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Could we state facts and examples of how religions are hindering progress? I want a conversation on that subject to kick off. I also want definitive proofs. I apologize for the vagueness, it's an expansive subject.

Donotbelieve 9 Jan 28
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The major threat to education is the loose alliance between fundamentalist Christians, Jews and Muslims to obliterate the teaching of natural history in schools in favour of creationism.
It is appalling that such barbarous attitudes continue and are foisted upon children, for the sole purpose of inhibiting critical thinking and making the whole of reality deuscentric, thus increasing the power of the clergy and the coffers of the religions.
The general central ideology that humans are inferior, slaves to deity, are sinful in their wilfulness and should always submit or humble themselves, is abhorrent to me and assume to thinking people everywhere.
This attitude leads only to persecution, eugenic detritions, and ultimately wars between differing ideologies resulting in death.
The creationist movement is an attempt to return the world to medievalism, serfdom and theocracy.

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Millions of American women no longer have access to some healthcare because of religion.

But, you know that already, right? Gosh, I hope you do.

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As an answer to your examples of how religions are hindering progress. . . One of my favorite movies to show is "Agora." I had to order the Blu-ray from Germany because in the states it is only available in dvd (sarcasm: I wonder why?) Although the story is romanticized and cleaned up a bit, it is historically based and demonstrates just how much we (civilization) have lost as a result of (in this case, Christianity). I have screened it a half dozen times and the favorite comment from a guest after watching the movie was, "This movie makes me so mad I just want to go and slap Christians and ask them how they can be so stupid."

@TheMiddleWay The love story and the difference in age at the time of her death were points the movie (enhanced) and her death (most references I found noted she was probably skinned alive with broken pottery (no lover to break her neck and put her out of her misery (to be skinned alive what a great Christian way to kill a person))) were a few ways the movie also distorted history but Hypatia, as the movie illustrates, is credited with supporting discoveries that the earth was in an elliptical heliocentric orbit and it took a long time before the Christians were willing to accept something other then the biblically supported geocentric universe. In 1600 Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake by the Catholics for such crimes as supporting the Copernican model with it's heliocentric orbit. This is Sacrilege as the bible clearly supports the geocentric model. Joshua 10:12-13, Habakkuk 3:11, Psalms 19:4-6, Ecclesiastes 1:5 and my favorite 1 Chronicles 16:30
"tremble before him, all earth; yea, the world stands firm, never to be moved." Psalms 104:5, Isaiah 24:18 He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit; and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble." This is a short list from [hypertextbook.com]

@TheMiddleWay, Agoa (the movie) does give rightful credit to Aristarchus of Samos for the heliocentric (born c. 310 bce—died c. 230 bce) concept.

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How about the pastors who dictate to their flock who to vote for and then even charter a bus to bring them to the polls and make sure they vote the way the pastor wants them. It is a known fact that George W. embraced Evangelists in order to get votes. I know someone who brags about how her pastor took her and her fellow to the polls to vote for Trump.

After a year with Trump I'm ready to welcome GWB with open arms!!! Lol

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we would need access to the Vatican Archives from an historical perspective, but that's never going to happen. We all know the Churches perspective on Astronomy, and how they had to recant on the Earth being the centre of the universe. In fact the Muslim religion kept science progressing during the Dark Ages. What examples are you providing that today religion is hindering science? apart from those US nutters who believe in Creationism, which is no proof whatsoever

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I've talked about this on other posts. My biggest problem with all religions is faith because it is anti-reason. Science uses evidence, experimentation, replicable results and extrapolates theories from that. Science is self-correcting. Facts should change your beliefs and yet the faithful's beliefs trump facts. Faith's ultimate defense is a 5 year olds argument: "because". This perspective/foundational belief system encourages ignorance. That is why I consider myself 'anti-faith' and this is the greatest harm inflicted by all faith-based belief systems.

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Religions are actually not hindering progress as far as scientific advancement although extremists do tend to hinder the spread of that knowledge . They also often hinder societal progress as far as social justice is concerned. This wasn't always the case though. There was a time when religious belief aided societal cohesion and promoted greater educational opportunities. Today, most religions seem unable to evolve and adapt to advancing scientific understanding and natural societal change. Of course any religion that fails to evolve will ultimately face extinction. This is consistent with Darwinian Natural Selection. It's too bad for them that they tend not to believe in that.

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On athiests having no moral compass or guidelines:

I have killed the exact number of people I wanted to...and that number is zero. -Penn Jillette

red5 Level 2 Jan 28, 2018
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First thing that comes to mind -- Religious fundamentalists demanding creationism be taught in schools. It's a huge waste of time and resources. Ever here of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster? It started as counter to Kansas board of ed requiring the teaching of "intelligent design." [venganza.org]

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Christian families instill a distrust of science in their children. I had it happen to me. They are dishonestly trying to wedge creationism into classrooms under the name "intelligent design". They deny climate change is a fact, and think god is going to reincarnate and save them before they ruin the planet, so they advocate destroying the atmosphere, the actual air they breathe. One of the worst things though is their idea that women, gays, atheists and people with religions other than theirs are somehow worth less.

They are working towards spending less on public education and spending the money on school vouchers that can be used for religious schools, which will further perpetuate their myths.

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Other contributors have given good examples. How about making your life, your actions,opinions and decisions as examples and proof for making social progress.

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As a result of fundamentalist Christians pressuring the Trumpublican party, Trump decided to designate Jerusalem as Israel's capitol and move the American Embassy there from Tel Aviv. The one sided support for Israel is definite proof of hindering peace. IMO, the international military industrial complex really doesn't want peace in the Middle East, or anywhere else either. THey provoke problems both in America amping up the fundamentalists and over there. I wouldn't be surprised if many of the terrorist attacks are false flags designed to keep hostilities going for fun and profit.

jeffy Level 7 Jan 28, 2018
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I think it's difficult to find specific examples that are true in the modern day, because the power of religions has waned considerably in secular western countries. In the past of course, the catholic church suppressed scientific ideas (e.g. the imprisonment of Galileo) and suppressed the freedom of scientists to publish ideas that would go against the church (e.g. Darwin's inner turmoil over his theory of Evolution through Natural Selection).

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The middle east - how expansive do you want to get? The suni and shitii. Jews and Palastinians. Resources pouring into these regions and there is no end in sight to the on going conflick.

ever since I was a kid. ......and before that even......

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I'm not sure this is a great example, but I think it's along the lines of what you're asking: embryonic stem cell research has, for religious reasons, been halted, which set back medical research for years and hindered progress regarding genetic disorders and degenerative diseases (though, as I understand it, alternative avenues for research are now emerging in this area, so progress is again being made).

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Wow...tough question....money and religion are the route of all evils...isn’t that how it goes....you’ve only got to look at Iran...Iraq....the radical Islam....they hate anyone that doesn’t preach their Koran....even though we’ve been told by thousands that follow the Koran....that war and hate isn’t part of their religion....so the hinderence if you like....is that they really don’t want peace....that’s just my shortened opinion....

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