# What is the Most Detestable Religion or Sect **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 29, 2010, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820 "2010-10-29T21:25:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/21 "2010-10-30T09:57:11Z")
Scientology, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/22 "2010-10-30T11:46:46Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Communism? (Millions murdered, Atheism for the spiritual aspect, veneration of the State). > [@Knorf](#): > > If we’re going to count communism, I think capitalism should be considered as well. The worship of money and profitability has undoubtedly caused more human misery than any religion. > [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Which its not. **Qin Shi Huangdi** – could you expand on this, please? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/23 "2010-10-30T12:47:29Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Christianity. It has successfully scoured away most of the capacity for happiness from the majority of the human race. A grim grey death cult dedicated to destroying all forms of happiness that don’t come from harming others, and ultimately dedicated to bringing about the end of the world. Where it has not permanently taken over, it has contaminated with its hatred of life the regions of the world where it once ruled and was driven back. Sauron would be proud. Having been a sometimes intermittent churchgoer for forty-odd years, I have to say I do not recognise Christianity from your description. I doubt it exists outside your head, and I pity you to the utmost that it exists there. But your hatred for Christianity is telling, since you choose to abhor it more on the strength of your peculiar perception of it than other religions which have literally called for men to be eviscerated alive, children to be burned in cages, or widows to immolate themselves on their husbands’ funeral pyres. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/24 "2010-10-30T15:27:49Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Christianity. It has successfully scoured away most of the capacity for happiness from the majority of the human race. A grim grey death cult dedicated to destroying all forms of happiness that don’t come from harming others, and ultimately dedicated to bringing about the end of the world. Where it has not permanently taken over, it has contaminated with its hatred of life the regions of the world where it once ruled and was driven back. Sauron would be proud. Which of course must be true of all Christian sects from reactionary ultra-Catholics to liberal, relativist Episcopalians. :rolleyes: The liberal churches of the USA are actually politically more liberal than the Democratic Party (they support Afghan withdrawal, gay marriage etc.) so shouldn’t you encourage them? ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/25 "2010-10-30T15:43:52Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Most of the Mormon split-offs I’ve heard of. Although it’s perfectly possible that I’ve only heard of the bad ones. The Independence, Missouri-based Mormon spin-offs (Community of Christ, Restoration branches) range from mainstream to strict, but none are, well, polygamist-compound-in-Southern-Utah bad. This being the SDMB, I’m surprised nobody has checked in with Christianity in general. My vote, though, would be for Wahhabi Islam for current religions, and the Aztec religion for past faiths. There may be some murderous sect of Hinduism, like the kind that are always making News of the Wierd-like headlines, that could be considered worse than Wahhibism. EDIT: Saw **Der Trih’s** post. Figures. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/26 "2010-10-30T15:48:06Z")
I find Hindooism the most despicable for its religiously enforced caste system-its unfortunate not more Indians became Christians during British rule. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/27 "2010-10-30T16:01:14Z")
[Aum Shinrikyo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aum_Shinrikyo). The whole purpose of the sect seems to be to satisfy the megalomanic, psychopathic whims of the founder. The Jonestown thing wasn’t all that good either. Or Manson. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/28 "2010-10-30T16:23:05Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > I find Hindooism the most despicable for its religiously enforced caste system-its unfortunate not more Indians became Christians during British rule. Really? That’s the second time I’ve seen you use the spelling “Hindoo.” Are you not aware that it’s considered really dated and that most people spell the word “Hindu?” ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/29 "2010-10-30T16:37:58Z")
Look, I don’t really think capitalism should be counted as a religion, per se, anymore than communism should be. But both require a lot to be taken on faith, and adherents of both are often clearly oblivious to the true human cost of their ideology. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/30 "2010-10-30T16:50:39Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Really? That’s the second time I’ve seen you use the spelling “Hindoo.” Are you not aware that it’s considered really dated and that most people spell the word “Hindu?” I can’t see what’s wrong with old-fashioned spelling (I enjoy imitating HPL’s writing style) and some of them are easier to pronounce (ie Calcutta for Kolkata). ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/31 "2010-10-30T17:04:01Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Well, if we have all of history to choose from… > > I gotta say, that whole Aztec thing involving digging still-beating hearts out of peoples’ chests, skinning people and priests wearing the skin, and the various other bloody, torturous acts of that religion, is going to be hard to top. Hey, it may not be perfect, but it’s the best system we got. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/32 "2010-10-30T17:17:47Z")
Don’t forget the Mormons and the Moonies. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/33 "2010-10-30T22:15:05Z")
\*\*What is the Most Detestable Religion or Sect? \*\* Take your pick. Religion is the single most harmful and damaging thing that humans have ever dreamed up to inflict on themselves. ---
**Author:** ![DeptfordX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DeptfordX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeptfordX)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/34 "2010-10-30T23:35:38Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Well, if we have all of history to choose from… > > I gotta say, that whole Aztec thing involving digging still-beating hearts out of peoples’ chests, skinning people and priests wearing the skin, and the various other bloody, torturous acts of that religion, is going to be hard to top. Granted the whole cutting out of hearts etc is awful to us. However isn’t the reason they did it because they thought their gods needed the sacrifice to maintain the universe, without the feeding of sacrifice the world would end Now obviously that isn’t true, but if the priests at the time. Who had been raised in that belief and presumably had no reason to doubt it believied it was true were they really that bad? Let’s take a hypothetical example. Meet _Jade Hummingbird_. He’s a priest of Tezcatlipoca. He love’s his wife, is kind to his children. Act’s in his society’s norms towards others as per their positon in the social heirachy of his culture. Oh and on Holy days he has to cut out the hearts of (let’s say) a dozen people. He doesn’t enjoy this, and considers it an unpleasent duty necessary to keep the world going. Is he not more misguided than evil? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/35 "2010-10-31T00:01:35Z")
But the question wasn’t which religious people were the most evil, it’s which _religion_. Joe might have been a decent guy, but the system he supported was not, shall we say, all that positive. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/36 "2010-10-31T00:25:39Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Which its not. Wait. You don’t think capitalism is a religion? ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/37 "2010-10-31T00:41:15Z")
Among those active is the USA in my lifetime, it’s obviously the Branch Davidians, which is the group that David Koresh ran. They committed many instances of murder, rape and abuse of children, illegal arms-dealing, polygamy, plotting major acts of terrorism, and finally mass suicide. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/38 "2010-10-31T00:54:29Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > I can’t see what’s wrong with old-fashioned spelling (I enjoy imitating HPL’s writing style) and some of them are easier to pronounce (ie Calcutta for Kolkata). Because at best it makes you look ignorant, at worst you look pretentious. :rolleyes: It’s like your whole insistance on using British spelling – I don’t mean this as an insult – but it makes you look like a tool. Note – I’m not CALLING you one, but the whole thing looks like an affectation. **foolsguinea** , of course it’s not – it’s an economic system. Some people may TREAT it as a religion, but it does not fit the definition of a religion. And count me with the Aztecs, and the people **Tamerlane** mentioned as well. _shudder_ ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/39 "2010-10-31T01:32:47Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > The liberal churches of the USA are actually politically more liberal than the Democratic Party (they support Afghan withdrawal, gay marriage etc.) so shouldn’t you encourage them? Thank God for the abundance of Christian churches in the US that support gay marriage! ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820/40 "2010-10-31T01:34:36Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Thank God for the abundance of Christian churches in the US that support gay marriage! Well the fact that they’re losing members shows how God is directing church members to see the unbiblicalness of their liberalism. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-detestable-religion-or-sect/558820.md?page=3)