> From: Nick Arnett <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On > > Behalf Of The Fool > > Sent: Sunday, November 24, 2002 11:58 AM > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subject: Re: religion is evil, why it must be eradicated > > > > > > > From: Dan Minette <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > > From: "The Fool" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > > > http://www.observer.co.uk/worldview/story/0,11581,845725,00.html > > > > > I've noticed that "The Fool" posts things like this religiously. :-) > > > > As long as there are people who believe these kinds of things, whether > > they are christians, jews, islamists, hindus or whatever, (and I know > > plenty of people with this kind of worldview personally), the human race > > is headed for extinction. It is only a matter of time before the > > fanatics do us all in. > > As far as I know, people without religion also do evil things. Sometimes > very bad indeed.
All very true. > Yet it seems you're implying cause and effect between > religion and behaving badly? What *are* you saying? The world would be > better off without religion because.... because why? Lets look at a couple of things religion brought us in the past before we examine this question. We have: the dark ages, the crusades, the Spanish inquisition, the divine right of kings, jihad, forced religious conversions, thought crimes AKA heresy, caste systems, religious 'sacrifices' of humans and animals, superstition, conspiracy theories, terrorism, the thirty years war, bloody Mary, the conquistadors and the downfall of native americans, slavery, apartheid, genocide, feudal systems, burning at the stake, irrational beliefs, UFO's, etc. ad nauseum. All of these things and many more were caused at least in part if not wholly from religious beliefs. What does religion do? It is a crutch for the mind that stops most people from having the ability examine things critically, accept new ideas, accept proofs and disproofs of certain things like, genesis, exodus, and other things that never happened (I should point out that the persons who wrote some of the epistles and gospels absolutely believed that genesis and exodus were true). Religion is primarily black and white, our group/religion/good Vs them the heretics/infidels/unbelievers/evildoers. Most of those things I just listed would not have happened or not been as bad if it were not for religion. Religion is elitism, our group is better/knows X esoteric trvth/ has Y, etc. Religions also subdivide into elite divisions, popes, clergy, laity. Religion is about dividing people, classifying them, making distinctions. The primary meme behind religion is slavery. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
