Does Religion Cause War?
It is Sunday.....a day that many God-fearing, pancake and sausage-eating, SUV-driving, Fox News watching Christian people GO TO CHURCH. Thus, it happens, we devote this blogging day to encouraging some discussion about religion.
I have noticed in my Atheist friends a burning need to blame religion for war. One recently offered as proof--the fact that Atheist internet forums and blogs were and are overwhelmingly AGAINST the war on Iraq.....while the FundaGelical Christian forums and blogs were and are overwhelmingly FOR the war on Irag.
I can't buy it. That analysis is remarkably shallow. It does, however, deserve to be analyzed.
If true, it only demonstrates that Atheists are usually better educated and wiser than FundaGelicals.....and less likely to be controlled by Faux News and other CryptoFascist media.
Yes, a tsunami of brainwashing convinced the NASCAR Demographic that we needed Iraqi oil to keep our pickup trucks running......and "Thou shalt not kill" and "Love your neighbor" were not enough to keep them from approving, and supporting, war crimes to get the oil.
Even a lot of seemingly normal, nice people.....even a few Atheists--were seduced by the allure of oil and hegemony.
Greed starts wars....and impotent, failed religion fails to prevent them.
But true religion (the religion that walks out "Love your neighbor") DID cause many people of many diverse faiths to protest the war (and they still do).
The Christian Bible (in the words of Jesus and James) tells us that true religion is caring for, protecting and helping--the orphan, the widow, the poor, the weak, the marginalized.
If only the FundaGelicals (and many other Christians) had listened to their own Bible......but their hearing is selective.
No, religion does not cause war, but impotent and failed religion fails to prevent war.
In war, one side has something the other one wants.....it's as simple as that.
Consider the case of little Jimmy.......a beautiful, fair-haired tot, who--at the age of two--has NO idea if he is an Atheist or a FundaGelical or a Muslim, Jew or Liberal Presbyterian.
Little Jimmy bonks little Joey over the head with his sturdy steel Tonka Truck. Little Joey sobs and rages.
Little Jimmy did not bonk little Joey over the head because little Joey is of another faith......he bonked little Joey over the head because he thinks little Joey wants to take his favorite Tonka Truck (little Joey WAS eying that truck).
So I ask, do you believe that religion causes war?
(Or is war about Tonka Trucks?)
Do you ascribe to a particular religion?
Is the so-called "religious" war in Ireland about religion or is it really about Tonka Trucks?
Do you think that true religion brings peace?
Did true religion have anything to do with Atheists protesting the war on Iraq?
And the most important question......do you think true religion can ever overcome the amazing willingness in most people to bonk each other on the head over possession of material things like Tonka Trucks?
I have noticed in my Atheist friends a burning need to blame religion for war. One recently offered as proof--the fact that Atheist internet forums and blogs were and are overwhelmingly AGAINST the war on Iraq.....while the FundaGelical Christian forums and blogs were and are overwhelmingly FOR the war on Irag.
I can't buy it. That analysis is remarkably shallow. It does, however, deserve to be analyzed.
If true, it only demonstrates that Atheists are usually better educated and wiser than FundaGelicals.....and less likely to be controlled by Faux News and other CryptoFascist media.
Yes, a tsunami of brainwashing convinced the NASCAR Demographic that we needed Iraqi oil to keep our pickup trucks running......and "Thou shalt not kill" and "Love your neighbor" were not enough to keep them from approving, and supporting, war crimes to get the oil.
Even a lot of seemingly normal, nice people.....even a few Atheists--were seduced by the allure of oil and hegemony.
Greed starts wars....and impotent, failed religion fails to prevent them.
But true religion (the religion that walks out "Love your neighbor") DID cause many people of many diverse faiths to protest the war (and they still do).
The Christian Bible (in the words of Jesus and James) tells us that true religion is caring for, protecting and helping--the orphan, the widow, the poor, the weak, the marginalized.
If only the FundaGelicals (and many other Christians) had listened to their own Bible......but their hearing is selective.
No, religion does not cause war, but impotent and failed religion fails to prevent war.
In war, one side has something the other one wants.....it's as simple as that.
Consider the case of little Jimmy.......a beautiful, fair-haired tot, who--at the age of two--has NO idea if he is an Atheist or a FundaGelical or a Muslim, Jew or Liberal Presbyterian.
Little Jimmy bonks little Joey over the head with his sturdy steel Tonka Truck. Little Joey sobs and rages.
Little Jimmy did not bonk little Joey over the head because little Joey is of another faith......he bonked little Joey over the head because he thinks little Joey wants to take his favorite Tonka Truck (little Joey WAS eying that truck).
So I ask, do you believe that religion causes war?
(Or is war about Tonka Trucks?)
Do you ascribe to a particular religion?
Is the so-called "religious" war in Ireland about religion or is it really about Tonka Trucks?
Do you think that true religion brings peace?
Did true religion have anything to do with Atheists protesting the war on Iraq?
And the most important question......do you think true religion can ever overcome the amazing willingness in most people to bonk each other on the head over possession of material things like Tonka Trucks?
posted by Wadena | 9:52 AM
12 Comments:
Wadena,
Tonka trucks. Put my name down.
Thank you Wadena. I am going to link to you- because I enjoyed your post and think you ask some good questions, things we need to look at.
I hope you find it in your schedule to stay... in blogarama I mean.
I hope so, too.
I think I will!
Probably.
I suspect the post at my digs will turn ugly... off to look at the snow and ignore it. Not buried, but we certainly have enough!
I think you like snow. It is a good, natural thing, snow. I walk to work, so I don't care (we didn't get any snow here anyway).
Thanks for the link. That is kind of you. Ah well, sometimes good posts go ugly.....that's life. Snow has a way of making things pretty.
A Hess truck collection is an odd celebration of gasoline.
"I am not anonymous???" Of Course not, Take Pause. You are,after all- signed in. Anonymous is the third option.
My middle finger picture is temporarily gone by request by a mom that wanted me to comment but did not want to read them in front of the kids. So I will use the Rainbow Madness Shot. Or go back to the boot.
I don't know what a Hess truck is.....but I couldn't accept them. You must sell them on e-Bay and give the money to the poor (I'm poor, but not THAT poor).
:)
Love your neighbor is about all we need to know about religion, really.
Jesus was a radical who spoke up for women and children at a time when both were viewed as expendable items.....they were truly vulnerable.
Lily, that picture is SO much better than a boot! Wait, that sounds like an insult.
Let's try again. Lily, that picture is great and FAR better for your purposes. Go with it.
Wadena,
On the other hand, some judge the intolerance of religious people, for example, and yet they exhibit some of the same behaviors they describe. Moral superiority, judgement, scrutiny, etc. Telling others, always, how best to live their lives. Living life with little gratitude or ability to recognize the gifts of others. Always angry at the choices of others, or their priorities or what "THEY" are doing wrong. Always looking at how the world pertains to THEM or their goals that others may not share. This very much exists on the left as well.This presumptuous posturing.
I wonder about the people that talk about peace, yet insist upon patterns that are-at their core- violent. Verbally 'violent'. A premise of non violent communication by Rosenburg and others is the idea that using/manipulating others is a form of violence, just at a different place in the spectrum than hitting, say.
Take the person that talks about peace, but is unable to interact peacefully with others. Always creating conflict. Even when a person gives them everything they ask for! It might not be fast enough, or good enough. They make unrealistic demands that test the 'sincerity' of the peace community. But the peace community is notorious for smiling at such people and giving in, lest they appear anti-hippie! How do we deal with those that hold us hostage by our good intentions? The person that points fingers at everyone but themselves and cannot see how their own actions are oppressive and exploitive... How their own expectations are rooted in a desire to meet their own needs without giving. And when we are trying to live as giving people, as tolerant, accepting people- we unwittingly become abused by some of the very same people that publically condemn such acts.
These are the scenarios I have trouble with. Just as there are self righteous people on the right, we liberals never talk about the cruel, judgemental, hostile, selfish, bitter people on the left. Just as many right wing people have their 'issues' play out in their politics, sometimes I see this on the left. It is MORE difficult for me because there is the pretense. I would almost rather deal with somebody honest about their resentments/hatred/bias than somebody wearing tye-dyed denial.. You know what I mean?
I have to say that in my older age I am starting to prefer the authentic jackass to the phony kitten. I am weary of liking people for their stated politics but finding their personalities to be quite far removed.
A Hess truck is a novelty gasoline delivery truck that was sold for decades at Hess Gas stations.
I am not sure what to say about them, except that I am not sure what use they had in the beginning that they no longer qualify for. Adults tend not to have use for toys, but certainly there are many children out there in whose hands they might be better placed.
Salvation Army?
The Salvation Army is already reaping windfall profits as their reward (along with a lot of other FundaGelical organizations) for helping Bush steal the presidency.
They should be impeached along with Bush. I wouldn't give them a cent.
Hess must be an Eastern company....don't recall ever seeing such a truck.
When you give money directly to people that you KNOW really need it.....you can be sure that your money went to the right place.
Lily.....it sounds like you are struggling with the old "can we tolerate intolerance" issue.
I have no need to tell anyone which religion they should choose. Let the FundaGelicals practice whatever they wish and I give them my blessing.....but my blessing stops and my anger begins exactly when they start forcing their beliefs on others (especially when they heavily impact or even destroy the lives of others).
One way religion actually CAN cause war is if (as happens today in America) those religious people label a group as "sinners" and then single out that group for persecution. We see that today with homosexuals (who suffer discrimination in housing, employment and the right to marry).
The FundaGelical religion has started a culture war in our time, raining (in their own way) fire and brimstone on the homosexuals of this nation.
But, of course, that is not true religion, but an expression of the bigotry of the Religious Right....ReligioPathology running rampant and gaining power through sleazy political maneuvering.
Sure, there are a lot of crazies on the left.....but at least they're on the right side, even if they are a bit loco.
:) (Psychotic Smile)
The real dangerous ones are the ones that SUPPORT the Radical Right and Religious Right and smile, call themselves moderate and seem SO polite and respectable.
A toxic pox upon them.
Yes, their persecution is pretty difficult to reason with, the 'sinner' thing just gets us to a dead end. Wish it were not that way. Wish people could love anyone, live in ways that make them happy.Its very sad, what they do. When people say "well, wingnuts aren't hurting anyone..." I beg to differ.
Tonight my blog is overflowing with conflict. It seems so hopeless to have these conversations sometimes..
Conflict is a natural and healthy thing (when people are honestly fervent about their issues) but if people just do snippy and aggressive remarks, I'd just delete them.
Especially if they won't even stick to the same name so you know who they are.
This anonymous stuff is probably gonna get out of hand at times.
Hello again. I've gotten a little behind.
Jesus (or any of the other great religious leaders) must be horrified at the evil done in His name.
I find myself apologizing much of the time because I continue to stay active in my church (one that has been condemned by Pat Robertson so we're probably doing a few things right).
We're not all fundies bit it's hard for people to see that when all they hear is the ranting.
Fred Phelps will be visiting one of our neighboring towns soon. He was there last year and his reception was not what he expected. There's hope, even in this conservative pocket of California.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home