Atheism and Moral Values

[Griff]

Originally Posted by piercehawkeye45

Hell, the largest genocide and imperialistic gains in history were justified under Christianity.

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[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by Griff

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manifest_Destiny

Spanish lawyers convinced Pope Alexander VI to issue the Inter Caetera Divinae, a series of papal bulls that confirmed Spain’s title to the lands discovered by Columbus. The first bull declared that Columbus had discovered a new land and a new people and recognized Ferdinand and Isabella’s title to all of the land in the area. The second bull directed Spain to convert the native inhabitants of this land to Christianity. In the decree Alexander declared: “Among other works well pleasing to the Divine Majesty and cherished of our heart, this assuredly ranks highest, that in our times especially the Catholic faith and the Christian religion be exalted and everywhere increased and spread, that the health of souls be cared for and that barbarous nations be overthrown and brought to the faith itself.” The second bull also established a line that ran from pole to pole, one hundred leagues west of the Azores.

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2536600093.html

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by Griff

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I believe he was referring to the Crusades. In Europe, political leaders doubled as religious leaders and vice versa. In addition to the Crusades, the 30 Year War was ostensibly an intra-Christian war. The irony, as with any war, is that with involvement of mercenaries and the general breakdown in social order, a great deal of violence was committed by Protestants and Catholics against people within their sects.

This may be one reason why so many 'old Europe' countries are lukewarm about most religion and why states have either taken over religion (England) or have a real separation between church and state.

[Griff]

Those are very large numbers but don't measure up to the 20th century genocides of the non-christians Attaturk, Mao, Pol Pot, Stalin, and Hitler (although Christian bigotry was one of his tools).