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You don't need religion to know the difference between right and wrong, just ask a five year old.  If there is a God and there is such a thing as heaven I can't see how he/she would care how many Hail Marys you said during your life or how many times you went to mass or whether you went off sugar in your tea for lent.

Religion has been hijacked so many times as an excuse for conflict.  Cromwell's wars where as much about getting hold of the vast lands that the monasteries owned as it was about religious conviction.  The Salem which trials about the transfer of land and power as any hysteria over some women acting a bit strange.  The same thing is happening now with the war on terror/good versus evil it's just an excuse for some people to get rich.  Not really much to do with religion.

Good post but please stick to last 100 years for certain posters!!!!

What wars do you know - Iraq, WW1, WW11? 

Great debate.

Likewise 

The point I am making, and you seem to be missing, is that there isn't a justice systtem anywhere that will incarcerate someone for life for mentally abusing a child. And I would say it is a lesser crime than someone raping a child. Me and my old fashioned views.

Point I am making is ANY crime against a child should be taken VERY serious, is there a more vunerable section of the community?

Welcome back cash4gold.

Cheers big ears!

Cash4gold - Where would you build all these prisons to house these fiends ?

Why - do you think ANYONE who abuses a child - an innocent individual who physically cannot protect themselves - should be spared any form of punishment?

[CashFor Gold, when you reach a proper understanding of what constitutes a Church,]

CashFor Gold, when you reach a proper understanding of what constitutes a Church, then you will be qualified to express an opinion, until then you would be better advised to display a little humility and not be making a holy show of your ignorance

What in your opinion constitutes a "Church"; someone else deciding how YOU can worship a God no one for certain knows exists?

[I see now. You came up with some names. I don't know them wars.]

Is your list of wars limited to the 20th/21st Century?   Quick google ...

1 Christianity
1.1 Crusades
1.2 French Wars of Religion
1.3 Thirty Years War
1.4 Taiping Rebellion
2 Islam
2.1 Second Sudanese Civil War
3 Hinduism
3.1 Indian Rebellion of 1857
4 Taoism/Daoism
4.1 Yellow Scarves Rebellion
4.2 Five Pecks of Rice Rebellion
5 Buddhism
5.1 White Lotus Rebellion
5.2 Sri Lankan Civil War
6 Judaism
6.1 Jewish-Roman Wars
7 Sikhism
7.1 Sikh uprising (1982-91)
8 Saxon Wars

I see now. You came up with some names. I don't know them wars.

The main case for war has never changed. An the two major tools of war are still effective today namely, religon and patriotism/nationalism.

What you're saying is like saying the internet is the main cause of porn. Google that and prove me wrong.

What wars do you know - Iraq, WW1, WW11? 

WRT the original posters question, I am a practising Catholic and I think religions are a force for good in the world

In what way?  Surely they merely cause mistrust of other religions, they instil values they perceive to be correct, it's now ok (i.e. you won't burn in hell NOT to observe holy days in the catholic church, it is now ok to eat meat on a Friday - such silly ideas, now people who commit suicide are allowed to have a proper burial, that's nice of them)  The catholic religion like all religions is fraught with inconsistencies, why does someone have to have a religion to believe in God, if going to Mass and listening to a nice story written by people at least 2 generations after Jesus was alive, and then edited many times is comforting to you then fair play, but if there is a higher power I'd rather converse alone to him/her and let my life be judged by my actions and not my parish dues!

Are you changing the question now?  If you are, I am done, I have answered your original question by saying I think religions are a force for good and I think it's obvious enough how.

How is it obvious - you have yet to offer any explanation?

WRT the original posters question, I am a practising Catholic and I think religions are a force for good in the world

In what way?  Surely they merely cause mistrust of other religions, they instil values they perceive to be correct, it's now ok (i.e. you won't burn in hell NOT to observe holy days in the catholic church, it is now ok to eat meat on a Friday - such silly ideas, now people who commit suicide are allowed to have a proper burial, that's nice of them)  The catholic religion like all religions is fraught with inconsistencies, why does someone have to have a religion to believe in God, if going to Mass and listening to a nice story written by people at least 2 generations after Jesus was alive, and then edited many times is comforting to you then fair play, but if there is a higher power I'd rather converse alone to him/her and let my life be judged by my actions and not my parish dues! 

[Anyone who believes most wars are fought over reliigon are more a part of the problem than they are the solution.]

Anyone who believes most wars are fought over reliigon are more a part of the problem than they are the solution.

The catholic church has pedalled the notion that it is "errant priests/bishops" that are the problem and people who want to believe that, in the direct opposition to all the evidence, will believe it. That is what is wrong and all you have to do is read the Murphy report and you'll see clearly the cover ups that went on right all the way to the top. The institution of the catholic church covered up the rape of children and continues to act like it was something small. Even the papal nuncio wouldn't cooperate with a commission in the country to which he is an ambassador. Anyone willing to accept the  "couple of errant Priests" line is the core of people I spoke about above.

As did the state as did many influential Irish people and organisations at the time.

This didn't only go right to the top of the Church this was a part of Irish life through church, state, home and school life. However, the church and the state were best placed to stop it and didn't.

Is your list of wars limited to the 20th/21st Century?   Quick google ...

1 Christianity
1.1 Crusades
1.2 French Wars of Religion
1.3 Thirty Years War
1.4 Taiping Rebellion
2 Islam
2.1 Second Sudanese Civil War
3 Hinduism
3.1 Indian Rebellion of 1857
4 Taoism/Daoism
4.1 Yellow Scarves Rebellion
4.2 Five Pecks of Rice Rebellion
5 Buddhism
5.1 White Lotus Rebellion
5.2 Sri Lankan Civil War
6 Judaism
6.1 Jewish-Roman Wars
7 Sikhism
7.1 Sikh uprising (1982-91)
8 Saxon Wars

If it was on now it would be 1.50 a minute to ring in!!!

What answer are you looking?  I use to really enjoy this but the second series wasn't as good as I recall.

What the programme was.

What's Your Story? - That was it's title.

Putting aside any belief in God one may hold - with the recent revelations of clerical abuse, the fact that nearly every war was fought over Religion and the fact that people are today killing in the name of one God or another, what do people think of Religion in the world?  Are we better human beings because of these institutions telling us what to think, what is right and wrong, how to live our lives to enjoy eternal salvation!!  Personally I think most are interested only in there own earthly salvation which parishioners or their flock help make very comfortable due to their voluntary work and monetary donations, they also have shown time and time again that they are a haven for very sick and perverted individuals, whether their perversion is child abuse, terrorism or whatever and in most cases these unregulated institutions are beyond reproach.

I would not for one second doubt that many people in many religions are very decent individuals who are "doing God's" work, but if there is a God and you believe that is so; why do you have to be part of some institution to worship him, surely you will be judged on how you lived your life, how you helped others, how you treated people with respect and kindness.  Surely it will not be on how many times you went to mass, going off sweets for lent, bombing people from different religions, inciting hatred to people of different colours and creeds because they don't accept your version what is essentially in all religions a good story!

What answer are you looking?  I use to really enjoy this but the second series wasn't as good as I recall.

Can anyone remember this from the 80's, it was hosted by Sylvester McCoy and viewers rang in with suggestions for an ongoing show.  No idea why but I found myself thinking of this today driving into work, at the time I thought it was very good!!