On 9/12/2010 2:11 PM, Heebong Kim wrote:
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.
Greetings Kim, I think many have discussed that here and my opinion of
it varies depending on my mood. Perhaps the most favorable view is that
human behavior reflects primal motives, much like a bee or ant colony
identifies members and enemies by unique scent, movement and
communication characteristics. Perhaps religion has been a drive toward
universalizing the symbols and experiences of humanity, at the same time
we have dragged very primitive instincts into the arena with horrible
consequences. We can't eliminate instincts from the human experience
(stupid to consider) but we can choose how to integrate and respond to
them, especially regarding history. If there are viral and degenerate
aspects to religion, the parts that unleash undesirable human behavior,
then we should seek to eliminate them or make them obsolete. If we can't
then they are not obsolete and we should ask what is fueling them (the
aspects). The religions are transitory and will respond to pressure of
populations just like any other human institution or it will die out. We
need clear and accessible routes to hope, security, and prosperity from
the singular to the universal groupings of humanity and leave the
absolute to individual experience where it belongs (and probably will
for a long time). By the time absolutes merge into universals the debate
should be moot common sense, We'll probably have thought-to-thought
communication before then which should do wonders for ethnocentrism and
open huge areas of uncharted territory everyone will have room to grow into.
> 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.
>
