Today I bought two 8X11 spiral notebooks and three 6X4 wirebound memo pads at Rite Aid. One large notebook with pink paper (which I'm rather fond of) will be dedicated to prying into my subject matter by using a proposition, question, answer, question, answer-type format. I want to stay on topic. I want to be concise. I want the logic of my propositions to be sound. And I want the evidence to be both applicable and strong. So I'll use the large notebooks to further these goals; and I'll place the small notebooks upstairs, downstairs, and in my bag so that I'll always have something nearby to scribble thoughts on.
Its a wonder that I'm even taking this project on given that it would be so easy to ignore the fact that religion plays a large part in shaping other peoples' lives, and given that other people's religious belief rarely affects how I go about living life day to day. Because churches and churchgoers are so ordinary in our society; and our society is relatively peaceful and stable; it seems silly to spend a second of my time thinking about religion. I'm largely free to do whatever it is I want to do, regardless of my neighbor's religious belief. And I very rarely feel as though other's beliefs are being imposed upon me, or are otherwise oppressive. One might ask, if everything is fine, why work for change. For some time now, I've intended to address this question. Why am I taking up this project?
Ultimately, all of my answers to this question will need to be supported by sound reasoning and solid evidence. Trust me, I look forward to providing that support. But for now, I'll haphazardly offer the short versions of some of these answers.
First, a world without religion would be a world in which morality would be better defined and more widely accepted. Conflicting sects and dogma would not muddy the waters of ethics. People would be forced to answer profound ethical questions regarding how they should treat others and how they should live their lives for themselves, which would grant their decisions more power and personal meaning. There would likely be more logical basis for a system of morals not founded on a leap of faith and inconsisten, ambiguous ancient scripture.
Second, a world without religion would be a more peaceful world and a world less likely to experience devastating wars on a global stage. Without religion, there would be less division between peoples and more understanding.
Third, those seeking popular support for unwise or evil schemes would be less likely to find that support if they could not stoke the publics' religious passions. Also, political candidates would be judged upon whether or not they were well qualified for the job.
Fourth, people would be happier because they would be freer to decide for themselves what makes them happy, and they would be freer to go ahead and do it. This is a rather complex notion, involving an indepth discussion on happiness, truth, and freedom. In other words, I'll talk about it more later. The gist of the idea is that if someone doesn't believe that one book represents the truth, and if that someone doesn't sacrifice the quality of life on earth for a theoretical paradise after death; then she will be more likely to take the responsibility of discovering what makes herself happy more seriously/urgently, and she will be open to all sources of knowledge on the subject-as opposed to holding a particular bias towards on unsupported, faith-based knowledge. I hope you can decipher the "gist" of that run-on sentence...
At any rate, this enhanced freedom that I mention is the primary motivating factor for this project of mine. I want people to live more for themselves, think more for themselves, and live in accordance with real personal truth. I'm also very motivated by the thought that humans could exist in greater harmony if a strong, sound system of morals was better defined and untainted by mythology. I wish people would spend their time arguing about ethics instead of the meaning of certain scriptures. And I never again want to hear someone ask another person if they've accepted Jesus Christ into their hearts. Such an idea is empty of meaning and offers nothing in the way of guidance for living...in short, its an intellectual dead end, just like faith. Speaking of faith: it is what happens when the mind and will voluntarily turn off and, in most cases, are handed over to the control of someone else. Unfortunately for believers, that someone else is not God, but someone much less perfect.
There are also specific harms that religion causes individuals. How many men and women have been tormented because of their sexual orientation. Some are tormented by guilt. Other's are tormented by unrequited, unsatiated desire. Still others are physically tormented, beaten, killed, or otherwise oppressed. Then there are the poor children who are taught that the functions of their bodies are bad-that their desires for the opposite sex are due to the temptation from the devil. Today's Christian society ignores the sexuality of all who are not married and condemns sexual practices outside of marriage. Next we'll mention that women-nearly all women-have suffered because religions teach that men are the masters of their homes and women are servants. Historically, women have been denied sexual pleasure and freedom thanks to the supremacy of male desires in the religious and traditional family hierarchy. This is all very very sad. Pleasure denied is living denied. In this way, religion has killed millions, if not billions.
The goal of diminishing religion's legitimacy and prevalence in our society does not arise out of some vague animosity or wild conspiracy theory. On the contrary, it is a goal for those who feel empathetic towards their "brothers and sisters" on this planet. It is a goal for those who truly want for others what they want for themselves.
Its a wonder that I'm even taking this project on given that it would be so easy to ignore the fact that religion plays a large part in shaping other peoples' lives, and given that other people's religious belief rarely affects how I go about living life day to day. Because churches and churchgoers are so ordinary in our society; and our society is relatively peaceful and stable; it seems silly to spend a second of my time thinking about religion. I'm largely free to do whatever it is I want to do, regardless of my neighbor's religious belief. And I very rarely feel as though other's beliefs are being imposed upon me, or are otherwise oppressive. One might ask, if everything is fine, why work for change. For some time now, I've intended to address this question. Why am I taking up this project?
Ultimately, all of my answers to this question will need to be supported by sound reasoning and solid evidence. Trust me, I look forward to providing that support. But for now, I'll haphazardly offer the short versions of some of these answers.
First, a world without religion would be a world in which morality would be better defined and more widely accepted. Conflicting sects and dogma would not muddy the waters of ethics. People would be forced to answer profound ethical questions regarding how they should treat others and how they should live their lives for themselves, which would grant their decisions more power and personal meaning. There would likely be more logical basis for a system of morals not founded on a leap of faith and inconsisten, ambiguous ancient scripture.
Second, a world without religion would be a more peaceful world and a world less likely to experience devastating wars on a global stage. Without religion, there would be less division between peoples and more understanding.
Third, those seeking popular support for unwise or evil schemes would be less likely to find that support if they could not stoke the publics' religious passions. Also, political candidates would be judged upon whether or not they were well qualified for the job.
Fourth, people would be happier because they would be freer to decide for themselves what makes them happy, and they would be freer to go ahead and do it. This is a rather complex notion, involving an indepth discussion on happiness, truth, and freedom. In other words, I'll talk about it more later. The gist of the idea is that if someone doesn't believe that one book represents the truth, and if that someone doesn't sacrifice the quality of life on earth for a theoretical paradise after death; then she will be more likely to take the responsibility of discovering what makes herself happy more seriously/urgently, and she will be open to all sources of knowledge on the subject-as opposed to holding a particular bias towards on unsupported, faith-based knowledge. I hope you can decipher the "gist" of that run-on sentence...
At any rate, this enhanced freedom that I mention is the primary motivating factor for this project of mine. I want people to live more for themselves, think more for themselves, and live in accordance with real personal truth. I'm also very motivated by the thought that humans could exist in greater harmony if a strong, sound system of morals was better defined and untainted by mythology. I wish people would spend their time arguing about ethics instead of the meaning of certain scriptures. And I never again want to hear someone ask another person if they've accepted Jesus Christ into their hearts. Such an idea is empty of meaning and offers nothing in the way of guidance for living...in short, its an intellectual dead end, just like faith. Speaking of faith: it is what happens when the mind and will voluntarily turn off and, in most cases, are handed over to the control of someone else. Unfortunately for believers, that someone else is not God, but someone much less perfect.
There are also specific harms that religion causes individuals. How many men and women have been tormented because of their sexual orientation. Some are tormented by guilt. Other's are tormented by unrequited, unsatiated desire. Still others are physically tormented, beaten, killed, or otherwise oppressed. Then there are the poor children who are taught that the functions of their bodies are bad-that their desires for the opposite sex are due to the temptation from the devil. Today's Christian society ignores the sexuality of all who are not married and condemns sexual practices outside of marriage. Next we'll mention that women-nearly all women-have suffered because religions teach that men are the masters of their homes and women are servants. Historically, women have been denied sexual pleasure and freedom thanks to the supremacy of male desires in the religious and traditional family hierarchy. This is all very very sad. Pleasure denied is living denied. In this way, religion has killed millions, if not billions.
The goal of diminishing religion's legitimacy and prevalence in our society does not arise out of some vague animosity or wild conspiracy theory. On the contrary, it is a goal for those who feel empathetic towards their "brothers and sisters" on this planet. It is a goal for those who truly want for others what they want for themselves.
posted by Josh at
9:31 PM
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