Lawrence Krauss on Religion and societal harm
Krauss argues that religion impedes scientific progress, promotes credulity, and provides cover for institutional abuses.
Lawrence Krauss has been one of the most vocal scientific voices arguing that religion causes measurable harm to society. His primary concern is the way religious belief obstructs scientific literacy and education — particularly in the United States, where creationism and intelligent design movements have repeatedly attempted to undermine the teaching of evolution in public schools. Krauss was actively involved in fighting these efforts, testifying in court and writing extensively about the importance of keeping religion out of science classrooms.
Beyond education, Krauss argues that religion promotes a culture of credulity that makes societies vulnerable to manipulation. When people are taught that faith — belief without evidence — is a virtue, they become susceptible not only to religious charlatans but to political demagogues, conspiracy theorists, and quack medical practitioners. The habit of believing things without evidence, Krauss contends, does not stay confined to religious matters — it infects every domain of public life.
Krauss has also been critical of the way religious institutions use their moral authority to resist social progress. From the Catholic Church's opposition to condom distribution during the AIDS crisis in Africa to the religious right's campaigns against LGBTQ equality, Krauss sees a consistent pattern: religious institutions using claims of divine authority to perpetuate suffering and injustice. The net effect, in his assessment, is a society that is less rational, less compassionate, and less free than it would be without religion.
“Teaching children that faith is a virtue is the greatest disservice you can do to them. It's training them to be credulous, and credulity is dangerous.”
“Science has done more to reduce human suffering in the last century than religion has done in the last two thousand years.”