What do you think about the Steve Weinberg quote that “…for good people to do evil - that takes religion"?

[Anonymous]

The whole quote is: "With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil - that takes religion." Steve Weinberg

I’ve been thinking about that since it was quoted in another thread and found the following Biblical references to the concept on Google:
The Bible includes several verses that mention God being on our side, including Psalm 118:6, Psalm 124:1-8, and Psalm 108:13.

Psalm 118:6
• "The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?"
Psalm 124:1-8
• "If the LORD had not been on our side— let Israel say— if the LORD had not been on our side when people attacked us, they would have swallowed us alive"
Psalm 108:13
• "With God on our side we will win; he will defeat our enemies"

I know that Mao and Stalin were atheists, but they didn’t kill because of that; they killed because they were bad people. Meanwhile, battles have been waged on the promise of winning because God supposedly wanted it.

What are your thoughts on this?

[Anonymous]

Are you familiar with special pleading argument?

[Anonymous]

I’ve seen well-intentioned people who are with and without a religious background do evil things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve seen well-intentioned people who are with and without a religious background do evil things.

That's basically what Steve Weinberg says.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you familiar with special pleading argument?

Miriam Webster says:

special pleading
noun
1: the allegation of special or new matter to offset the effect of matter pleaded by the opposite side and admitted, as distinguished from a direct denial of the matter pleaded

2: misleading argument that presents one point or phase as if it covered the entire question at issue
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/special%20pleading#:~:text=1,the%20entire%20question%20at%20issue

Am curious as to your reasons for mentioning it.

[Anonymous]

I don't think its just religion, whenever there is us v them fear mongering, people act out of character. No matter its religion, patriotism, race, ethnicity or class.

[Anonymous]

and politics

[Anonymous]

I've actually thought about this a lot after some people that I thought were good did and said some horrendous things that hurt people that I love.
I came to the conclusion that these ARE good and loving people, yet they became convinced that the things they did and said were also good things (despite them hurting people) and that their religious beliefs are how they became convinced of that.
It is something that has taken me 2 years to accept, and to see the loving parts of those people again, and to forgive them in a a way, and to understand that yes, religion can convince people that doing something bad can actually be good. It does not eliminate the tremendous hurt that we will live with now because of them, but it does give me some peace that the friend that I once loved is not an evil person trying to hurt us, but just someone indoctrinated into a belief system that taught the things she did is "loving" someone.
Even people who commit violence in the name of religion are doing it because they became convinced that it is a good thing that their god wants them to do.
Of course, as an atheist, I believe that it ALL is explained by human behavioral psychology, including becoming indoctrinated in the first place, but yes, I agree with the statement by Steve Weinberg.

[Anonymous]

If people do evil I don't think they are wholly good people. Maybe mostly good but there's this gap...for evil. Hitler loved his dog.

[Anonymous]

Steve Weinberg the physicist?!
He was a professor of mine.
Class thought he was an a-hole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think its just religion, whenever there is us v them fear mongering, people act out of character. No matter its religion, patriotism, race, ethnicity or class.

Agreed. It's the tribal mentality. Quest for power. Loyalty to the tribe means agreeing to do things that are evil to preserve it and to present your tribe as the best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Steve Weinberg the physicist?!
He was a professor of mine.
Class thought he was an a-hole.

Your contribution is super important to OP's question. By all means, it invalidates everything he ever said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If people do evil I don't think they are wholly good people. Maybe mostly good but there's this gap...for evil. Hitler loved his dog.

Hitler killed his beloved dog with cyanide. To try it out before he gave it to Eva.

Not love by any normal definition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Steve Weinberg the physicist?!
He was a professor of mine.
Class thought he was an a-hole.

Your contribution is super important to OP's question. By all means, it invalidates everything he ever said.

Because one anonymous person has a negative opinion of him? Oh, I get it. You're kidding.

[Anonymous]

My reaction was surprise. Because of my personal opinion.
You guys ever spent time with him?