Thursday, December 28, 2006

Let's get religion straight...

When I wrote about the "religion gene" a few weeks ago, I had no idea how much interest it would cause. Although it may not be obvious from the blog -- why are people so shy to post comments? -- quite a few people approached me and wished to discuss the subject.

Now, I'm not a genetics expert and can't give the whole scientific background. I heard the tidbit in the news and it entered my mind as it was meandering along for subjects to discuss. A Google or better yet, an acoona search might give you more details on the subject, as well as lead you to some forums where the issue has been debated.

What I would like to further discuss today is the idea of religion, which I believe is highly appropriate seeing as how we are in the middle of the holidays. Now, don't get me wrong. I like holidays. Unlike Ebenezer Scrooge, I keep the Christmas spirit alive in my heart all year round. I like to give gifts more than I like to receive gifts (although if you have a gift to give me, I won't refuse!! lol) and I like the effect that the Christmas holiday has on people. It's not very often in my part of the world that people seem giving, and goodwilled. Holidays bring out the best in people, and if only for that one fact, having religion is a good thing to my mind.

But how about religion as a whole? Is it necessary? Can we excuse the violence and upheaval brought about in the name of religion? Were the Christian Crusades right? How about the Holy Inquisition? Is Jihad excusable? Just how many people have died and will die in the name of a peaceful, giving, loving religion, in the name of an untouchable God? Is it possible that there are those among us who use our need to believe (genetically pre-ordained perhaps) to manipulate us into serving their own purposes? Most likely.

And the question arises: can't our trained. intelligent mind overcome the basic instinct and selectively keep the positive teachings arising from our various beliefs while condemning the negatives? Apparently not and for many reasons. The most obvious one is that not everyone's mind is trained and intelligent. The second reason -- more obscure but just as imprtant -- is fear. If God ordains, we must obey, mustn't we? Poor Abraham almost killed his own son because God ordered him to! But is blind belief what we should have? If so, why were we given the ability to doubt, to ask questions, to seek alternate answers?

And then we had the Great Communist Experiment. Religion was outlawed, it was "the opium of the people", only realism there, please. Nothing you cannot detect with one of your five senses. It lasted for several generations... but did it wipe out religion? Nope. As soon as they could, the people opened up the old, forgotten chuches and were back where they had started from. What's the use? The gene is mightier than reason!

Now, I have a different belief. I believe in freedom! In my meandering mind, everyone has the right to believe what he/she wants to, as long as that belief does no harm to anyone else. Radical, huh?
Friend, I don't care who and how you worship... that is your affair. I do demand that you show me the same courtesy and keep your nose out of my business!! Oh, and by the way... if your religion includes the "right" or "obligation" to do harm to someone else, I'm sure there is a jail or a nice, padded cell somewhere for you.

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