When Religion is Evil

Both Ghana and Uganda have made LBGTQ people subject to criminal treatment and possible death. American religious fanatics (a nicer word than nuts) helped format the laws.

More and more, I find religion can be evil. Religion can destroy lives, especially when people are forced to live lives that harm them by others in the name of their god or some document written and rewritten from ancient times to now.

I don't care what the religious deity is: God, Allah, Yaveh, Zeus or the River God. 

A good part of religion is when believers find a sense of peace, hope, generosity, understanding etc.

What is wrong is when people force their religion on others. Especially when people are forced into things that hurt them.

Take the anti-homosexual legislation not just in Africa but anywhere. Some say homosexuality is a sin against their god.

Yet homosexuality has always existed be it Alexander the Great or Richard the Lionhearted and any number of unknowns over the centuries.

It exists in the nature. The loving Boston Common swans Romeo and Juliet turned out to be Juliet and Juliet. Male penguins have been known to couple and raise deserted baby penguins. 

There have been religious regimes. Living under Oliver Cromwell took the joy out of life, destroyed historic buildings, families and lives. 

The battle between Irish Catholics and Protestants went on for centuries.

Regimes like the Taliban hurt women who can never live up to their full potential.

Inquisitions and pogroms done in the name of a god were evil in their destructiveness to their fellow human beings.

Religions, be it a crusade or a war on home soil between religious factions, over the centuries have hurt or killed hundreds of thousands.

Witches were another victim of religion fanatics.

The My-God-is-better-than-your-god-therefore-you-have- to-follow-my-god-or-I'll-kill-you-or-make-your-life-miserable is what I call evil.

As for the Christian Nationalists (CNs) in my birth country, I'm angry that they are destroying it. One coup has failed. Now Trump, the master of transference of his faults to others, is saying Biden will destroy the country. Sadly, there is not an11th commandment, "Thou Shall Not Lie."

CNs say they want Christian values in the country. If they were love, helping others, etc. that wouldn't be so bad. But their destructive desire to control other people lives in ways that hurts people creates a society that is not anywhere I want to live or want anyone I care about to live.

Of course there are good religious leaders, but there are also the con men with their mega churches who work hard to make themselves rich. Some fortunately have been caught, but not enough.

In the 70s I had applied for a PR job for a religious "leader." My main responsibilities would have been fund raising. I was told that the Reverend thought that raising money and letting people feel good about giving him money made God happy. Needless to say, I didn't take the job.  

For the good religious people, those who practice the best of their beliefs, they can help society. For those that use religion to control others, steal, cheat, hurt and kill in their god's name, go away and leave others alone.