posted
I watched a news article on religious schools in Pakistan. The young children are being taught by teachers in beliefs that advocate hatred to the Jews and to the West.
I know from reading the Talmud that Jews were raised to hate gentiles or, more specifically, the ways of the gentiles. The hatred in this case I believe had roots in the persecutions, some of which are recorded in the Talmud, and a sense for survival. With these causes, I can rationalize what the people of Judaism were doing. I don't condone their actions; I just attempt to understand their viewpoint.
On the other hand, I can't rationalize why people of Islam believe that their children should be taught to hate non-believers of Islam. The people of Islam haven't faced persecutions nor had to struggle to survive as a people or as a faith. They have built a secure home for their faith in the Middle East. They have been able to create magnificent glories, like the shrine at Mecca or the Shrine of the Rock at Jerusalem. They have been pioneers in the sciences and mathematics. All this was accomplished without fear of retribution or suppression, unlike the Jews.
There are two considerations that I am arriving at: 1. I am unable to rationally understand why any political group feels the need to dehumanize and demonized another political group or its members. 2. I am unable to rationally understand why an unpersecuted group of religious scholars and their followers feel the need to hate non-believers and attempt to erase their existence.
I believe that, with this religious indoctrination into hatred, that the US will be fighting terrorists as long as there are children to be taught these hateful and poisonous beliefs.
posted
Well, it is an interesting question, but one hardly applicable only to Islam. Christianity, I believe, in some of its less pure forms often denounce other religions. Another example, white anglo-saxons. Post-civil war and Pre-civil rights many schools still taught, some on purpose, some not, that blacks were inferior. They may not have incorporated it into a specific lesson plan, but the message was clear. Race, religion, sex, its all just a big jumble. To paraphrase from the film Bulworth, everyone should just fuck eachother until we're all one color and religion, which i like to call Christijewislahinbuddhamisccellaniusism.
-------------------- "Tragedy is when I cut my finger, Comedy is when you walk into an open sewer and die."-Mel Brooks
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posted
Religions, as big meme complexes, are dependant upon being the only game in their respective town. Any religion that's willing to accept another faith as an equal is unlikely to last long.
Combine that with the fact that most religions are limited to a single tribe or other group when they begin, and you have even more incentive built in for the followers of that religion to turn a dim eye on other religions, at the least.
posted
Religions are businesses, created for the purpose of fulfilling the needs of the priestly class, which, having little other useful skills, is forced to resort to con-artist behavior to survive.
Like any business, they sell products, although in religion's case, largely intangible ones, and delivery is never guaranteed.
Like businesses, they advertise. Some pitches are soft-sell, (like charity work) while some are high-pressure (like fire-and-brimstone services)
Like businesses, they seek to insure customer loyalty. In religion's case, this means setting aside 'festival' times, requiring repeat visits.
Like busineses, they become stronger by eliminating the competition, thus gaining a larger share of the market.
An important strategy in the beating the competition, advertising and customer loyalty categories is negative comparison of other businesses selling similar products. "Our Brand is superior to Brand X!" "Brand Y is bad for you!" "Brand Z kills cuddly dolphins!" "Our Brand gives money to charity! Our Brand CARES about people!"
Hence, people of one religion are taught that all other religions are bad. It's merely a way of ensuring that the business continues to take in money.
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
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posted
Well, religions also used to serve the very important task of controlling the uneducated masses, preventing them from engaging in premarital sex, killing wantonly, being afraid of death and worshiping gold idols
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posted
Well, and that whole bit about saving souls...
-------------------- "This is why you people think I'm so unknowable. You don't listen!" - God, "God, the Devil and Bob"
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posted
Like First said, its a tool, to gain power. In one form or another it suits a basic driving force in our nature, to propogate ourselves. But you'll note that religion can on occassion be used for good. I'm not a believer, but to say that its ALL bad is incorrect.
Some people do good things in a name of relgion. Even if their motives are misguided, the fundamental actions are good. The reverse also applies, of course
posted
That whole bit about saving souls is the front.
Iff all that's really needed are faith and/or good works, organized religion and churches are unnecessary, as is giving money to them.
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
posted
Send the money straight, and you leave out the middle organizations, which each deduct their 'cut' for salaries, bookkeeping, etc.
And you also guarantee that nobody will be pulling that 'food for conversion' scam that the missionaries used to run in Africa.
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
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