Let me begin this piece with an absolute truth: God does not belong to any religion! He did not found any religion, men did. God is simply God! Come to think of it, it is rather unfair for any religion to assert exclusive ownership to His person. His unfathomable sovereignty transcend any religious dogma. With this truth settled in our mind, let us without sentiment, examine the various ills religion has inflicted on humanity, and perhaps reach an objective conclusion as to the continuous existence of organized religion.

Have you ever stopped to think about what our world would be like without religion? Well, I have. And it would be incredibly different. Religion has disadvantaged the human race in more ways than one and it is time to change and rid the human race of its many unrealistic superstitions. “Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity“. This is a quote from a historical figure, Thomas Jefferson. If it were not for religion, millions upon millions of people of different religions would not have been murdered throughout the crusades, witch-hunts and other cases where religion was the cause or excuse for the murder and execution of people, mainly in the dark ages. It is also possible that the dark ages themselves would have not existed if religion didn’t. During these times many people were brainwashed and believed that witches and other supernatural beings were everywhere, causing them to hunt down so called witches and werewolves. Enough said here. No amount of denial by the religious community can refute this.

There have always been tensions between different religions and in many instances, conflict. There have been many injuries and deaths as a result of these conflicts and many of these casualties are not even from the fighting in the conflicts, they are the elderly, or women and children brutally murdered, raped or bludgeoned because they believed in a different ‘outlandish’ religion and ‘bogus’ god. More often than not, the conflicts were a result of a play for power by a dominant leader, wanting more, using religion to justify their acts of inhumanity.

Even in today’s world there is great tension between different religions, for example the terrorist attacks where; once again, innocent people were needlessly killed. Muslim extremists who believed that Christians are evil and must be destroyed, decided to ram two planes into a couple of buildings killing thousands of mothers, fathers, daughters and brothers, affecting a whole nation, and even the whole world, and They justify the slaughter by saying its an act of God. For example, the mass murders and the ‘holocausts’ that have happened in recent centuries, over 200,000,000 people of different faiths have been murdered because they do not fit in, or they clash with the beliefs of a more powerful religion.

There have been many people who have died because of this blind stupidity of religion. Consider the following for example: in USA, Heavens Gate cult , a religious establishment at ‘Jonestown’ in 1978 was led by Jim Jones who was a great leader. However, he believed that the world was coming to an end and believed that the Bible said that the only way to get to the ‘kingdom of heaven’ was to have a ceremony and commit suicide. He did this, along with 909 other weak minded people that he tricked using his religion. Without the power of religion this would have been unlikely to happen.
Even more recent, is the ‘Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God’ in 2000. The leaders of this group claimed that they had seen visions of the Virgin Mary and also believed that the world was going to come to an end. They told their many followers these outlandish claims, and conned 778 people into killing themselves and others in a series of fires, poisonings and murders. This is yet another example of the power of religion and its destructive properties.

What would the world be like without religion? Many people die every year from diseases and sickness, some of which could be treated and saved from a certain death but who reject transplants and transfusions due to their religious beliefs one such religion is Jehovah’s Witness. These people do not accept or give blood because they believe that blood is sacred to God. They also do not allow organ transplants. There are a number of other religions that do not accept organ transplants and blood transfusions; these people die long and painful deaths which can be prevented.

The catalogue of ills inflicted by religion on the human race is endless. I think it is high time we abolish religion before it exterminates mankind. I believe strongly, that without religion universal brotherhood will flourish, and the hitherto religious barriers that hinder our common humanity will give way to a blissful social coexistence.
Finally, let me end this piece my saying that, religion has never, at anytime, drawn humanity closer to God. Rather it has greatly, to a large extent, misrepresented the personality of God to us, through vain dogmas and doctrines that are not in sync with God’s instituted natural laws, which govern the universe. It is instructive to note, however, that every human being is an extension of God, and that He lives in us and constantly communicates and relates with us through the VOICE OF CONSCIENCE. Whenever we obey the voice of conscience, we obey God, and thereby build cordial relationship with him, as his children. If every one of us understand this truth and allow our lives to be guided by it, there would be peace and order on earth.
Azemobor Gregory
International Coordinator, Voice of Change Network International
www.vocinternational.com
www.projecthelpachild.com