfortunate events of 9/11 which were probably caused by the Palestinian conflict fueled by the Americans’ preferential treatment of Israel, which by the way, can probably be attributed by the Palestinians’ uncompromising stance of sharing their land with the Zionists and so on and so forth. My point is that this blame game can probably extend to biblical times when God duped the Israelites from their “promised land” so in essence, doing this is really futile.

It's high time that we all learned to respect, understand and tolerate each other; as those are the keys to the viability of a world full of imperfect beings who are inherently different, both in appearance and thought and its the only way we can regress back to the relative serenity of our prehistoric past.

Islam= PEACE

Nothing to do with violence

*sighs*

as if there wouldnt be violence without religion.

and i really doubt there would be any less.

I don't think religion is the number one instigator of violence. Not every case of violence is due to religious reasons; some cases there are but to say every case is directly caused by religion, that is wrong on all accounts (WW1 and 2, Vietnam War - the instigator was not religion...)

However, there have been cases where religion has been an insitigator (such as the crusade era and the whole bangladesh-india-pakistan fiasco[though that was also a land-thing too] in addition to general animosity with hindus and muslims).

If you look at the core teachings of the mainstream religions (christianity, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism etc) they all represent some sort of peace and or justice - think about it, do you really know any religion that at its core lies violence (i.e to be a follower of that religion you have to be violent?) So to then say that religion is the number one instigator of violence I would disagree completely. Though as I stated before, there are cases where people use [*******ized] teachings of their religion to commit crimes - but that's not the religions fault, rather the follower's.

Religion as a whole, I don't think is the instigator - I believe it is people who cannot see eye to eye or learn to live in peace (i.e the exact opposite teachings of the major religions) are the real instigators of violence.

I have similar doubts.

It seems to me that most wars are essentially about gaining control over resources (oil, water etc) and land.
Religion comes into it as a means of separating which two (or more) groups fight over the same resources, and which group each individual considers him/herself part of.
If we take religion out of the equasion, we would still find ways of grouping ourselves into 'them' and 'us'. I'm afraid that is human behaviour.

To be breif.

Resources and land we can reason and negotiate over.

You cant reason or negotiate when a uncontactable yet all powerful deity once told your ancestors that you were the best people or that you had been given superiority over all others.

I take your point, barney.

But how often in human history have resources and land been negotiated over?
Do you believe, if we stamped out religious beliefs, peace would descend on the planet?

1) u spelt brief wrong
2) explain the second part in english. dont talk in riddles

Not wishing to take this thread off topic ... can people see disadvantages which could occur, if religion was eradicated from the human mind?
(I am thinking about disadvantages in human behaviour etc - rather than thinking about the afterlife)

Oh abosolutely! I gew up in a predominantly non-muslim and non-religious area. Believe you me, manners and general people skills (i.e mixing with everyone - no matter creed or colour etc) was a rarety amongst the non-muslims at my primary AND secondary - I assure you this was due to them having no religion and am so very very glad I was raised the way I was.

Well you need social conformity still.
You would have to make sure that you taught for a similar amount of time, MODERN DAY, values.
Kindness, co-operation, being slow to anger, the value of life, the painful punishment of prisons, (where if you transgressed sorely societys rules you would abide in for ever).

It would be great.

I think a lot of peoples Superiority complexes would be transfered from religion into nationalism, but I am optimistic.

Humanity would benifit, socially, culturally, technologically, and ethically.

I don't see how it could be.

You see, religion is used as a means of rounding up people, but I think it is hardly used as a means of starting a war, I have hardly read of a war in which those in charge sought to fight because they believed God had told them too.

Rather what I see happening is, people fighting to take land because they want the land and then stating that if you join this army you will be rewarded by God. See, the religious faith here only is a tool to achieve a goal, without the religious faith people would still have the goal, take land/women/money/oil etc but they would need a powerful tool to utilise armies, at an era when faith is becoming frowned upon we see people now fighting for 'freedom' and their 'rights' from threats of men with weapons of mass destruction.

And Allah knows best.

I can't say I agree with you on this for a couple of reasons.
1) Where I live the number of people who call themselves muslims and have absolutely no manners is shocking.
2) Economics, environment and education are big factors. Do you think if you walk through brixton and talk to people of no religion there that it would be the same as talking to secular students at Eton?
I know of many people from different circumstances with different views, some decent people, some ar*eholes.

No religion is not the prime instigator of violence, but it's also not true to say there wouldn't be less violence without it. Look at the French wars between catholics and protestants, 3-4million people dead over which version of Christianity is right.

God starting wars:

The Jews massacering Jericho, Ai, Gibbonites,amorites, makkadar,libnahr, lachist etc etc etc etc etc etc.
The Islamic conquest: Jihad from 630 through to 1400.( Jihad in those days diddnt really mean a inner personal struggle with your own feelings. It meant joining the flipping army and killing to fullfill the commandment.
The Crusades, seven of them. The Pope is speaking Gods words, he is divinely influenced. God says kill.
Every War that Japan fought. Their emperor was a God up untill 1945 when he suddenly realised he wasnt. The people were most surprised.
Every war of Ancient Eygpt. Pharoh says conquor? OK holder-up-of -the-sun, sure thing!

Sadly, violence is a human condition. Take away religion and we would just find something else to kill that other guy for. That being said, I do believe that faith and religion are two completely different things. Religion becomes an identity and an institution. Faith is a personal connection between an individual and God. Religion can and does instigate violence. However, stating that religion is the #1 instigator of violence is dubious, considering the number of people killed by Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot, just to point out three non-theist leaders.