> From: Stephen Black <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 23:29:07 -0500 (EST) > > On Mon, 18 Feb 2002, Beth Benoit wrote: > > > So encouraging religious beliefs > > is, from a practical standpoint, a good way to encourage the continuation of > > the human race. > > Beg to differ. Encouraging religious beliefs is a good way to > discourage the continuance of the human race (or a subset of it). > Think the Crusades, the Inquisition, pogroms, Ireland, Israel, > India/Pakistan, Afghanistan, New York City, September 11. Or that > wearing a condom to prevent the spread of AIDS (e.g. in Africa) > is sinful. > > Perhaps a little less religion is what the human race really > needs if we want to encourage it to continue. > > -Stephen
I wondered how long it would take for this discussion to degenerate. Show me where the doctrine of one's religion encourages the kind of behavior you mentioned. Certainly as a former Irish Catholic (okay, just former Catholic, I'm still Irish) I'm well aware of the Northern Ireland shenanigans. I've never heard one scripture verse come out of either "side" And of course, let's not overlook killing that results from non-religious terrorism. In fact, just in the 20th-century we have Chairman Mao (untold millions); Jozef Stalin (40 million); and Adolf Hitler (12 million). How about Milosevic? Idi Amin? countless others, who slaughter for political and personal power? And then there is the issue of the millions of babies that are prevented from exiting "in utero." I'm the first to admit to religion's sad legacy of atrocities. But unless I've overreacted, I see Stephen and others consistently portraying religion as completely negative, instead of using their intellectual prowess to distinguish between what is healhy and what is not, what is "moral" religion and what is garbage. Geez -- every precious institution in this country fails us in some way -- school, marriage, family. Should we extinguish them too, or just scream louder for more accountability? Peace, Jim --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
