Religion
In reply to the discussion: Religion Was Not the Reason For the Paris Attacks [View all]Skinner
(63,645 posts)We're talking about two people who shot up a satirical newspaper that ridiculed their religion.
I think your certainty that "there would be something else" is unfounded. Sure, there might have been something else. But we don't know that. And we can say with near-100% certainty that this particular mass killing would not have happened. The staff from Charlie Hebdo would all be alive right now.
Religion is not just an easy handle. It is a very special kind of justification for behavior. Religious excuses are based on the idea that an omnipotent, all-powerful being who is the ultimate source of morality (and punishment) is providing the justification. If a person believes that God thinks someone deserves to be killed, that is a very dangerous belief. It is the ultimate third-party justification. Don't blame me, I'm not the one who thinks these people should be killed -- God think so. It is an invitation for a person to shut off their own capacity for critical thinking and simply accept the morality that has been handed down from an authority that is greater (and smarter) than themselves or anyone else.