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My view on
beliefs and religion
Though I do not believe that a deity
is in charge, or gives purpose, of my life, I
consider myself a believer. Because everybody--indeed,
everybody on this planet--believes in something. Some
people believe in God (whatever name used) or intelligent
designer, others in miracles
and angels,
still others in some dear leader imposing some ideology
(aka political
religion).
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I do not accept the notion that people
have to be
religious to be good, moral persons. People know,
without revelations,
that killing, stealing, lying, adultery, and envy are
wrong. Yes, human beings could be cruel, and most of the
history has witnessed unspeakable human disgrace. But
above all, deep in all of us is goodness and desire to
help others, and cooperate with the others, and be useful
to the others, and make the others happy. And while the community
is important for social beings like us, on the most basic
level just good
mother and father , not necessarily religious, are
enough to bring all our virtues up.
I do respect religion. As a Bulgarian, I
appreciate that our
Orthodox Christianity has preserved our language,
our faith, our customs, and our nation during
dark times. When nobody else wanted or could help
during the plague, low-rank friars and nuns were the
first and last to offer help and compassion to those
dying. But the
Crusades and
9/11 were also done in the name of God.
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I share Bertrand
Russell view that religion
developed upon fear, fear of the unknown. From men
hiding in caves from pouring rain and thunder to men
building majestic pyramids to reach the sun after life,
ignorant human beings did not understand and thus feared
mysterious phenomena and the awe-inspiring might of the
nature that gives, sustains and destroys life. So, here we
have Amon
Ra, The God of Sun, and Zeus,
The God
of Thunder.
As human knowledge progressed and
made clear that, for example, angels did not
physically push the sun, moon, planets and stars
across the sky, the need of religion as an
explanation of natural phenomena diminished.
But religion acquired additional roles. For
the African slaves, religion was a way
to cope with deprived life, a hope that if not
on this earth, there will be justice at least in
heaven. For the white masters, the same
religion provided justification
for the slavery. Religion is
still a way to cope with hardship, but above
all it is a way to preserve someone's power, usually
that of rich and powerful over the ordinary people,
that of men over the women. In this sense I
find any religion somewhat hypocritical and
self-serving. |
My main question is, why
is faith good, you people of faith? Just
tell me why the
purposeful suspension of critical
thinking is a good thing?
If you can answer that question, maybe
I'll shut up.
Bill Maher, on CNN on
October 8, 2010
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Religious devotion inspired the creation
of the most beautiful music,
paintings,
poetry,
and architecture.
But any religion (or ideology) is also capable of
confining the human spirit and creativity, stopping
progress, and justifying irrational
thoughts. Since the times of Egyptian shamans,
knowledge has given power to those who possess it
(remember Prus's
Pharaoh), so it was deliberately withheld and
jealously guarded from the masses; it is so much easier to
manipulate and control ignorant people. This practice
continues in modern world; we all witness the narrow scope
of madrasas
curriculum in Islamic
countries.
The only answer to backwardness caused by
zealous religiosity is EDUCATION.
In the words of a friend of kindred spirit, "Knowledge and
education are indeed among the most important of political
stabilizers. Whether it be communist Russia, religious
Iran, blind North Korea, women governed by the Taliban, or
the far right wing U.S., liberal education is what the
ideologues seek to squelch. That should be evidence enough
of its value."
As education
becomes increasingly important for more and more
people, I believe religion will be inexorably marginalized
in future. And, of course, the church
will fight to keep its power over people minds, hopefully
through reform, not through the age-old persecution
or open conflicts. What future holds is uncertain; could
be more tolerance, could be more terror. I wish more
people see that there are really good reasons to celebrate
a more secular word.
Quotes I agree with, no matter the
source:
Why does
science scare some people?
Science is attractive to those
who like solving puzzles. But it is not so
appealing for people who want to be cuddled (or
even reprimanded), who want to feel that things
make sense, or that somebody's looking after them.
Scientists do not offer certainty, and they do not
offer a universe that is centered around humans.
Religions offer a world view in which you are
important.
Interview with novelist
Margaret
Atwood, Nature,
2011, 478 (October 6), p.35
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How to end the wars of
hatred
... As Jews, Christians and
Muslims, we have to be prepared to ask the most
uncomfortable questions. Does the God of Abraham
want his disciples to kill for his sake? ... There
is nothing accidental... series of decisions a
half-century ago that led to the creation of an
entire educational network of schools and
seminaries dedicated to the proposition that
loving God means hating the enemies of God. ...
Those who believe that political problems have
religious solutions are deluding themselves ...
Not
in God's Name: Confronting Religious Violence,
Rabbi
Jonathan Sacks
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Individuality vs.
conformity
... Freedom, true freedom, is not
"doing anything you want,".... True freedom is
that your choices are not imposed upon you from
any force outside of you; that your behavior is
driven by a free soul within, and not by
expectations, pressures, competition, vanity,
insecurities and all other forces that compel us
to behave in certain way.
Rabbi
Simon Jacobson
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