One might think that it is an absurd view for one that does not believe in God nor religion to believe that "God is great", but let me elaborate.First off let me acknowledge that a lot of bad and evil has been done over the centuries in the name of God and religion. To name the crusades, the inquisitions, countless wars is just to skim the surface of the subject. And this continues today with religious motivated terrorism, the war in Iraq, the Balkans war, India and Pakistan's cold war, Sri Lanka's tensions.
Religion has not just to answer for evil, but also ignorance, the burning of books and censorship of knowledge throughout the ages. The murder of Socrates, the imprisonment of Galileo, the continued illogical slandering of biological evolution and science.
But there has also been good. Throughout history in societies of little to no laws religion has motivated countless people to be good. Religion instituted many of the first legal systems. Religious schools were for the most part the first schools, even today many schools throughout the world are funded by religions, many people would not be able go to school at all if it were not for this funding. Literacy in general owes a great dept to religion.
Compassion and charity are causes championed by religion. Not only are the majority of charities today linked with religion, but even non-religious charities are largely funded by donations from religiously motivated people.
Some of the greatest achievements of humanity owe a dept to religion. The absolution of slavery in the British empire and eventually the world was a movement started by a group of religious Quakers, and for the most part backed and successful because of the support of religion. Martin Luther King was a Christian minister, Gandhi was a devote Hindu.
The animal rights movement began with religion, the first vegetarians were Hindu and Buddhist. Traces of animal compassion can be found in most religions, from avoiding eating meat on the Sabbath, Kosher and Hala food, Christian sects such as the Seventh Day Adventists promoting vegetarianism. For all its effort and celebrity endorsements even PETA has inspired meagerly little people to avoid meat when compared with Hinduism and Buddhism.
Religion more than benefits society, it benefits individuals. It gives them purpose, provides them with a community and support network. Many health studies have shown that religious people are healther and live longer than the average. This is because after they retire, they still have a community and a purpose.
There is a fundamentalist sect of Atheism emerging of late, which seems bent on religions demise. I recently read the novel God is not Great, religion poisons everything of which this article is a play on its title. The book was immaculately written, and I would strongly recommend it, and not disagree with any of it points, however I think that perhaps it is one-sided, and may be in danger of promoting a view that would have the baby thrown out with the bath water.
Some argue that we do not need religion to obtain all its benefits. We can be good just because it the correct thing to be, we can come together as a community in other ways, we can give to charity simply because it makes us feel good, we can live virtuous and ethical lives because it is the best way to live. I don't know, to me, it sounds a lot like a religion.
