Religious Intolerance

Posted by in Social Issues | 30 comments

I was sent this image from a reader on our sister site, WeAreAtheism.com. I don’t know who to attribute it to… but thank you for putting it all together.  Not much needs to be said about this. It is a long (but still partial) compilation of the violence against innocent people that religion can claim. I often hear how much us atheists “oppress” believers. I think this shows the true story.












  • Douglas Kirk

    Thank you for this. I’m saving it for every “isolated incident” moderate that pops up in whatever trhead I’m reading.

    • Douglas Kirk

      *thread. Damn

  • Toni

    Thank you for putting this excellent montage together demonstrating the disgusting ways that religion has hurt humans on our planet everywhere people continue to allow themselves to be brainwashed into believing in them.

  • Amanda Hanson

    Wow. Thanks God for atheists! Lol. Religious people are just too chicken to face their own mortality. Too chicken and too self-centered. You die! Then, guess what? Nothing happens. And the world goes on without you, just as it was doing before you were born. No big deal. Nothing to kill over. As Dawkins says, “you have a life. Stop your vain and presumptious desire for a second one!”

  • cc

    stop lumping all religions in with the big three; notice how it’s only those three that came from the same geographic region? And stop desiring to outlaw religion, or condemning the very idea. From an agnostic: you sound as intolerant as an Evangelical Christian.

    • Nick

      The problem with your assumption is that you seem to think religions other than the big three aren’t this way also. Religion promotes in-group pandering and eventually out-group hatred. The fact that most of the atrocities are committed by the “big three” is because they have the most people and are easiest to find examples of. Not exactly sure where it said we desire to outlaw religion but whatever… I personally condemn religion because I recognize people don’t need it to do good and it’s ability to squelch freedoms is enough for me to want it gone. Religion seeks to eliminate more freedoms than it grants. From my perspective, you sound just as confused as a normal christian and just because you’re OK with tolerating irrational behavior, does not mean that others have to be so.

    • Gary Troughton

      Religion by nature is intollerant. It matters little, which particular religion you adhere to. They all teach a very narrow view of the world and their fellow citizens. If someone disagrees with their beliefs, then they should be killed. I am sooooooooo tired of hearing the term ” good Christian,” I could just puke. There is nothing good about a person who discriminates against a person or group of people just because their different than you. For my money there needs to be more tollerance in the world, not less. And that really doesn’t seem to leave much room in the world for religion. That is not an atheist expressing hatred at religion. It’s just a hatred toward people who preach intollerance.

      • Nick

        They don’t all teach a very narrow view of the world, and they don’t all kill people who disagree with their beliefs. I suppose the only religions you’re familiar with are Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Maybe Hinduism, there’s been plenty of violence back and forth between Hindus and Muslims. How about Asatru, Tengriism, Buddhism, Taoism, Hellenism? How about Wicca, with their odd mishmash of magic, witchcraft, environmentalism, and goddess worship? Regardless of whether you think they have any merit (I’ve got a thing against Wicca, myself) the problem arises when you start heralding your own beliefs as The Only Truth.

        I’m convinced that polytheistic, pre-Christian reconstructions are the only way to save the United States from Christianity. A return to cultural roots, but based on modern secular sensibilities and law. Had they not been supplanted through force by certain monotheistic faiths, they would have evolved to suit the times as well so there’s no reason for them to be incompatible.

  • Rat2rrj

    How can you do this to fellow human brings. This is revolting.

  • Derric

    Nothing else needs to be said….How could anyone not see what is going on in the world after looking at this… I just makes everything even more clear to me… Crazy, Crazy people in this world.

  • http://Tebow? Kay

    I don’t understand why Tebow is included… isn’t the whole point to show how vile lack of tolerance can be? It’s not like football is government. If I were in the public eye I would share my (lack of) beliefs as well.

    • DC

      He spent his summers in college cutting at the genitalia of children who didn’t have a choice in the matter. That’s enough for me to despise him.

  • Ulyanov

    Not a single picture of the Gulag System…run by an officially Atheistic Government that killed MILLIONS of Believers.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000771866293 Sean Evans

       Nice try. the Gulag system is run by a government that officially denies that religion is real but that is not the reason for the gulags. The reason for the gulags is the fact that the system is repressive and authoritarian. More pain, strife, death, torture, hatred, bigotry, repression and sex crimes have occurred in the name of religion that for any other reason.

  • joejmz

    So… we hear we should not lump all atheists together, that just because the most vocal or the ones who get the most attention are hateful and rude, that doesn’t mean all atheists are like that, and then what do we see atheists… excuse me THIS particular atheist (and all those who are applauding him) doing? Lumping all people religious people together.

    Way to go!

    • inspired.flutist

      Maybe he’s just trying to get people’s attention. The thing with many religious people (SORRY not trying to “lump”) is that the very nature of religion instills a fundamental psychological process of thought that basically makes religious people very close-minded to other ideas and views. Many religious people I know haven’t actively (critically?) thought through what they believe, and when attacked with other ideas, immediately shut them down without any thought (their main/only argument being “the bible/church/etc” says this, so it’s true). This is probably partially because religious belief is such a personal, highly emotional thing. But because most religions not only discourage, but don’t allow questioning or criticisms, religious people are unable to sufficiently defend their beliefs beyond what something/someone else is telling them.

      I’m sure it’s true that many atheists are rude and hateful and very vocal about their opinions… I am not trying to condone that kind of behavior by any means! (Everyone should be considerate and respectful of other people’s beliefs and opinions, no matter how extreme or violent or “wrong”. Who knows what circumstances have brought them to that point?)

  • Rooney Doongerfiield

    I just wanted to Post something thing. I don’t know whether or not it’ll be heard on here or not. I hope you have an open mind. Anyways here it goes. I could make a montage of this from the local news on how brutal human beings are all over the world. Religion doesn’t always factor into it. Before you rush off to judge!!!…i’m not saying it doesn’t…I’m just saying it doesn’t always. Human nature naturally is violent and a disgusting thing, religiousness apart from the equation. Now I believe there are religions out there like Islam that actually encourage their followers to bring harm to Infidels as I personally have read in the Koran in context, and then there are religions out there like that which follows the words of the bible that condone the acts of …well everything up there. Does that mean people will stop doing it? Nope. Does that mean they are Christian just because they say they are? Nope. Can be christian and do those things? Nope. So just keep in mind there are in certain religious texts (not just the bible, don’t pick apart what I’m saying) things that state that a person shouldn’t do the things we see that are often represented by it’s religion. That doesn’t mean the religion is to blame. It means the human and human nature is to blame. Just something to keep in mind. You might as well not respond to this, I probably won’t be back to the site to check on it, but speak amongst yerselves. I’m feklemt!

    • inspired.flutist

      I agree with you that religion isn’t always to blame, but I think it is entirely wrong to blame human nature. In fact, I BELIEVE THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS HUMAN NATURE. Not as a constant, unchanging thing. Human nature could exist, if you define it as an ever-evolving thing depending on the current society. How can human nature be a constant throughout time when our environment and society is ever-changing and evolving? I believe that, because of what some RELIGIONS teach, and psychologically instill in our developing minds, our current “human nature” could be a reflection of what a specific religion teaches/preaches.
      Also… thank you for sharing your opinions :) You shouldn’t be worried if people are going to judge what you say–that’s the best possible outcome. Hopefully, you’ll have put a spark of thought into their heads (if it’s something that would offend them), something to challenge their current beliefs, and help them become more open-minded. We ALL can be more open-minded, and that doesn’t come from only conversing with those who have the same views as us.

  • KR Kenney

    Wow, you mean if there was no religion then people would never find stupid, hateful reasons to kill and persecute each other? I had no idea. Just remove the Abrahamic faiths and then the world would be peaceful; without malice or hate or senseless violence! I’ll be sure to spread the word. Who knew it could be so easy? I’m glad you figured it out for us poor, misguided religious fools.

    Or, maybe, people devoid of religion would yet find new excuses to hate and kill. You’re being intellectually lazy and grossly over-estimating human capacity for love and kindness. People are hateful. The people who are hateful and use religion as their grounds for being so would be hateful without it.

    • t14na27

      So then the corollary must also be true, those that are good would be good without religion.

      You are right, is not just religion, but all superstitious thinking that results in dogma.

      Getting rid of the Abrahamic religions would be one less irrational thing to fight about.

    • Darth Jedi

      No, they’d just find LESS reasons to.

  • Crystal

    Not all pro life are religious. I’m Atheist and believe that it’s just as much murder to kill a baby while it’s in it’s mother than outside the womb.

  • http://www.facebook.com/norm.jenkins.3 Norm Jenkins

    Want to become an Secular Atheistl? LOL = Pass this around =
    Encourage everyone to train in critical thinking and they will come around to rejecting supernatural myths.

    “” Here’s a 40 minute lecture about critical thinking to help people to make a clearer and better judgments while living your life”"

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7zbEiNnY5M&feature=em-share_video_user

  • Alisa Davies (16)

    It is so sad that all this is happening due to people’s fear, ignorance and hate. I myself do not associate with any particular religion as I don’t think that a connection to a higher power should be governed by strict rules and I don’t trust people in power controlling my mind. But, are you, with this post, attacking the religions or everyone who follows religion? Sadly, I can not say that this is the minority of people who do these things but there are many good, kind and accepting religious people(my best friend is Muslim) . I find it slightly unfair to focus only on the bad aspects of faith. Please don’t attack me for saying this because these images make me physically sick but the question is… is this the work of the religion, or the work of the people (or probably, a bit of both)?

  • zenny

    You don’t see Buddhism here. Not because its just an underrepresented religion, but because it is one that adheres to a philosophy of kindness and open thinking. It isn’t even a religion really, by most standards, it is just a really effective way of life that produces a culture of open discussion and rational insight about the nature of life and existence. Simple philosophy and a honed moral awareness, people are pretty accepting of that without too much violence.

  • Thomas

    This page makes a very good point. I am a religious person brought up in Protestant Christianity and exploring different religions and philosophies. There are stupid people in every group. In fact, everyone on this planet is stupid. Some are outrageously stupid and use only parts of their religious texts that they want to use to make the point that they are most comfortable with. It is important to recognize that nearly every religion includes some form of “the golden rule” and loving one another. Many religious texts (including the Bible) are a mixture of religion and culture of the authors, and the culture has since changed. Lao Tzu said to some effect: “Dumb people speak more; wise people speak less.” Unfortunately, as a result, it is often the dumb Christians, Muslims, and Jews who give the rest a bad name.

  • northierthanthou.com

    That’s a pretty comprehensive list of horribles.

  • http://www.facebook.com/robert.goodwin.1614 Robert Goodwin

    Honestly… it took everything I had to read this article and not turn away… this was painful. How can people be so stupid and evil? I need a break…

  • ICortez81

    You might wanna remove the last one from beiber, it’s innocuous, if someone wants to pray or listen to bad music it’s their choice.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000886750233 Rayn Roberts

    I have a problem with a great deal of what religions do in error thinking it’s the will of their god.