Effects of Religion

Effects of Religion

Stientje Charette

HUM/130

4/23/14

Kenneth Dietz

Effects of Religion

In the past and still in the present organized religion has been used as the excuse for both good and bad.   Wars are fought over religion; people are killed in the name of religion.   One religion says theirs is the one true religion and another says no theirs is, “...huge numbers of people have been killed in the name of “false” religions and replacing them with the “true” religion” (Fisher, 2014).   To mention examples of negatives effects that religion can have on society would be to bring up the Salem Witch trials, or the Spanish Inquisition.   When the puritans left England, they left to escape religious persecution yet they were far from tolerant (Discovery Education Classroom Resources, 2010).   Everything not in the normal scope of living was considered a sin.   If your livestock died or your crops failed, or your child became ill, then you must have sinned in some way and were being punished.   The Puritans believed in witchcraft and if you thought to be different in some way, you could be accused of being a witch and executed.   The Spanish Inquisition sought out and punished Jews and Muslims, if you were not Catholic, then you were a target.   Organized religion has a way of controlling people.   Other examples of this are the Jonestown Massacre and more recently, Westboro Baptist Church.  

Even so, it must be mentioned that organized religion can also achieve good.   There are many churches and religious organizations that make sure the hungry are fed and clothed, or that the homeless are given shelter.  One of these in my town is The Salvation Army. The Christian Children’s Fund is an example of this charitable side of religion, although I believe it is now called Child Fund.   Feed the Children is another one.