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Permalink Reply by Dennis Fredericks on June 27, 2011 at 11:22pm

Well, Just look at the Book of Joshua and the taking of Jericho !

Joshua's army slaughtered thousends of innocent people just to get to Jericho..

I consider Joshua the 1st Terrorist.. In the same vain as Bin Laden

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Permalink Reply by Michael Rose on June 28, 2011 at 1:23pm

However, "God" told Joshua to go to Jericho, thus stating that he put the idea to kill thousands of people into Joshua's head. Without the influence "God," then Joshua never would have done such an act don't you think?

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Permalink Reply by Seth Jon Nonnemaker on June 28, 2011 at 5:27pm

The first ever successful inception!

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Anderson on June 28, 2011 at 12:28am

and he said to them, " The LORD God of Israel commands you to strap on your swords and go through the camp, killing your relatives, your friends, and your neighbors." 

Exodus 32:27

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Permalink Reply by Emery Emery on June 28, 2011 at 12:41am

God is not the cause of war anymore than the tooth fairy is the cause of teeth falling out. Now religion on the other hand...

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Permalink Reply by Sim on June 28, 2011 at 7:54am

My sentiments exactly!

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Permalink Reply by Sassan K. on June 28, 2011 at 2:48am

We didn't go to war because of "God" but we were attacked on 9/11 because of "God" and Islamic terrorism is precisely because of "Allah" is inscribed by the quran and hadith. Therefore, even in these conflicts and future conflicts (such as with the Islamic Republic) military action may be necessary again due to the extremist, maniacal, and apocalyptic beliefs of such Islamic radicals and terrorists.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Rose on June 28, 2011 at 12:42pm

When I was writing this thread, I was not ascertaining it to the current war occurring over in Iraq, but more of the overall idea of war. Is it not possible by through the acts that were written is the Bible that you can say "God" was in fact a sadist tyrant?

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Permalink Reply by Andrei Maliwanag on June 28, 2011 at 3:00am

the BIBLE GOD IS THE ULTIMATE HITLER OF ALL TIME bwaahahah

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Permalink Reply by Atheist Exile on June 28, 2011 at 3:47am

Hi Michael,

I've repeated here, many times, that the Abrahamic religions have been THE most persistently divisive influence in the history of mankind.  But they're just an influence.  It's the unscrupulous men who have used these monotheistic religions for greed and power who are really responsible for wars and other obscene atrocities.

Religion is at the base of a traditional society's culture.  It informs these societies at every level.  Harsh punishments, judgmentalism, intolerance and violence are justified by scripture.  And by demanding that adherents believe in impossible things, these religions induce adherents to be gullible and irrational.  Religion prepares adherents to be malleable in the hands of despots and tyrants.

But it's not just religions.  Any ideology that can be treated as gospel could be used to control and subjugate society.  It's tempting, as atheists, to put all the blame on religion but it's actually ruthless men and mindless masses who inflict the harm.

“What luck for rulers, that men do not think.”  ~Adolf Hitler

“The great mass of people will more easily fall victim to a big lie than to a small one.”  ~Adolf Hitler

“If you tell a lie long enough, loud enough, and often enough, the people will believe it.”  ~Adolf Hitler

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Permalink Reply by Michael Rose on June 28, 2011 at 1:28pm

Although you have a strong, highly researched, valid point, that wasn't the overall idea of this thread. Moreso, I question if through "God's" sadistic acts of tyranny that he drove man to act in such a way. As I commented earlier on another post, without the influence of man, there wouldn't be dog fights; could you say that, figuratively speaking, we are now the dogs and "God" is man?

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Permalink Reply by Atheist Exile on June 29, 2011 at 8:22am

@Michael Rose:

I did indeed answer both of your questions.  Here's the questions you asked . . .

Thus, after stating all this, if "God" existed, would he be the one to blame for putting the violent tyranny acts of war into man's mind? [1] Could he be the one to blame for showing us that force will sometimes help you what you desire; as in "God's" case where it was disciplined followers. [2]

My answer asserted that God (through religion) is an influence but the blame rightly belongs to the power-hungry men who commandeer religion for their own reasons.  That answers the first question.  It also asserts that God (through religion) prepares adherents to be malleable in the hands of despots and tyrants.  That answers the second question.

Perhaps you don't recognize the answers because I used the words religion or scripture in place of God.  That's because I'm accustomed to phrasing my words as legitimately as I can.  There is no God.  People know God through their religions and scriptures.  God does not influence anybody because he doesn't exist.  However, scriptures and the religions based on them DO exist and it is these that actually do the influencing.

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