The Political, Aspie Fangirl

nikosnature:

mc-xc:

Ok, i’ll admit, religion did do those two things

Let me make a list of things that people acting because of their Catholic religious beliefs have done.  Bertrand Russel seems to have forgotten a couple things religion has done.

So I reblogged this post earlier with a bit of a tangential rant. Now I want to address everything on this list in turn.

-Protected Latin and Greek transcripts from the Barbarian invasions of the early middle ages.

This implies that everything done by religious people is motivated by religion. This would imply that a religious person cooking toast is doing so because of their faith, which is just silly. I’m an atheist, and I’d protect those documents too, no matter their nature, because I value historical study.

Oh, and you know who the “Barbarians” were? Anyone not Roman or Greek. It’s a xenophobic term. Another fun fact? The word “barbarian” came from “bar bar” which is how the Romans made fun of Germanic speech patterns.

-Designed the map of Europe through Benedictine Monasteries.

Done by religious person =/= religiously motivated.

-Protected Europe from the Muslims who were advancing into Europe through the Crusades.

… Which was started by religious people in the first place.

-Rescued Christian and pre-christian literature during those Crusades.

Fair enough, I like literature too.

- Spread agricultural and animal husbandry knowledge

… No. Agriculture has existed since 10,000 years Before the Common Era.

- Started and protected universities

To the best of my knowledge, this is actually true. Good for you.

-Saved people who were condemned as heretics by Feudal Lords during the Spanish inquisition.

Frowzyteenager put it beautifully: “Oh, the Spanish Inquisition, where they were just SO NICE to the Jews and the Muslims. That’s like saying ‘oh we created the problem but were nice enough to solve it!’”

- Sponsored and supported science and medicine

EL OH FUCKING EL. Let me give you a basic run down of the history of medicine. While Europe, mostly because of oppression by the Catholic church, was busy burning women alive for having funny birthmarks, thus qualifying them as witches, it was the Middle East that was on its way to the beginning of modern medicine, including discovering how the heart worked, figuring out the basics of the digestive system, and inventing anesthesia. This was in the 1400s. The Holy Roman Empire would later suppress advancements from these in Europe because it went against God somehow.

- Developed the modern theory of genetics, Mendel

Which was later suppressed by the Catholic Church at large. And again, done by a Catholic =/= done by Catholicism.

- A group of Franciscan friars freed Squanto leading to the survival of the English colonists at Plymouth rock.

Myles Standish, who led this group of supposed Franciscan friars, was irreligious. (Also a genocidal bastard.)

- Created International Law theory

Because you were taking over most of the world to begin with. That’s like crediting Germany for fascism like it’s a good thing.

- Developed and sponsored modern economic theory

Which sucks.

 -Invented charity as we know it

I can’t find a reputable source to suggest that any religion can claim to have “invented charity.”

- Developed the Big Bang theory, Lemaitre

Which was later rejected and continues to be rejected by religion at large.

- Codified, expanded, and improved Western Law 

Which is oppressive and therefore sucks.

- Developed Western Morality

Which is oppressive and therefore sucks.

-Lord Baltimore founded the colony of Maryland, and the Jesuits there were instrumental in writing the one of the first precursors of the first amendment right of the freedom of religion.

Because they were being persecuted by another sect of Christianity.

- Sponsored and influenced art and architecture

I’ll give you credit here. I love the architecture in grand religious buildings. The Cathedral of Cordoba (a mosque and church in one, super cool) is amazing, and Notre Dame literally brought me to tears.

- Developed the concept of inalienable rights

This concept was invented by The Stoics of ancient Greece, who renounced most human emotion and whose definition of spirituality was purely one of self-reflection.

- Pope Pius  XII hid and defended Jews in the Vatican during the holocaust.

I tip my hat here.

- The Catholic Church prevented Italy from falling to Communism in the aftermath of the war.

Without realizing that Jesus was a communist.

- Catholics in Poland were among the most active freedom fighters against the U.S.S.R.

Because Catholics were persecuted by the USSR to begin with.

Currently:

- The Catholic Church is the world’s largest charity.

As in charitable organizations like the House of the Dying which is actually as horrific as the title might suggest? Read “The Missionary Position” by Christopher Hitchens for more on what a fraud Mother Teresa was in particular.

So yeah, as great as some of this probably is, I doubt that it’s all actually going to charitable things.

-  It is extremely active in social justice issues like stopping sex trafficking and promoting ways to prevent AIDS.

You mean by stopping people from using condoms? That’s some safe sex for you.

- The Catholic Church is actively fighting for an end to the oppression in the Middle East against Coptic Christians.

I tip my hat here, but would this persecution exist were it not for religion’s existence to begin with?

- The Catholic Church vocally opposes China’s human rights violations.

[TW: rape]

And does nothing about the boys their priests rape and in fact tries to cover it all up.

So next time someone tells you that religion is a force for evil.  Show them this list.

Lol. Good one.