In yer ol' perfesser's opinion, religion is a mass infatuation with delusion.
It has NOT 'caused" violence among humans.
It has merely become the MOST convenient excuse for it.
It should be recalled that, through our known history, we humans are not "peaceful."
At best, they/we are ambivalent; at worst, murderously hostile, to other members of our species to whoim we do not happen to be related.
This condition, this predisposition toward violence, clearly PRECEDED the establishment of "religion"-- though possibly by not a very long time, in evolutionary terms..
The matter of "Religion/"God", because it typically has--by DEFINITION--no concrete referent in "reality," can be disputed as endlessly and as bloodily as desired.
Believers also typically assert certain privileges on the basis of their faith.
Of course, this is philosophically unwarranted and unacceptable as a practical matter, and this does occasionally lead to social friction, which COULD stimulate violence.
So, I again propose the following bargain which, I know many faithless/godless folks would welcome and accept immediately.
Here it is:
I promise never again to inveigh against, or criticize, or deplore, or revile, or otherwise calumniate or publicly deprecate ANY god-blighted bible-babbler for their idiotic delusions, stupid rituals and ignorance, ever again!
...If, and ONLY if...
Those same god-bothered 'faithful' will refrain, forever, from bringing their holy baggage into the public sphere, and if they will never again demand public prayer to their 'gods'; if they will forswear trying to use their "god" to seek advantages or privileges or entitlements NOT available to those NOT proclaiming their particular brand of theosophic allegiance...
I haven't had any takers.
Wonder why?
I'll be (metaphorically) at the beach if you want me...
Nice, Woody.
ReplyDelete" Man is the only animal that deals in that atrocity of atrocities, War. He is the only one that gathers his brethren about him and goes forth in cold blood and calm pulse to exterminate his kind. He is the only animal that for sordid wages will march out...and help to slaughter strangers of his own species who have done him no harm and with whom he has no quarrel. ..And in the intervals between campaigns he washes the blood off his hands and works for "the universal brotherhood of man"--with his mouth."
(from: What Is Man?) Mark Twain