Again let me restate what is so obvious to only a few. Athiests can not
try to connect spiritually with any philosophical or political view
points , otherwise, how could they be athiests?
I do not think that athiesm is a religion, otherwise i'd be out there
like everyone else trying to evangelize my belief. I dont. I care little
about if there is no one else out there who believes as I do. Every one
has there own opinions on such matters. I do not try to persuade anyone
to become athiest.
On Mon, 27 Feb 1995, Wendi and Moojan Momen wrote:
> Religion has, over the course of human history, been one of the most
> powerful and pervasive forces at work in society.It should not surprise
> us therefore that there is an intimate and interdependent relationship
> between religion and power in most societies.
>
> The central religious experience (spirituality) is very personal and
> private. If one were being cynical, one could say that it gives no-one
> any opportunity to have power over others, nor to accumulate wealth,
> nor to achieve status. And yet it is clear that religion is a very
> powerful force for motivating human beings. They will do things for the
> sake of religion that they would not do for any other cause. Therefore
> it is not surprising that many have sought to channel the power of
> religion towards more immediate worldly goals. Only by producing social
> expressions of the central religious experience can these worldly aims
> be achieved (eg the paths of monasticism, ritualism, legalism, etc.).
> Once social expressions of religion have been created, they can be used
> by individuals to 1) achieve status; 2) acheive and legitimate power
> and 3) accumulate wealth
>
> Every religion has an internal power structure. This is inevitable if
> there is going to be some form of organisation of the religion. And
> organisation is needed if the religion is going to grow to anything
> beyond a small local grouping.
>
> Unfortunately, the founders of the world religions gave very little
> guidance to their followers about the social structure of their
> religion after their death (for example Christ gave almost no guidance
> about the structure of the Christian Church). Thus the structures
> that were established by the suceeding generations of the followers of
> the founders of the world religions tended to reflect the
> patriarchal societies which were their social milieu. The men who
> created these religious institutions found it natural to replicate
> within these institutions what they took to be the natural order of
> things -- i.e. a patriarchal society.
>
> In summary it can be said that religion has not been very successful
> in coming to terms with power. There have been a few periods when
> exceptional individuals have been able to balance the two and this has
> result in a brief golden age. The rule of Emperor Ashoka in India and
> of the first four caliphs of Islam are two examples of this. But in
> general, the relationship between the two has oscillated between
> various extremes: at one extreme, religion becomes overbearing and
> tyrannical thus stifling creativity and progress; at the other
> extreme, religion is ignored and the society loses its morality and
> cohesiveness.
>
> But this analysis only points to the failures of human beings when they
> try to canalize the potency of religion into social forms. It does not
> detract from the importance of the religious experience itself. The
> fact that there have been failures in the past does not mean to say
> that the position is hopeless, only that it is difficult to acheive.
>
> At present my own personal conviction is that the balance that is
> struck in the Baha'i community is the best. In the Baha'i Faith, there is no
> priesthood. The religion is organised on the basis of councils which
> are elected at the local, national and international level. Nominations,
> electioneering and party politics are forbidden in the election process.
> Power and authority are vested in the councils themselves and not
> in the individuals voted onto these bodies (these individuals hold no
> status or individual authority). Decisions are made on the basis of
> consultation, and then consensus or majority vote on these councils.
> The system is decentralized with the decision-making done at the lowest
> level at which it is practical to do it.
>
> Moojan Momen
>
> --
> Moojan Momen
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Fax: (44) 1767 627626
I was not trying to dissuade anyone from believing in anything they want to.
Athiests have enough trouble on their hands than worring about other
peoples beliefs!
You are sounding too much like evanglists, whether you are thiests or
spiritualists or what have you!
Bertina Miller
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
