Well, my point was that just as you cannot hold religion responsible for all the atrocities committed in history, you can't really put all the blame on the individual either. There were periods in the history of mankind in which the catholic church had enough power to sway masses of people to engage in war against a group of people largely on religious grounds.
This is not to say that there weren't other ideologies such as nationalism that people in different periods of and places have used as the justifications for wars, but it does not excuse what church--or church leaders-had done if you need to get really specific--either. If you are not willing to hold the institutions of church, and the views it had of the world, at least partially responsible for what they had done at that time, this discussion seems pointless to me. It'd be like debating the existence of God with an atheist.
In my opinion, people who are generally wise on their own, do exceptionally inhumane things when they attain power. Even people a simple thing such as the internet can push people to say the meanest things to other people just because they know they'll not likely meet this other person. Perhaps, you'd say that people are inherently mean. Well I am simply saying that it may be unreasonable to do so.
In any case, it is never my intention to persuade you, or anyone else, to agree with me. In fact, I am very comfortable with your disagreeing with me. I am simply expressing my thoughts on the matter.
Secondly, well I agree with you and disagree with you. True, atrocities have been commited by humans probably since the dawn of time--a case for sinful human nature perhaps. At the same time, religion, organized religion specifically, had given justifications for some of the most prominent wars through out history.
calmpassion40 Blog Comments (5)
Sistine Chapel
Well, my point was that just as you cannot hold religion responsible for all the atrocities committed in history, you can't really put all the blame on the individual either. There were periods in the history of mankind in which the catholic church had enough power to sway masses of people to engage in war against a group of people largely on religious grounds.This is not to say that there weren't other ideologies such as nationalism that people in different periods of and places have used as the justifications for wars, but it does not excuse what church--or church leaders-had done if you need to get really specific--either. If you are not willing to hold the institutions of church, and the views it had of the world, at least partially responsible for what they had done at that time, this discussion seems pointless to me. It'd be like debating the existence of God with an atheist.
In my opinion, people who are generally wise on their own, do exceptionally inhumane things when they attain power. Even people a simple thing such as the internet can push people to say the meanest things to other people just because they know they'll not likely meet this other person. Perhaps, you'd say that people are inherently mean. Well I am simply saying that it may be unreasonable to do so.
In any case, it is never my intention to persuade you, or anyone else, to agree with me. In fact, I am very comfortable with your disagreeing with me. I am simply expressing my thoughts on the matter.