Religion as source of compassion or dangerous delusion?

'THE CASE FOR GOD" by Karen Armstrong.
As she accepts her 2008 TED Prize, author and scholar Karen Armstrong talks about how the Abrahamic religions -- Islam, Judaism, Christianity -- have been diverted from the moral purpose they share to foster compassion. But Armstrong has seen a yearning to change this fact. People want to be religious, she says; we should act to help make religion a force for harmony. She asks the TED community to help her build a Charter for Compassion -- to help restore the Golden Rule as the central global religious doctrine.

 Karen Armstrong argues that Judaism, Christianity and Islam - the Abrahamic Religions- have much to teach us and must above all else be religions of compassion. In A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam (1993), she traces the evolution of the three major monotheistic traditions from their beginnings in the Middle East up to the present day and also discusses Hinduism and Buddhism (Wikipedia)

In start contrast, Professor Richard Dawkins argues that religion in general and those religions in particular are a source of delusion and provide a charter for extremists who can wrap themselves in the cloak of these words 'we do what we do in the name of God'. We will return to this theme when we study "The Crucible". Here is "The God Delusion" narrated by Professor Dawkins. Students are encouraged to watch both videos if they intend to tackle Essay 5. You may also ask me about books by Karen Armstrong, Paul Davies, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and others as part of your research on this title.