Traditional Christianity: Responsible for Human Misery?

To what extent is the advance of the West due to Christianity and to what extent has it occurred in spite of Christianity? The relationship between Western history and Christianity is complex, so it is unlikely that any single, simple answer will work, but we can identify areas where Christianity has had a deleterious effect.

In “Politics & Theology” (Political Quarterly, April, 1930) Bertrand Russel writes:

Education, marriage and procreation concern the happiness of ordinary men and women in the most vital and intimate way. On all these questions every person who has studied them scientifically knows that the views of traditional Christianity promote insanity, disease and cruelty; those who keep silent on these issues from a supposed political expediency incur a very grave responsibility, and if they have sensitive consciences their dreams must be haunted by the syphilitic children, the insane adolescents, and the thwarted and cruel adults whose existence is perpetuated by their silence.

With procreation, traditional Christianity has prohibited it and insisted that women have as many children as is “natural,” whatever that means. In terms of marriage, traditional Christianity has insisted that women adopt an inferior role and be ruled over by men — men whom they cannot leave because even the most abuse marriage is supposed to be forever. With education, traditional Christianity emphasized only the education of upper-class males, and through most of time it has opposed the teaching of things which conflicted with doctrines of faith.

Over all, there are good reasons to regard traditional Christianity as having done a great deal of harm. There is thus a sound basis for Russel’s accusation that traditional Christianity has promoted insanity, disease, and cruelty. It would be a mistake to treat this as the only legacy of Christianity, but the privileged status of Christianity has usually done a great deal to insulate it from even the most tepid criticism.

 

Quick Poll: Do you think that religion is more of a force for good or for evil in the world?
1) Religion does more harm than good today
2) Religion does more good than harm today
3) Religion does about the same amount of harm as good - it all comes out even, I guess
4) I don't know / don't care


Read More:

• Religion 101
• Theism 101
• Does God Exist?