I’m responding in this thread because it’s somewhat off-topic and yet interesting and I started this thread to continue the talk about religion from the Duggar thread.
I guess my position (insert “it’s not about you” gif) on the morality of religion is that there seems to be a correspondence between my own perception of a religion as being “bad” and the degree to which the religion is focused on separating in-group from out-group. It’s hard to find fault with religions like the UUA, who are inclusive enough to allow people who describe themselves with such variety. Christians who believe that Jesus saved everybody regardless of their belief in him don’t seem like the problem.
The religions that seem problematic to me are those that are focused on intolerance of and dehumanization of members of the out-group. If a religion says, “You have to believe X, Y and Z otherwise God hates you and you will suffer for eternity” then it makes it really easy to see others as being unworthy of compassion. I guess that might even go as far as making it such that you could enjoy seeing the suffering of children who you believe are not saved. I feel like there is almost a built-in moral problem with such religions that is hard to get around.
