When
I’m seeking clear political analysis, I don’t depend on others
particularly politicians and/or celebrities to help me to understand
what is going on, but recently I listened with a great deal of
annoyance as Whoopi Goldberg, Barbara Walters, et al. expressed their
dismay about a film made in the US which supposedly insults Mohammed.
Both Whoopi and Barbara agreed that the people (Americans) shouldn’t
‘insult other people’s deities,’ (Mohammed). Apparently, being
well-informed isn’t necessary in order to have access to millions
of television viewers five days a week. In spite of those two
uninformed defenders of Islam, the fact is that no Muslim would dare
refer to Mohammed as a deity. Neither would a Muslim refer to Jesus
as a deity; a prophet, but certainly not God, even if over one
billion Christians claim that Jesus is God, which once again
demonstrates that ‘respect’ for the religious views of others
isn’t a two-way street! Whoopi and Barbara may be surprised to
learn that many theists are certain that they are required or
otherwise directed by their deities to ‘insult’ rather than
respect the deities and beliefs of others. After all, those other
beliefs are false, offensive, and displeasing to their own true god!
Free thought, free speech, and free inquiry have no place among the
great religions of the world.
The
pastor in Florida would be the first to say that he has no duty to
respect the false beliefs of others and that his deity instructs him
to condemn/insult/offend all other believers including Muslims. Our
Constitution gives him the right to condemn/insult/offend other
points of view. But, according to author and publisher H.L. Mencken,
“The meaning of religious freedom…is taken to be a sort of
immunity, not merely from governmental control but also from public
opinion.…even a superstitious man has certain inalienable rights.
He has a right to harbor and indulge his imbecilities…to argue for
them…to teach them to his children…provided only he does not try
to inflict them upon other men by force…he has no right to demand
that they be treated as sacred…”
In the 21st century, what we continue to see are many theists—religious authorities as well as individuals—demanding the right to practice their religions, to be free from government control, and to be immune from public opinion as well. Some theists also think that they have the right to not only argue for their religious beliefs but to also inflict them on others by force as well as to persecute those who disagree with them along with those who may be insufficiently devote. That’s a lot of power to wield over other human beings! Religious terrorism (whether carried out by individuals, religious establishments and/or state-sponsored armies) is always directed not at false beliefs and/or false gods, but towards people: women and children; members of rival religious groups; journalists, artists, and musicians whose works failed to support the views of the religious terrorists; students and intellectuals; heretics; secular authorities including government officials and agencies whose views differed from those of the religious terrorists, etc.
I hope Whoopi and Barbara use their television platform to relentlessly condemn religious terrorism whether foreign or homegrown; that they will condemn terrorists who burn any private home as well as a house of worship; that they will demand justice for women anywhere in the world who demand their human rights only to be kidnapped, raped, and murdered; and that they will defend the growing numbers of innocent people who are arbitrarily persecuted by religious terrorists such as the young non-Muslim girl who was imprisoned after being falsely accused of destroying pages of the Koran. Whether they are in the East or West, religious terrorists aren’t interested in those who believe in so-called higher powers; those who are ‘spiritual, centered, or at one with Nature, in-tune with the cosmos,’ etc. Religious terrorists—just like state-sponsored terrorists (although they may be one and the same)—are only interested in unquestioned obedience to the deity and beliefs that they espoused.
The world continues to become an even more dangerous place when those who ought to know better cannot bring themselves to condemn mob violence simply because it is wrapped in religious dogma. At the same time, all too often, the hungry, unemployed, and oppressed citizens who lack social, economic, and political empowerment can be coerced to take to the streets as their political rulers encourage them to direct their rage at external forces. These frustrated citizens can also be encouraged to take out their pent-up anger on the nonbelievers, tourists, foreigners, heretics, etc. within their borders while their incompetent, corrupt, and oppressive rulers go unchallenged. At the end of the day, after the fires have burned out, when the streets are littered with bodies and all that remains is the wreckage of another city or town, there is still hunger, unemployment, poverty, and oppression along with perennial economic, social, and political disenfranchisement. Furthermore, at the end of the day, those who have created, profited from, and/or maintained the status quo remain in power.
In the 21st century, what we continue to see are many theists—religious authorities as well as individuals—demanding the right to practice their religions, to be free from government control, and to be immune from public opinion as well. Some theists also think that they have the right to not only argue for their religious beliefs but to also inflict them on others by force as well as to persecute those who disagree with them along with those who may be insufficiently devote. That’s a lot of power to wield over other human beings! Religious terrorism (whether carried out by individuals, religious establishments and/or state-sponsored armies) is always directed not at false beliefs and/or false gods, but towards people: women and children; members of rival religious groups; journalists, artists, and musicians whose works failed to support the views of the religious terrorists; students and intellectuals; heretics; secular authorities including government officials and agencies whose views differed from those of the religious terrorists, etc.
I hope Whoopi and Barbara use their television platform to relentlessly condemn religious terrorism whether foreign or homegrown; that they will condemn terrorists who burn any private home as well as a house of worship; that they will demand justice for women anywhere in the world who demand their human rights only to be kidnapped, raped, and murdered; and that they will defend the growing numbers of innocent people who are arbitrarily persecuted by religious terrorists such as the young non-Muslim girl who was imprisoned after being falsely accused of destroying pages of the Koran. Whether they are in the East or West, religious terrorists aren’t interested in those who believe in so-called higher powers; those who are ‘spiritual, centered, or at one with Nature, in-tune with the cosmos,’ etc. Religious terrorists—just like state-sponsored terrorists (although they may be one and the same)—are only interested in unquestioned obedience to the deity and beliefs that they espoused.
The world continues to become an even more dangerous place when those who ought to know better cannot bring themselves to condemn mob violence simply because it is wrapped in religious dogma. At the same time, all too often, the hungry, unemployed, and oppressed citizens who lack social, economic, and political empowerment can be coerced to take to the streets as their political rulers encourage them to direct their rage at external forces. These frustrated citizens can also be encouraged to take out their pent-up anger on the nonbelievers, tourists, foreigners, heretics, etc. within their borders while their incompetent, corrupt, and oppressive rulers go unchallenged. At the end of the day, after the fires have burned out, when the streets are littered with bodies and all that remains is the wreckage of another city or town, there is still hunger, unemployment, poverty, and oppression along with perennial economic, social, and political disenfranchisement. Furthermore, at the end of the day, those who have created, profited from, and/or maintained the status quo remain in power.
We
continue to be assured that acts of religious terrorism do not
represent the sacred essence of the great religions of the world.
After every social upheaval, every murder, every atrocity we continue
to hear from nearly every quarter that these senseless acts are the
work of a small, insignificant minority. When there are
bloodlettings, stonings, bombings of women’s clinics, schools, and
private homes; brutal beatings; gang rapes; kidnappings and murders,
where are those who represent the true sacred essence of these great
religions of the world? Why can’t the civilized majority of
religious adherents, those who supposedly represent peaceful
religious beliefs take to the airwaves to issue unambiguous
condemnations of those calling for blood? Why aren’t they demanding
justice for those who have been wronged? Why don’t those who claim
to represent the truly compassionate side of religious belief fill
the streets and sidewalks of towns and cities by the millions? Why
aren’t their voices drowning out the voices of those who are
calling for blood? If they supposedly outnumber this tiny minority,
why hasn’t this religious silent majority taken center stage and
faced-down that tiny, vocal, murderous minority once and for all?
Most theists seem to insist on only believing in those deities which are utterly incapable of defending themselves! Their gods always seem to need the efforts of human beings to think, speak, and act on behalf of their gods. There is a wall poster which says, “Don’t make me come down there!” Supposedly, this threat is issued by a god who is unhappy with the behavior of human beings. Considering all of the injustice, inhumanity, and suffering that is endured by people and often inflicted in the names of the gods, I can’t help but wonder as to just what it would take to make a god come down here. What does it take to make him come down here and end all of the confusion about his existence; all of the misunderstandings about exactly what, if anything, he could possibly want from human beings. What is it that needs to be done in order for him to come down here and defend himself against those who have dared to disobey, insult or disrespect him; what does it take to get him to do his own raping, killing, and otherwise clean up his own mess? I don’t particularly care if someone believes in one god, many gods, or no gods. That’s not my business. But, I’d like to see human beings step back and leave to the gods all of those monumental tasks which can only be accomplished by the gods.
Human beings can begin to perfect their own work, and we can begin by addressing the threat of global annihilation by dismantling all weapons of mass destruction in our own backyards. The cost of only storing them is outrageous and is money that can be used to the benefit as opposed to the destruction of human beings. We can take on the task of preventing and curing many more illnesses; make sure that no one ever has to beg for food; access to food must become not only a universal human right but all people must actually have access to food. We need to make sure that everyone has access to clean water and gets to live in a sanitary environment. We must address both local and global environmental issues. We can house the homeless, renew infrastructures, and create mass transportation systems. We can build more schools and provide quality education; build more hospitals, playgrounds, parks and recreational centers; support the arts; build more theatres and concert halls. We can aim high by addressing alcohol and drug addiction; mental illness; and see to it that the end of life is dignified and compassionate for everyone. We can aim to assure that every woman, man, and child is free from acts of domestic, religious, and/or state-sponsored violence. Until and unless the human race begins to address the problems that we face it is guaranteed that the so-called moderate theists of the world who claim to be the righteous representatives of peaceful deities will continue to expect and accept all of the privileges and well as the immunity that comes with religious belief just as these privileges and immunity will continue to be exercised by their so-called less tolerant, more devote, and ultimately more violent co-believers. But it is up to human beings, not the gods, to create civilizations worthy of the name.
Most theists seem to insist on only believing in those deities which are utterly incapable of defending themselves! Their gods always seem to need the efforts of human beings to think, speak, and act on behalf of their gods. There is a wall poster which says, “Don’t make me come down there!” Supposedly, this threat is issued by a god who is unhappy with the behavior of human beings. Considering all of the injustice, inhumanity, and suffering that is endured by people and often inflicted in the names of the gods, I can’t help but wonder as to just what it would take to make a god come down here. What does it take to make him come down here and end all of the confusion about his existence; all of the misunderstandings about exactly what, if anything, he could possibly want from human beings. What is it that needs to be done in order for him to come down here and defend himself against those who have dared to disobey, insult or disrespect him; what does it take to get him to do his own raping, killing, and otherwise clean up his own mess? I don’t particularly care if someone believes in one god, many gods, or no gods. That’s not my business. But, I’d like to see human beings step back and leave to the gods all of those monumental tasks which can only be accomplished by the gods.
Human beings can begin to perfect their own work, and we can begin by addressing the threat of global annihilation by dismantling all weapons of mass destruction in our own backyards. The cost of only storing them is outrageous and is money that can be used to the benefit as opposed to the destruction of human beings. We can take on the task of preventing and curing many more illnesses; make sure that no one ever has to beg for food; access to food must become not only a universal human right but all people must actually have access to food. We need to make sure that everyone has access to clean water and gets to live in a sanitary environment. We must address both local and global environmental issues. We can house the homeless, renew infrastructures, and create mass transportation systems. We can build more schools and provide quality education; build more hospitals, playgrounds, parks and recreational centers; support the arts; build more theatres and concert halls. We can aim high by addressing alcohol and drug addiction; mental illness; and see to it that the end of life is dignified and compassionate for everyone. We can aim to assure that every woman, man, and child is free from acts of domestic, religious, and/or state-sponsored violence. Until and unless the human race begins to address the problems that we face it is guaranteed that the so-called moderate theists of the world who claim to be the righteous representatives of peaceful deities will continue to expect and accept all of the privileges and well as the immunity that comes with religious belief just as these privileges and immunity will continue to be exercised by their so-called less tolerant, more devote, and ultimately more violent co-believers. But it is up to human beings, not the gods, to create civilizations worthy of the name.
1 comment:
Wonderful post! It reads as good here as it did on FreeThought Blogs!
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