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THE CORE PROBLEM

Reader comment on item: Vanquishing the Islamist Enemy

Submitted by DANIEL REDMOND (United States), Mar 22, 2008 at 10:05

The core problem that transcends the problems presented by conflicting religions and the inevitable comparisons of one to another lies in the continued presence of religion itself in most human societies. As Christopher Hitchens has pointed out, religion was "the first and the worst" attempt our species made at explaining our existence. It was born during the crying, wailing, fearful, primitive infancy of our existence on this planet, at a time when everything was mystifying, frightening and confusing. The human mind prefers a "junk explanation rather than no explanation at all."

And so gods were invented. From that time on none of the ten thousand or so gods we humans have worshipped has ever shown themselves to mankind, nor answered a single prayer or entreaty, yet billions still believe in them. Inevitably conflicts have emerged wherein whole nations have fought one another believing that their preferred deity was on their side in the battle. "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition," were the lyrics to a popular tune sung by Allied soldiers during World War I, while during that same war German soldiers had "Gott Mit Uns" (God With Us) etched onto their military issued belt buckles. Both sides believed that God wanted them to win. It is worth noting that England, France and Germany were all Christian societies.

It is true that Christianity has morphed into a relatively benign version of its former self---there are no more Salem Witch Trials and no Spanish Inquisition these days---but we have a president who would like nothing better than to tear down the separation between church and state and millions of citizens who would encourage him to do so. To date, all three of the Abrahamic religions---Judaism, Christianity, and Islam---have been war-like and intolerant during their history at some time or another. Right now it is Islam's turn. I'd rather they were all dispensed with entirely in favor of the one proven means of acquiring knowledge and advancing the well-being and spiritual growth of our species---a concentration on science and the arts.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (16) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Vanquishing the enemy [41 words]GabbyJun 15, 2008 08:05132197
THE CORE PROBLEM [340 words]DANIEL REDMONDMar 22, 2008 10:05123234
about religions and war [66 words]G.VishvasMar 24, 2008 14:03123234
Islam IS "realisation" based [222 words]jennifer solisMar 26, 2008 01:47123234
re: Core Problem [5 words]CBMar 26, 2008 13:25123234
RESPONSE TO G. VISHVAS ON "WAR RELIGIONS" [78 words]DANIEL REDMONDMar 26, 2008 20:28123234
A voice to be heard [127 words]Rebecca MouldsMar 18, 2008 14:31122953
Dr. Pipes is a patient man! [269 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
jennifer solisMar 8, 2008 01:19122040
Mu'slam Personality Disorder [84 words]donvanMar 4, 2008 14:40121728
Thinking [156 words]dfwhite19438Mar 7, 2008 17:23121728
Mythology.. [195 words]donvanMar 10, 2008 10:07121728
What mythology? [222 words]Julio AlvaradoMar 10, 2008 17:52121728
missing the point... [74 words]donvanMar 11, 2008 08:02121728
Naziism and Islam have some telling similarities and differences [205 words]Charles MartelMar 13, 2008 14:45121728
Re: Naziism and Islam have some telling similarities and differences [432 words]Julio AlvaradoMar 15, 2008 16:45121728
Julio Alvarado, Nazism and Islam, similarities and differences [482 words]InfidelMar 17, 2008 15:02121728

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