Religion as the Root of All Evil? – Part 1: Monotheism and Polytheism

The history of religion is marked by episodes of violence, prompting some atheists to denounce it as a fundamental source of evil. Is religion inherently harmful?

Does it inevitably lead to violence? Supporters of atheism and other anti-religious views often point to crimes committed by followers of particular religions to support this idea, such as the Israelite conquest of Canaan, the Crusades in the Holy Land, the Thirty Years’ War, and the 2001 Islamist attack on the World Trade Center.

Incidentally, the latter event gave rise to the New Atheism movement, led by the so-called ‘Four Horsemen of the Non-Apocalypse,’ including Richard Dawkins.¹ In Poland, atheism is most prominently represented by groups associated with the Rationalista.pl website, such as the Polish Rationalist Association. Atheists frequently present arguments against religion, advocating for its removal from public and social life, and in some cases, for its total eradication.²

Is religion truly evil, as claimed by Dawkins and his associates? At first glance, it might appear so. A considerable number of wars throughout history have indeed been waged in the name of religion. Nor is the modern world entirely free from such conflicts, although religious motives are often entangled with ethnic ones, as seen in the current war between Hamas and Israel. There is also the matter of religious persecution carried out by states, institutions, or terrorist groups. Notable examples include the Kingdom of Spain during the period of the Inquisition and the present-day Islamic Republic of Iran.

Monotheism vs. polytheism

Some atheists take a more moderate view, suggesting that the real problem lies specifically in monotheism. Polytheistic religions are often seen as more tolerant because of their syncretic nature, meaning they accept the existence of multiple deities. Monotheism, on the other hand, is thought to be inherently intolerant, as it denies the legitimacy of other gods and is therefore perceived as naturally inclined to oppose them. This argument is put forward by Richard Dawkins in The God Delusion³ and, even more prominently, by Regina Schwartz in her book The Curse of Cain: The Violent Legacy of Monotheism.⁴

Such a narrative does not hold up to closer examination. To begin with, polytheists have also committed acts of violence against monotheists. One well-known historical example is the persecution of early Christians by polytheistic Romans. In more recent times, violence by Hindus against Muslims⁵ and Christians has occurred, as seen in the Indian state of Orissa in 2008.⁶ When considering religion as the sole factor, the rejection of other gods may indeed provoke a hostile response from polytheists. No religion welcomes the claim that its gods are false.

Secondly, there are monotheistic religions that have not historically engaged in violence. A primary example is the Bahá’í Faith, founded in the 19th century, which explicitly rejects all forms of violence.⁷ Similarly, ancient Zoroastrianism was intended to be a peaceful religion, much like the Bahá’í Faith and Christianity. Although the Zoroastrian Sassanid rulers of Iran (Persia) were at times intolerant of dissenters, particularly Christians,⁸ their military campaigns do not appear to have been motivated by religious concerns. It is worth noting, however, that the life of Zoroaster and the early history of Zoroastrianism in Iran remain largely obscure.

Sources of aggressiveness in various monotheistic religions

Monotheistic religions have, of course, opposed polytheism in the past and in some cases continue to do so. The ancient Israelites, for instance, rejected the polytheistic practices of the Canaanites, which included the sacrifice of children.⁹ Among the monotheistic faiths, Islam demonstrates the strongest opposition to polytheism. Although often described as a ‘religion of peace,’ Islam is also characterised by an inherent militancy, particularly in relation to polytheists.¹⁰ Even so, this combative tendency, evident in Islam and to some extent in Judaism, should not be ascribed to all monotheistic religions, such as Christianity.

What explains the militancy of certain monotheistic religions? It does not always stem from belief in a single deity, but rather from the socio-religious norms these faiths promote. The conquest of Canaan by the Israelites, for instance, was driven less by monotheism itself than by the need to eliminate the widespread lawlessness and moral corruption associated with Canaanite religion.¹¹ In its place, the Israelites were to establish a socio-religious order based on the laws set out in the Torah. The case of Islam is somewhat different, as the gravest sin for Muslims is shirk, or polytheistic idolatry.

Regardless of the specific reasons, both the Bible and the Quran state that the purpose of these religions is to promote good. In the case of the Israelites, violence against the Canaanites, who practised large-scale violence themselves, was seen as a necessary action. The intention of the God of the Bible was to remove evil and establish good in the Holy Land.¹² With Islam, the matter is more contentious. A Muslim would likely offer a similar justification. In Islamic teaching, the end is often seen as justifying the means. It is difficult, at the very least, to accuse Islam of hypocrisy.

What about Christianity? How did a religion that fundamentally promotes peace and rejects violence come to participate in interreligious conflict and organise military campaigns against non-believers, leading to accusations of deep hypocrisy? This question will be addressed in the second part of this article.

By the way, we recommend reading the articles:

• Did Moses Invent the Alphabet?
• Giants in the Bible and Other Writings
• Was Jesus Christ a Historical Figure?
• The Babylonian Exile – A Historically Confirmed Biblical Prophecy
• Viking Bones and Radiocarbon Dating

Footnotes

1. The others are Christopher Hitchens, Daniel Dennett and Sam Harris.
2. Jillette, P., 2015. ‘Atheism Should End Religion, Not Replace It’. The New York Times, 19 March. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/01/22/is-atheism-a-religion/atheism-should-end-religion-not-replace-it.
3. Dawkins, R., 2006. The God Delusion. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, p. 37.
4. Schwartz, R., 1997. The Curse of Cain: The Violent Legacy of Monotheism. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, p. 63.
5. Amarasingam, A., et al., 2022. ‘“Fight, Die, and If Required Kill”: Hindu Nationalism, Misinformation, and Islamophobia in India’. Religions, 13(5), p. 380. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/5/380.
6. LiCAS News, 2020. ‘Justice remains elusive for victims of India’s Odisha massacre in 2008’. LiCAS News, 26 August. Available at: https://www.licas.news/2020/08/26/justice-remains-elusive-for-victims-of-indias-odisha-massacre-in-2008.
7. Langness, D., 2014. ‘The Baha’i Teachings on Violence’. Baha’i Teachings, 2 February. Available at: https://bahaiteachings.org/bahai-teachings-on-violence.
8. Esteban, M.U., 2021. ‘Zoroastrianism and Christianity in Sassanid Persia’. Societas Española de Iranologia, 27 May. Available at: https://iranologia.es/en/2021/05/27/zoroastrianism-and-christianity-in-sassanid-persia.
9. The Bible, New King James Version, 1982, Deuteronomy 12:31.
10. Copan, P., 2011. Is God a Moral Monster? Grand Rapids: Baker Books, pp. 198–206.
11. Palla, A., 2002. Sekrety Biblii. Rybnik: Betezda, p. 151.
12. The Bible, New King James Version, 1982, Leviticus 18:24.

© Source of main image: Canva.

Evolution of Thinking - Sebastian S.

The portal EvolutionOfThinking.org, created by the Research and Education Institute, focuses on education and the dissemination of knowledge related to research on various aspects of human well-being.