Is it a good thing to have a deeply religious society?

How about the Crusades, French Wars of Religion, the Muslim Conquests, and the Reconquista? How about all the wars fought, according to the many religious texts, in the name of whatever G-d... How about the subtle war (even now), even now, of Jews vs Muslims? How about the subtle war (even now) of fundamentalist Christians against almost everyone who doesn't want to listen to their rants? How about fundamentalist Muslims who want to do the same? How about fundamentalist Jews (which I am Jewish but don't agree with them at all) who think that the Dome of the Rock belongs to them and will shed blood for it... There you go. You want some more? How about fundamentalist Christians who bomb abortion clinics?

Satan is not a person - and Hell is not real. Lucifer is, however, a figment of a schizophrenic mind and if someone really wants to respect him, sure. Why not. He is, after all the Angel of Light. There are Satanists who never harm a soul. In fact, percentage-wise, there are much fewer Satanists who harm anyone than the percentage of Christians, for example, who do.

Fortunately, the United States Constitution protects us all from religion and to have the right to practice religion - any religion. Hence, I am right. Oh, and let's not forget the Revolutionary War. The Pilgrims crossed the great pond (Atlantic Ocean) in order to avoid religious persecution. The obvious catalyst for the Revolutionary War was taxation without representation; however, one could rightfully surmise that looking back - the underlying causation/extrapolation was religious persecution and that the Revolutionary War was fought for that reason.

Oh, and the Civil War could be said to have been fought because of one group's belief that they had the reason to own slaves. It was part of it though the actual cause was economic. Owning slaves was brought into it and the slave owners thought that the Bible gave them the right to own those who were, at that time, not really considered human - though they were wrong in every premise because the Bible speaks of those with dark skin... In fact, in greek even Jesus is described as having dark skin...

If one believes in G-d - or whatever - it is more important how one acts than what one believes (religion) because one may waiver in what one believes, but if one has a code of conduct, one will do what is right - even in the darkest of times. Religion is not the cure. It is the curse. Actions in a society will indicate its nature - no matter the religion.

Crusades, French Wars of Religion, the Muslim Conquests, and the Reconquista? Um...4, that hardly counts for "most wars". Not that any reason for war is good but it hardly puts religion at the height of responsibility. Perpetuating a lie for long enough and loud enough does not change the lie into a truth, it only changes the number of people who have heard it.

"...fundamentalist Christians against almost everyone who doesn't want to listen to their rants" How about the active war of secularists against any mention of anything holy...period? Talk about a war, that one has been raging since Jesus walked the earth. Or how about the fact that you can't publicly identify yourself as being Christian without being termed fundamentalist, or being told that because you have an opinion and perspective that dares to go against what secularists believe that you're radical?

"which I am Jewish but don't agree with them at all", vast generalization, being a Christian does not make you by default a radical or a fundamentalist.

"How about fundamentalist Christians who bomb abortion clinics?" Do you forget that people have freewill? Surely as a student of the Pentateuch you understand this. Being Jewish you know full well that people act in accordance to their free will, the destruction of Ancient Israel is a testament to that! Neither religion or God are to blame for these events, the individual choices of a fallen creation are to blame. Religion doesn't make decisions, people do and when those decisions go against scripture horrible, heinous, despicable things happen. Are we as Christians proud of these events, of these wars, of those who assert their God granted free will to hurt others....absolutely not. Are there things in our history we wish never happened, absolutely, but the sum of all things is not negated by a few of the parts, you don't burn down a house because the basement door jams every-time you close it, you learn from your mistakes and hope that God grants you another day to get it right. All things, even the abuse of free will, are used to glorify God. How many lessons have you learned in your life? How many of them were from pleasurable experiences? If you said most or all you're lying. We only learn when we make mistakes and God's grace permits us to make mistakes and grow from them...God is eternal, you should know that, his existence spans all lifetimes.

"Satan is not a person - and Hell is not real." Wrong and wrong, hell is literally the eternal separation from God.

"there are much fewer Satanists who harm anyone than the percentage of Christians"...well, as previously stated Hell is real, Satan wants nothing more than for you to spend eternity away from God, Satanists help him to achieve this by driving a wedge between you and God in every way they can (and they have many tools and ways of doing this).

" the Angel of Light" So, you've contradicted yourself. First you say he doesn't exist then you call him by his formal angelic name. Lucifer, the name that was granted to him when he was created by God in Heaven, the light bearer; he lost this name when he was cast from heaven as a fallen angel...he is no longer an angel just as he is no longer Lucifer, he is called Satan, the best, the deceiver (from your native Hebrew), and it's been said that his greatest trick was convincing the world he doesn't exist.

"Hence, I am right." Pride precedeth a fall "I am right because I say I am right", sorry, and you are...?

"the underlying causation/extrapolation was religious persecution and that the Revolutionary War was fought for that reason." You're out of your mind, you really expect me to read you proclaiming that the persecuted were the cause of the war that was initiated by their aggressors? Not only is that pure lunacy (not to mention woefully inaccurate), but you cannot simultaneously be the victim and the aggressor...talk about a failed logic!

"though they were wrong in every premise because the Bible speaks of those with dark skin" Really? I believe I know precisely the scripture you are attempting to go after (please feel free to provide the reference though instead of your eisegetical misrepresentation of the holy word!)...but your also taking this dramatically out of context (which is also has nothing to do with what we're even talking about!). I also am intimately aware that Jesus came from Bethlehem and would have had a dark brown complexion...never disputed that so I fail to see what your point is beyond your trying (poorly at that) to connect somehow the civil war on Christians.....deplorable really, but hardly shocked.

"it is more important how one acts than what one believes" A lie from the pits of hell, John 14:6 makes this crystal clear: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." 1 John 4:2-3, "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."

Grace to you, Glory to God!

While we're keeping everything fair here, lets also take into consideration nearly every single humanitarian effort that has ever existed...ALL Christian initiatives, how about foreign and domestic aid policies? All Christian initiatives, as are food, water, shelter and armistice efforts around the globe. How about the countless victims of tyrannical leaders that were given new lives...because of Christian initiatives.

I'm not disputing that we do have regrettable events in our history, but let him without sin cast the first stone! I'm also not trying to appease you or deny that horrible things have been done by individuals who thought they were acting in the name of Christianity but to say that because bad things have been over centuries so all of Christendom is bad is like saying that all (enter people group) are (criminals, liars, cheats, rapists, philanderers, womanizers, lesbians, gay, pedophiles, etc). Vastly out of context, vastly overgeneralized and wholly wrong. Have you never made a mistake in your life? EVER? What if were to be held against you for the rest of your life? You can't get a job because you cursed on the playground when you were 6 so your a bully and all playground fights start because of you....COME ON!!!

Lets talk about the wars that were started by Atheist leaders, human atrocities on a scale that make any conflict you report started by Christians look like a school yard scrap! How about Mao? How many did he kill? Was it 10 or 50 Million....to this day there are so many that there isn't even an official record!!!!!

How many did Adolf Hitler kill? How about Stalin or Pol Pot? Stalin alone killed 20 million people...openly! That's more people each week that it occurred than the total number of people who were killed in the 350 year history of the Spanish inquisition!!!!!! AND IT WASNT EVEN IN THE NAME OF ATHEISM!

Before you start making judgements and playing favorites, go feed the giant pink elephant sitting in the corner.

Grace to you, Glory to God!

Isaiah 9:8-21 to be precise;

8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel. 9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, 10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars. 11 Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join [2] his enemies together; 12 The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. 13 For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts. 14 Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. 15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. 16 For the leaders [3] of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. 17 Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. [4] For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. 18 For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. 19 Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel [5] of the fire: no man shall spare his brother. 20 And he shall snatch [6] on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: 21 Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still."

Grace to you, Glory to God!