Hate is something we are all taught from birth, often in subtle ways. At first we are taught to hate ourselves. We are taught that our inner self, our real self, is bad, something that has to be tamed and controlled in order for us to grow into 'good people'. Or, more truthfully, grow into the sort of people other people think we ought to be. We are taught to be patriotic, nationalistic, territiarial, to incorporate our 'culture' into our sense of self and identity, when in relaity, these things are not realted to our true selves, and only serve to foster separatness and eventually hatred. Religion, whilst it has it's good points, also teaches hatred. Hatred of self(born sinful rather than whole and new and fresh), hatred of 'sinners' and hatred of others not of the same faith. of course it isn't usually overt but it is there. My own experience was being taught that people of any other faith were heathen and destined for hell. I am not without a psiritual faith now, but it is my own, according to my experinece and my conscience. I am acountable. We are taught to hate difference. We are taught that good people conform and do what is required. people who rock the boat are to be hated. We are even taught to hate those that are teaching us for in their desire to mould us, they build up resentement in us, and often bring about the very thing they sought to discourage. this has happened for eons yet the same old ways are still taught and the same old things still happen. Children who are respected, who are given boundaries, who have their boundaries respected, who are treated well, who are taught by example, rather than by 'do as I say, not as I do', who are valued for their uniqueness, or are given freedom to be who they are, who are encouraged to develop themsleves and their gifts rather than moulded into a set ideal, are not likely to be grow up to be insecure people who hate themselves. It is these people, those who are left with a gaping hole inside, those who are not respected, those who are maltreated, those who are ignored, marginalised, ostracized, scorned and exiled, who are made to feel powerless, will latch on to something that will make them feel powerful-be it the KKK, Fundametalism in all it's hues etc. Religion does not teach universal morals. It merely teaches what it thinks are morals.I am not saying what they teach in totality is not morally good, jsut that they don't have a monoploy on it and it is just their idea and no more. Many of the teachings of Xtianity are not new and are borrowed from other ideas, some of which were not connected to a spiritual belief. Many truly moral, copmpassionate people are athiest. 'goodness' and 'morality' are not soley the province of religion. Often, those that think religion is the sole arbiter of morals, show a distinct lack of morals and ceratinly a distinct lack of respect for others which is often evidenced in the way they relate to others and the scorn they heap on those who believe in lving by one's conscience. Living by one's own concsience is the only honest way to live. You can't live by someone elses. If you agree with a particular philosophy, and live by it, you are living according to your own conscience. Likewise the person who lives by another ideal that differs. the people who go on about the lack or 'morals' in society really mean they are frustrated and afraid because people will not live the way they think they ought to live! Although I feel uncomfortable at many things one is able to buy, see, experience etc I do not believe censorchip is right. Unless it it involves the suffering of others. For example child pronography; thankfully illegal and rightly so, tho consensual adult porn should not be illegal. censorship is strange-we get american tv which often has words 'bleeped' out which we dont' in our programs. this is so childish. Both societies censor sexual content yet are quite happy to show the murder and mutilaiton of people on a daily basis! To stop hatred, to have the world we want to live in, we have to start at the beginning-with the children. treat them right and the world will be right. So obvious but no one wants to read that or believe that. Heven forbid, if it were true we would have some responsiblity! Far better to blame others, or politicians or teachers who people seem to think should be parenting their children. -- bw colin [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.geocities.com/tantra_apso/index.html
