Quote:
Originally posted by ARTelevision
Lebell,
If you are talking quantitative influence and answering with jesus, I submit that would be incorrect. Numerically, it's probably Confucious.
In any event, if these so-called "great religious leaders" are the world's most influential, then I would submit their influence has been overwhelmingly negative, as religion tops the list for inciting brutality, torture, and murder among human populations.
|
Some interesting points, Art.
Did you have a source regarding the relative numbers of believers Art? I was going from memory when I posted. And while I am an admirer of Confuscious, I'm still not sure that he has influenced more people, but it's an interesting thought.
As to your other point, it has merit. Do you think though that it is cause and effect or human nature? Certainly human brutality is not the sole perview of religion. Some (if not most) of the horrible events of the 20th century were perpetrated not under a religious guise, but under a political one.