The concept of religion is the echo of a cry for relief.It travels out into the landscape of our lives and returns. .It is changed, but still vaguely recognizable.We listen , we hope, we worship the refracted message as divine. It is given meaning, mystique, tailored, and labored over for thousands of years.We build a construct for living.We imbue it with absolute truth .We own it and it becomes inviolate.
I believe sentient humans are responsible for the invention, application, and on-going evolution of religion. It makes sense that we seek guarantees in a life so often cruel,and unrelenting.The process of isolating the principles necessary to create an ordered society is a noble ,on going enterprise.How do we apply these tenants without engaging in the ultimate tyranny? There is no more oppressive form of government than absolute power over mind , body, and will.The invitation to put reason aside in service to the shaman currently in fashion shouldn't have a place in the realm of law and social order.
When we attempt to govern it seems wise to remove parishional ,denominational absolutes from the discussion.We should then agree upon principles that allow for pragmatic discourse between reasonable actors.This experiment has gone on for thousands of years. Multi-cultural societies function best when the passions inspired by the most strident religious practitioners are set aside.
For the better part of two decades American political discourse has attempted to keep time to some mythical, puritanical hymn book. White Christian America wants its country back.If memory serves that country would probably be England.Fundamentalism renders its practitioners blind to reason.Religious fanaticism divides countries, families ,even denominations. These divisions are often based on nebulous interpretations of ancient text that can never be authenticated. Still we commit murder and willingly die defending these ethereal notions.What could be more dangerous?
Faith is a potent device for control..Control of the troubled self; control of great numbers of people.Resourceful, ambitious people have employed spirituality as a device for driving the human herd throughout history.The trick is this; that which cannot be proven wrong, can [ by the charismatic] claim to be irrefutably right -untouchable.
Taxation is a concept not unlike tithing .A chicken and egg debate may ensue. It used to be easy to see what yours tax dollars financed: roads, drones, battleships ,trash pick-up.These days we are probably financing. some charleton pretending to be drunk on the blessed baby to pimp for prayer in schools. If you want prayer in schools put an extra ten thousand in the collection box, build your own school and pray all goddam day in it. Don't make me pay for it .You don't have the right to do that.That's really all I really meant to say.
P.S. If I ever felt compelled to murder because someone close to me was made to suffer, I would be a murderer: a cold blooded seeker of vengeance.If I was moved by religious fervor or nationalism I could be called a zealot or a super patriot.Motivation to shed blood should be pure ,and come from a place near and dear to your heart.Good thing I'm primarily a pacifist.....with reservations.
