religion, page-58

re: religion - snuff - saucers Folks,

"What is religion?" was a question posed more than 2000 years ago to a great theologian.

He replied: "What you yourself find hateful, do not inflict upon others. All the rest is mere commentary."

I know that even this statement is open to being purposely misunderstood and therefore mocked.

For instance if one were not to find being abused hateful one would be free to abuse others etc...

For not all of us have the presence of mind to always do to others as we would like to be done by.

His statement also presupposes that as human beings (able to reason) we share a fundamental sense of what is fair and what is not.

Comments about God's existence or lack thereof, God's need for mankind's yodelling of his greatness, or need for mankind's prayers, the existence of heaven and hell, 40 virgins... are all, in the final analysis, beside the point.

In order to live in a society that is complex (something we term civilisation) we first need to be able to trust one another.

This implies a shared set of values.

Such values were enshrined in (various) religions by different societies down the ages - the ten commandments being only one such.

You may argue that the "law" has taken its place in our society.

Well, has it?

There are many things which are not illegal (ie., against the law) but are unethical (we sometimes term "immoral") which, if visited upon you would outrage your sense of fairness and make you want to seek redress.

And you may well ask what about the false prophets, the paedophilic priests, the randy popes, the everyday murders done in the name of religion, the torture of Spanish Inquisition, burning of witches, the terrorism, the jihads, the Crusaders who were out for loot while squawking the name of God?

And so on.

Well any powerful tool can be used by such intelligent beings as the bipeds of the third planet from Sol either to enhance Life (what we generally term "good") or to devalue, enslave, destroy life (what we term "bad") for their own reasons.

These reasons may be to line their own (or their friends') pockets, to weild power over others' lives, or for their personal/sexual gratification..

And so on..

Or it could be used to assuage the yearning that mankind seems to have for a faith in something bigger than ourselves.

Several thousands of years hence, should we survive until then as a species, this debate will continue.

But as it was 2000+ years ago, is now, it shall be then.

What you yourself find hateful, do not inflict upon others. All the rest is commentary.


(Sir) Lunchalot






We are such stuff as dreams are made of
And our little lives are rounded with a sleep