Is Religion Bad?

This seems to be becoming a popular argument: “Religion is the source of all strife and conflict in the world and we would all be better off without it.” Prominent advocates of this view include the eminent Richard Dawkins, the professor of evolutionary biology and author of The God Delusion. Dawkins argues in this most recent book that “as long as we accept the principle that religious faith must be respected simply because it is religious faith, then it is hard to withhold respect from the faith of Osama bin Laden and the suicide bombers.” Dawkins further states that religion is a “bad idea” that when foisted on children; it is a “moral wrong.”

Then there is Sam Harris, the neuroscientist and author of The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason. Harris argues that, “unless we renounce faith, religious violence will soon bring civilization to an end.”

In an article written by former Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich which appeared in the New Prospect; Reich states that:

The great conflict of the 21^st century may be between the West and terrorism but terrorism is a tactic and not a belief. The underlying battle will be between modern civilization and anti-modernist fanatics; between those who believe in the primacy of the individual and those who believe that beings owe blind allegiance to a higher authority; between those who give priority to life in this world and those who believe that human life is no more than preparation for an existence beyond life; between those who believe that truth is revealed solely through scripture and religious dogma, and those who rely primarily on science, reason, and logic.

In essence, the sentiment common to each of these men and a growing number of others is that religion, in their minds, answers the question, “What has gone wrong with the world?” Unfortunately, all they have to offer is the scientific or modernistic worldview as the solution which postmodernism is now revealing as both futile and crumbling.

Regardless, much of this sentiment has been given a credible voice in the wake of Islamic violence and terror. In this sense, I do understand the reaction. In the case of Islam, one must ask what is it that this religion teaches which encourages such brutality and bloodshed. However, it is both incorrect and rather sophomoric to conclude that ALL religion is therefore “bad.”

Investigation into the teachings of Islam will no doubt convince one that this particular religious idea is indeed dangerous. Critics attempt to argue that Christianity is equally guilty of preaching violence and bloodshed “in the name of God” but this again is not an accurate account of the theology and teachings of the Christian faith. Furthermore, this is almost always based upon religious ignorance by those who are predisposed in their opposition to religion in general. Additionally, this narrow idea that “religion is bad” does not take into account the overwhelming good that we see produced by religion every day.