Are there bad devotees? Indeed we can find some very critical, judgmental, and even dishonest people among us. Are there good atheists? Surely. Are all devotees bad and all atheists good? Probably not
Statistically and historically speaking, religious people have committed far more crimes—both in raw numbers and in terms of large-scale, organized violence—compared to atheists. However, the full picture is more complex and depends on the type of crime being analyzed.
Historically, religious institutions and religiously motivated groups have been responsible for enormous amounts of violence, including:
Religious Wars – The Crusades, the Thirty Years' War, and various Islamic conquests.
Persecution & Inquisition – The Catholic Church’s Inquisition, witch hunts, and forced conversions.
Genocides & Ethnic Cleansing – Conflicts fueled by religious differences, such as the Partition of India (Hindu-Muslim violence), the Holocaust (partly fueled by religious antisemitism), and the Rwandan Genocide (where religious institutions played a role).
Terrorism & Extremism – Groups like ISIS, the Taliban, and Christian fundamentalist groups engaging in violent acts.
In contrast, explicitly atheist regimes (e.g., Stalin’s USSR, Mao’s China, Pol Pot’s Cambodia) also committed mass crimes, but these were more politically motivated rather than done in the name of atheism the way religious crimes were committed in the name of God.
2. Crime Rates Among Religious vs. Atheists in Modern Society
Several studies suggest that atheists tend to commit fewer crimes, at least in modern, stable societies:
Prison Population Statistics: Studies in the U.S. and U.K. consistently show that atheists are underrepresented in prison populations relative to their percentage in the general population. For example, in the U.S., self-identified atheists make up around 0.1–0.2% of the prison population, while comprising about 5–10% of the general population.
Murder & Violent Crime Rates: Countries with high religious adherence (e.g., parts of Latin America and the Middle East) often have higher crime rates than more secular nations like Sweden, Norway, and Japan.
Social Stability & Crime: The most secular countries—like the Scandinavian nations—tend to have lower crime rates, stronger social safety nets, and less corruption.
3. Why Do Religious People Commit More Crimes?
Moral Licensing: Religious belief often allows people to "justify" their bad behavior, whether through confession, forgiveness, or extremist interpretations.
Religious Extremism: Many crimes are committed in the name of faith (honor killings, religious terrorism, exorcisms gone wrong, etc.).
Corruption in Religious Institutions: Organized religion has also been linked to large-scale financial fraud, sex crimes (like the Catholic Church abuse scandals), and political corruption.
4. Are Atheists More Prone to Crimes in Certain Contexts?
In highly authoritarian atheist regimes (e.g., Soviet Union, Communist China), leaders have used state-sponsored atheism to justify persecution, though this is more about political control than atheism itself.
Atheism doesn’t inherently promote moral behavior, but secular ethics and laws in democratic societies provide strong guidelines for ethical conduct.
Conclusion
Overall, religious people have historically committed far more crimes, both in terms of large-scale atrocities and everyday offenses. In modern times, crime rates tend to be lower in more secular societies, and atheists are significantly underrepresented in prison populations. That said, individual morality depends more on social structure, education, and personal ethics than just religious belief (or lack thereof).
Statistically and historically speaking, religious people have committed far more crimes—both in raw numbers and in terms of large-scale, organized violence—compared to atheists. However, the full picture is more complex and depends on the type of crime being analyzed.
1. Large-Scale Historical Crimes (Wars, Persecution, Genocide)
Historically, religious institutions and religiously motivated groups have been responsible for enormous amounts of violence, including:
Religious Wars – The Crusades, the Thirty Years' War, and various Islamic conquests.
Persecution & Inquisition – The Catholic Church’s Inquisition, witch hunts, and forced conversions.
Genocides & Ethnic Cleansing – Conflicts fueled by religious differences, such as the Partition of India (Hindu-Muslim violence), the Holocaust (partly fueled by religious antisemitism), and the Rwandan Genocide (where religious institutions played a role).
Terrorism & Extremism – Groups like ISIS, the Taliban, and Christian fundamentalist groups engaging in violent acts.
In contrast, explicitly atheist regimes (e.g., Stalin’s USSR, Mao’s China, Pol Pot’s Cambodia) also committed mass crimes, but these were more politically motivated rather than done in the name of atheism the way religious crimes were committed in the name of God.
2. Crime Rates Among Religious vs. Atheists in Modern Society
Several studies suggest that atheists tend to commit fewer crimes, at least in modern, stable societies:
Prison Population Statistics: Studies in the U.S. and U.K. consistently show that atheists are underrepresented in prison populations relative to their percentage in the general population. For example, in the U.S., self-identified atheists make up around 0.1–0.2% of the prison population, while comprising about 5–10% of the general population.
Murder & Violent Crime Rates: Countries with high religious adherence (e.g., parts of Latin America and the Middle East) often have higher crime rates than more secular nations like Sweden, Norway, and Japan.
Social Stability & Crime: The most secular countries—like the Scandinavian nations—tend to have lower crime rates, stronger social safety nets, and less corruption.
3. Why Do Religious People Commit More Crimes?
Moral Licensing: Religious belief often allows people to "justify" their bad behavior, whether through confession, forgiveness, or extremist interpretations.
Religious Extremism: Many crimes are committed in the name of faith (honor killings, religious terrorism, exorcisms gone wrong, etc.).
Corruption in Religious Institutions: Organized religion has also been linked to large-scale financial fraud, sex crimes (like the Catholic Church abuse scandals), and political corruption.
4. Are Atheists More Prone to Crimes in Certain Contexts?
In highly authoritarian atheist regimes (e.g., Soviet Union, Communist China), leaders have used state-sponsored atheism to justify persecution, though this is more about political control than atheism itself.
Atheism doesn’t inherently promote moral behavior, but secular ethics and laws in democratic societies provide strong guidelines for ethical conduct.
Conclusion
Overall, religious people have historically committed far more crimes, both in terms of large-scale atrocities and everyday offenses. In modern times, crime rates tend to be lower in more secular societies, and atheists are significantly underrepresented in prison populations. That said, individual morality depends more on social structure, education, and personal ethics than just religious belief (or lack thereof).
Om Tat Sat