Unfortunately, looking at the history of religion, much suffering has been caused in the name of the Muslim god, the Christian god, and innumerable other Gods.
Sadly, Lance, true. Atheism doesn't have a clean sheet either if you consider what the Communist regimes accomplished in the last century. Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot promoted official state atheism and millions suffered under them.
But, I really don't think it's fair for me to cite that. The average atheist I know is a lot more compassionate and caring and I would not mistake them for Stalin or Pol Pot. So, because some religionists in the past have erred greatly doesn't make religion itself bad -- just as not all atheists are bad because of the "sins" (can atheists sin? <g>) of some notable atheists. I mean, I'm rather impressed with the political thought of some notable early American political thinkers. And yet, I'm aghast of how American society (and the Constitution) tolerated slavery for so many years before the Civil War. And once they ended slavery look how long it took for civil rights to become a real issue in America (and there are still major problems today.) Does that history make the whole American society and government something to be rejected?
Part of the solution is to be tolerant of others and not insist that "God" be the answer to man's problems. If we wait on "God" to work it all out, we won't look for an end to suffering ourselves.
Good advice, though it's the JW mindset that we should just sit back and wait on God to work it out. Most mainstream religions have a strong social and charity involvement (consider the Abolitionists, hospital work, soup kitchens, etc.) It's a bit unfair to cast believers into a "wait on God" mode like the JWs. Many believers would say that they are to be the instruments that God should use here on earth and this inspires them to do various charity and social work. St Teresa of Avila put it this way: "Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours; yours are the eyes through which to look at Christ's compassion to the world, yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good, and yours are the hands with which he is to bless us now."
Yes, in the name of religion some terrible things have been done. But, much good has been done by folks like Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Ghandi, Mother Teresa of Calcutta (and others) who have been inspired by their religious faith.
Anyway, glad you enjoyed Messiah. It's a great piece of music.
