We could argue the fine points of Mammon vs God until the cows come home, Ed. The bottom line, for me, is that the biological organization of humans into eusocial specialization exchanges individual integrity for group integrity. If this exchange did not entail such things as the destruction of natural heritage<http://www.amazon.com/Social-Conquest-Earth-Edward-Wilson/dp/0871403633>, it would be a lot more tolerable.
On Mon, Dec 30, 2013 at 2:42 PM, Edmund Storms <[email protected]>wrote: > As Steven noted, I was being sarcastic. But to get serious, God gave > religion permission to torture, burn at the stake, and kill. Money is only > used to make poor and marginalize. I think you would agree, this is > progress. > > Ed > > On Dec 30, 2013, at 1:32 PM, James Bowery wrote: > > Money as God is as old as civilization and it has a name that is, too, as > old as civilization: > > Mammon Worship. > > In many ways, money is a far more seductive religion in that it has the > appearance of rationality. > > I don't call this progress. > > On the other hand, the State as God is little better. > > > On Mon, Dec 30, 2013 at 11:35 AM, Edmund Storms <[email protected]>wrote: > >> Well Jed, I guess it is nice to know we are no worse off than we would >> have been in 1513. Of course, then people had the Church to fight, which >> had God on its side. Now, the fight is with politicians who only have money >> on their side. I call this progress. :-) >> >> Ed >> >> On Dec 30, 2013, at 8:21 AM, Jed Rothwell wrote: >> >> Edmund Storms <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Yes, and both Lewis and Koonin went on to high office and were well >>> rewarded for not rocking the boat on any subject. There was and is no >>> reward in advocating for cold fusion. >>> >> >> "There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to >> conduct, or more uncertain in its success than to take the lead in the >> introduction of a new order of things, because the innovator has for >> enemies all those who have done well under the old condition, and lukewarm >> defenders in those who may do well under the new." >> >> - Machiavelli, 1513 >> >> >> > >
