Crusades and hospitals. Burnings and universities. Holy wars, and the people who broke the chains of slavery. Has religion made the world better, or has it done more harm than good?

In this video, religion goes on trial. The prosecution presents its darkest evidence: the Crusades, the Inquisition and the witch hunts, the wars of religion, and terror in the name of God. The defense answers with its strongest witnesses: the first hospitals, the keepers of knowledge, the fight against slavery, and the rescuers of the Holocaust. And at the end, one number that changes everything.

???? You are the jury. Write your verdict in the comments: GOOD or HARM? And tell us which exhibit decided it for you. Please keep it respectful.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:21 The Charge
2:59 The Crusades
6:49 The First Hospitals
10:30 The Fires
14:01 The Keepers of Knowledge
16:51 Holy Wars
19:53 The Chains
22:52 In the Name of God
25:14 The Rescuers
27:49 The Witness Nobody Expected
30:21 The Science Question
33:02 The Verdict

Sources (selection):
- Gesta Francorum (c. 1100); Ibn al-Athir, The Complete History
- Emperor Julian, Letter to Arsacius (c. 362)
- Basil of Caesarea and the Basileias (c. 370)
- Contreras & Henningsen, database of Spanish Inquisition trials (1540–1700)
- Alonso de Salazar Frías, reports on the Basque witch trials (1612)
- Friedrich Spee, Cautio Criminalis (1631)
- Yad Vashem: Le Chambon-sur-Lignon; "Besa: A Code of Honor" (Albania)
- Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy (2017)
- World Happiness Report 2026
- Phillips & Axelrod, Encyclopedia of Wars (2004)
- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago

Images: AI-generated reconstructions, plus historical artworks and photos via Wikimedia Commons (public domain or CC licenses, credits below). The Prophet Muhammad is not depicted.
This video contains AI-generated images and an AI voice.

Image credits (Wikimedia Commons, full links in the file pages):
- Taking of Jerusalem by the Crusaders, 15th July 1099 – Émile Signol – Public domain
- Passages d'outremer Fr5594, fol. 19r, Concile de Clermont – Jean Colombe – Public domain
- Gustave Vanaise - Peter the Hermit Preaching the First Crusade - 1903- – Gustaaf Vanaise – Public domain
- Eugène Delacroix - Prise de Constantinople par les croisés (12 avril 1 – Eugène Delacroix – Public domain
- Français 5594, fol. 213 haut, Richard Coeur de Lion massacrant les pri – Jean Colombe – Public domain
- Novgorod School - Saint Basil the Great - NG.M.01523 - National Museum – Novgorod School – Public domain
- Krak des Chevaliers landscape (cropped) – Krak_des_Chevaliers_landscape.jpg: (Ergo) der – CC BY 2.0
- Henry Dunant. Photograph. Wellcome M0017054 (cropped) – see file page – CC BY 4.0
- Florence Nightingale by Henry Hering, 1858 – Hering – Public domain
- Francisco rizi-auto de fe – Francisco Rizi – Public domain
- Pedro Berruguete Saint Dominic Presiding over an Auto-da-fe 1495 – Pedro Berruguete – Public domain
- Malleus maleficarum, Lyon 1669, Titelseite – see file page – Public domain
- Inquisition – see file page – Public domain
- Friedrich Spee – see file page – Public domain
- Book of Kells ChiRho Folio 34R – see file page – Public domain
- Maqamat hariri – Yahya al-Wasiti – Public domain
- Bodleian MS. Huntington 214 roll332 frame36 – see file page – Public domain
- Al-Qarawiyyin university mosque courtyard – see file page – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Laurentius de Voltolina Vorlesung vor Studenten - Min 1233 - Kupfersti – Laurentius de Voltolina – PDM-owner
- Story of Prague, Defenestration of Prague in 1618 – see file page – Public domain
- The Battle of White Mountain (by Peter Snayers) – Peter Snayers – Public domain
- Hanging from The Miseries and Misfortunes of War by Jacques Callot – Jacques Callot – Public domain
- The Ratification of the Treaty of Munster, Gerard Ter Borch (1648) – After Gerard ter Borch – Public domain
- 'The slave ship Brooks' RMG F0872 – Unknown author – Public domain
- Karl Anton Hickel (1745-1798) - William Wilberforce (1759–1833) - KINC – Anton Hickel – Public domain
- Am I Not a Man and a Brother - Wedgwood jasperware cameo (Boston MFA 9 – Josiah Wedgwood – CC0
- Ntarama Church Genocide Memorial - Flickr - Dave Proffer (3) – Dave Proffer – CC BY 2.0
- André Trocmé, Roger Darcissac, Edourd Theis - mars 1943 – Unknown author – Public domain
- Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1987-074-16, Dietrich Bonhoeffer – Unknown author – CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Christ saviour explosion – Unknown – Public domain
- Galileo before the Holy Office - Joseph-Nicolas Robert-Fleury, 1847 – Joseph-Nicolas Robert-Fleury – Public domain
- Gregor Mendel Monk – see file page – Public domain
- MillikanLemaitreEinstein – see file page – Public domain

#Religion #History #Christianity #Islam #Atheism