ISIS take Mosul
Reply #734 - August 20, 2014, 02:57 AM
THIS is the inevitable consequence of promoting faith, the belief in something with no evidence. Especially in gods of ancient barbaric times.
The insistence and demand among society in general that religious belief and ideas, however absurd, should be automatically especially respected and protected from criticism, scrutiny, questioning, mockery, ridicule and insult if need be, is a comfortable environment for extreme beliefs to take root.
While I am in no way claiming that religious people are directly responsible for what is happening in Iraq, and in other issues where religion plays a detrimental part, but I think religious people and those who promote faith as a virtue, and something to be encouraged, often with government and societal support, need to take a long hard look at their religions.
Moderate and benign religious people in our comfortable democratic liberal societies, who are free to pick and chose what part of religion they want to follow, who I am sure are as horrified and appalled by what is happening in Iraq, Syria etc, as we are, must now begin to accept that by promoting faith they are unwittingly and unintentionally setting the scene for such extreme groups, to blossom.
The average religious person who claims to gain comfort from their religion as they think they will go to heaven and enjoy eternal youth with all their loved ones, MUST now realise that this same religion that they insist must be respected, is also simultaneously getting people beheaded, medical assistance refused, children killed for witchcraft, mass kidnappings, terrorism, other atrocities and injustices, and all sorts of messed up dangerous thinking, in other poorer, less educated, and unstable parts of the world.
So as the lucky religious people who live in 'the west' get to enjoy meeting grandma in the afterlife and lovely fables about nativities and magic angels to make us feel all soft and fluffy, many poor sods elsewhere are getting their heads detached, genetically mutilated, denied medical treatment, beaten and ostracised, lack education, and are psychologically traumatised.
The 'benefits' of religious faith (believing things without evidence) are unproven and minimal AT BEST, whereas the disadvantages, are tragic, real and all too measurable.
Religious people and accomodationalists need to get out of the idea as a society that faith is something to be encouraged.
Rant over.
I am better than your god......and so are you.
"Is the man who buys a magic rock, really more gullible than the man who buys an invisible magic rock?.......,...... At least the first guy has a rock!"