Bad Religion (Not the Punk Rock Band)

Last updated on: August 10, 2022 at 8:20 am by Roger E. Olson

Bad Religion (Not the Punk Rock Band) 2022-08-10T08:20:06-05:00 Roger E. Olson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

*Note: If you choose to comment here, make sure your comment is relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, civil and respectful (not argumentative or hostile), and devoid of links or photos.*

It seems bad religion is all over the place these days. Maybe it always has been. In fact, I know it has been for a long time. The problem is that today, in the third decade of the 21st century, there is really no agreed on criteria for deciding what makes religion bad.

Or, perhaps it is truer to say the agreed on criteria are dwindling and changing. Many people now consider anything mainstream bad, including mainstream religion, and much that used to be considered bad good.

In brief, my point is that today the tendency is to say of most religions “That’s different” rather than “That’s bad.”

So what used to be considered bad religion? Most Americans, fifty to a hundred years ago, would have considered any religion bad that focused on individual mastery-over, unless it was individual mastery over the self for the good of others.

Religion that focused much on gaining supernatural power over others was considered bad. Religion that followed leaders who claimed to possess supernatural powers over others was considered bad. Religion was supposed to be ethical, concerned with the common good, promoting the overall well being of others, even those outside the religion.

Any religion that was secretive about itself was considered bad. Any religion that engaged in dangerous behaviors (e.g., snake handling) was considered bad. Any religion that promoted hate was considered bad. Any religion that had corrupt leaders was considered bad. Any religion that harbored abusers and protected them was considered bad. Any religion that denied reality was considered bad. Any religion that…. I could go on and on.

Good religion founded hospitals, orphanages, homeless shelters, food pantries, “soup kitchens,” food give-aways, and charities of all kinds. Good religion promoted public policies that promoted the well-being of everyone but especially the disadvantaged. Good religion included religion of the disadvantaged. Good religion was ethical religion, religion that eschewed hate, religion that was open to dialogue with those outside itself, religion that sought to make the world a more humane place for all people.

Now, almost all religions were mixed with good and bad. But good people looked for religions that included those virtues of goodness along with worship of God, fellowship among its members, and the practices of its sacraments.

Alongside good religion, however, everyone knew there were religions that were bad because they were not concerned with ethics, were secretive, were corrupt, were abusive, were concerned mainly with power-over, with mastery, with self, or were engaged in dangerous, harmful behaviors.

These were called “cults” by almost everyone. Many of them had some good in them, but they were primarily bad. Many good people got caught up in them. Religion experts warned people about them primarily insofar as they lacked any sense of ethics or flouted ethical norms.

Today, in the third decade of the 21st century, religions without goodness—as described above—, bad religion, flourishes, just as does bad politics. And all too often, they are linked in some way.

Now I will say something very controversial and wait for the fur to fly. In my humble but informed opinion (I have a Ph.D in Religious Studies), a religion can be true but bad anyway. And a religion can be false but good anyway.

For example, as a committed Christian, I consider (opinion) the Bahai World Faith a good religion even though I disagree with its basic theology; I think it is mostly false. I once asked a class of mostly very conservative Christian students whether they would rather have a sibling or close friend become a Satanist of a Bahai. (We had studied both in the class.) Almost all of them said “Satanist.” I was blown away. I asked them why and some of them offered an explanation that a Satanist is more likely to become disillusioned with his or her religion and open to conversion than a Bahai. I think otherwise. The Bahai World Faith is one of the most ethical of all religions in the world. But, as a Christian, I still consider it mostly false in its metaphysical, doctrinal beliefs about, for example, prophets.

Still, I would rather a friend or sibling became a Bahai than belong to a truly bad religion, even if its doctrines are true. Of course, I would prefer that a friend or loved one (or anyone, for that matter), find a religious community that is both good and true. Are there any? I think so, but these days finding one takes some effort.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

August 8, 2022

Superstition Is Back and Its Going Mainstream!

Next Post

August 12, 2022 Are We Gods?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Against Liberal Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month November 2026 October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

In Revelation, what color is the horse ridden by Death?

Select your answer to see how you score.

White Pale (or green) Red Black