How about the conflict of these religions? There are many instances of war breaking out in history that can be lead back to religion, e.g., the Crusades.
> Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2010 13:32:15 -0400 > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Mind's Eye] Re: Isn't Religion Wonderful..........? > > On 9/12/2010 10:28 AM, Slip Disc wrote: > > AW; > > Yes there is............. > > I'll refer you to rigsy's sept. 6 10:15 am post as to my "theistic > > religiosity" comment. > > > > Also, people use therapy and AA like a religion- in fact, they "use" a > > lot of things in lieu of religion. What about jingoism?<<<rigsy > Regarding AA, can cults be considered religion? Like most things it > depends on who is wielding the book, but I've heard some very disturbing > stories about their practices, that combined with psychologically > vulnerable people in need of help opens us a franchise opportunity for > all sorts of predatory and unsavory uses of religion. Again, I'll remind > that the utmost caution and conscience should be the hallmark, lest it > fall into predatory (deranged) hands. Kudos to those who do it well. > > "An empty stomach is not a good political advisor." Albert E. > > > Do you think no one would help anyone else on an island of atheists > > because they didn't have a religion to tell them to do so? Helping > > is primal and innate as nurturing; religion and faith is human > > construct and not necessity. > I think religion and politics often work on absurd reductions. Here's > another from old Al, "If people are good only because they fear > punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed. " The > latter reduction is 'necessity' saying, 'do it now or else' waving flags > of fear and anxiety. Both together is just a BAD combination, though it > would be neat to see some universalist group show the others up by doing > it better. Something like that might emerge in a few hundred years if > progress continues. Such might be the only ones capable of placing the > faith in digestible context while promoting the common good and secular > ethics. The pillars of monotheism are so entrenched in using the > population for domination they cannot be trusted, despite how great they > could be for us (and perhaps are). IMO dogmas designed by and for tribal > wel/war-fare are of no use to evolving our societies except perhaps to > observe and learn from and sometimes hold them dear. > > Somewhat on topic, I found this interesting page about 600bce, an early > enlightenment period? http://www.halexandria.org/dward206.htm. >
