RELIGION AND POLITICS
Although religion in all probability played a great positive role in the evolution of mankind it has become a liability in the modern world where the development of a world culture needs the cooperation and tolerance of all people and not just the individual “tribe”
Religion often preaches love and tolerance but in reality this only extends to each individual “tribe”. Each group is convinced that they have the right morals and “laws” and that therefore all others must be converted to their religious practices. Although many politicians claim that they want to separate Religion and State, in practice that is not the case. Many laws are enacted or proposed which favors a certain religion. How many times did we not hear that North America is essential Christian and that the Bible is our guide to daily life? God bless America.
I hate labels, such as atheist, agnostic, socialist, conservative and so on, since they always carry some preconceived perception about their meaning. I "label" myself as an "unbeliever" meaning that I do not "believe" in the supernatural no matter what form it takes, religion, astrology. UFOs, psychic ability or many other such phenomena unless they can be scientifically proven through many repeatable tests by unrelated scientists. and so far none of them have. I am also not "spiritual" in the sense that some non -religious people claim to be. "Spiritual" is a word that has acquired so many different connotations beyond "breath" that it has lost its original meaning. I am "spiritual" in the sense that I do breathe!
A politician who openly admits to be an "unbeliever" will have great trouble to be elected. If elected, a politician who does not listen to the non-elected powerful religious leaders, will have trouble to stay elected. The trouble in this world is not that we have different religions but that these religious groups are absolute certain that their religious ‘laws” are the correct ones and therefore all other people must confirm to these “laws” This “absolute” thinking is not only confined to religions. In politics the “Right” and the “Left” are also “believers” and do not tolerate dissenting voices easily, therefor, consensus is very hard, and sometimes impossible, to obtain.
Being optimistic I believe that eventually through education and experience this conflict between groups will moderate as we evolve in the future, however, I am a pessimist as far as the time it will take to acquire this understanding and tolerance. Evolution does not work that fast. We are still too close to the instincts that were so successful during the pre-cultural early development of the tribe. Self-righteousness is not something that can be eradicated easily, but we must. Education and reasoning is the only way that we can counteract these instinct. We cannot wait for the slow changes of the evolutionary process to accomplish that.
Religion often preaches love and tolerance but in reality this only extends to each individual “tribe”. Each group is convinced that they have the right morals and “laws” and that therefore all others must be converted to their religious practices. Although many politicians claim that they want to separate Religion and State, in practice that is not the case. Many laws are enacted or proposed which favors a certain religion. How many times did we not hear that North America is essential Christian and that the Bible is our guide to daily life? God bless America.
I hate labels, such as atheist, agnostic, socialist, conservative and so on, since they always carry some preconceived perception about their meaning. I "label" myself as an "unbeliever" meaning that I do not "believe" in the supernatural no matter what form it takes, religion, astrology. UFOs, psychic ability or many other such phenomena unless they can be scientifically proven through many repeatable tests by unrelated scientists. and so far none of them have. I am also not "spiritual" in the sense that some non -religious people claim to be. "Spiritual" is a word that has acquired so many different connotations beyond "breath" that it has lost its original meaning. I am "spiritual" in the sense that I do breathe!
A politician who openly admits to be an "unbeliever" will have great trouble to be elected. If elected, a politician who does not listen to the non-elected powerful religious leaders, will have trouble to stay elected. The trouble in this world is not that we have different religions but that these religious groups are absolute certain that their religious ‘laws” are the correct ones and therefore all other people must confirm to these “laws” This “absolute” thinking is not only confined to religions. In politics the “Right” and the “Left” are also “believers” and do not tolerate dissenting voices easily, therefor, consensus is very hard, and sometimes impossible, to obtain.
Being optimistic I believe that eventually through education and experience this conflict between groups will moderate as we evolve in the future, however, I am a pessimist as far as the time it will take to acquire this understanding and tolerance. Evolution does not work that fast. We are still too close to the instincts that were so successful during the pre-cultural early development of the tribe. Self-righteousness is not something that can be eradicated easily, but we must. Education and reasoning is the only way that we can counteract these instinct. We cannot wait for the slow changes of the evolutionary process to accomplish that.