I have made some edits to my original post.
Religion in one form or another is sweeping across the surface of the Earth, shoving everything non-human and everyone human but non-religious before it. The only force that can meet it with any weapons capable of defense are those nonreligious humans who have thought alot about the subject.
Using myself as the example to speak for agnostics and atheists, I will speak of those matters which count most to me and govern my life. I can’t speak for those who have never considered such matters, as my mind boggles at the thought of anyone with a working mind who is in that category.
On the other hand, I am not a very good example. First of all, I was born into a very wealthy family, and I still have enough money, even with a serious, longstanding illness, to get along very comfortably and pass on something to my two children. However, I only know what I know about poor and impoverished people from observation. And I have, through one means or another, observed.
Many of the world’s peoples and nations believe that their lives are rewarded or punished by some form of deity. And they seek succor, through some form of worship, for their needs and wants. Often, this succor involves happiness and/or wealth. (By the way, wealth, especially great wealth, is not always the best answer to prayer.
Agnostics (I will use that title for all nonbelievers because it’s just easier) find that their solutions (and there may be many more than one solution) are best worked out in their own individual minds. It may come as a surprise to many religious people that many, if not all true agnostics are extremely honest, and the news tells us that honesty cannot always be learned in church.
I have been listening this morning to a debate on C-Span which is similar to the usual fare for weekends. The subject is United States history, highlighting the most important events in recent years as discussed among well-known scholars and authors. The subject this morning is American differences with other nations on various events.
Religion is seldom discussed, though it seems to me that religion is at the very core of almost every national belief, worthy to some of giving one’s life to protect and perpetuate. It is overpopulation and misappropriation of both wealth and education, however, which will bring this world down, and seldom, if ever, is the subject brought up on the media.
Overpopulation and someone else’s religion are the ingredients for the End of the World bomb. The world can no longer feed all the humans and other animals already here. How is it possible to continue with the doctrine that all life is precious, that babies or adults, mentally or physically deformed, or living in agonzing pain, must be kept alive? How can women be encouraged to continue to produce more babies, who will produce even more babies, who will continue to produce more babies, who...................?
How can someone who attends church hunt for pleasure? If killing for fun doesn’t stop him, how about the fact that so many animals are now becoming extinct ? I’m going to throw up.
Unfortunately, though we live in one of the most fortunate nations, we have gone from belief in equality to belief in the right to accrue as much as we want or can. Many of us are lucky enough to have been born rich and/or more intelligent than the average. Many so described have chosen to follow the road which leads to greater wealth. Many others, however, have chosen to follow the road which can lead to consequential improvement in the lives of those less fortunate. These include people who contribute both money and time to those who need them, as well as explorers who venture into places like jungles and the frozen North in the search for what humans have done to non-humans, as well as for what discoveries may help the world as a whole.
The pleasures that Americans used to seek included the ability to work hard and live comfortably, provide for your family, to pay your employees fairly, and to share with others. For thousands of Americans now, the richer they can get is how rich they want to be. In the present world, USING the entire world as their playpen has become the purpose of their lives, almost always at the expense and service of the poor. (I went to Mexico many years ago, and was so embarrassed that I have never gone on another vacation.
Oh, and another thing: If wars are so damned important to this nation, why haven’t we been having a draft from the very beginning.? Or enlistments by the masses? I am sick of seeing so many civilians singing the National Anthem and waving the flag. I wish the President would institute a draft.
To finish my harangue, I want to say that I am not entirely anti anyone who goes to church. President Obama is the best we have gotten in all my 87 years. He has a wonderful sense of humor, mostly at himself, and very reassuring manner toward people the world over. He seems to be having unexpected trouble in Afghanistan, but I am not privy to everything going on there, and I will hang in there with him unless and until I find that he has gone power crazy. This is not the best time to offer a minor criticism, but here goes. I wish that the president would not usher other rulers off of their own stages when he is the guest and they are the hosts. On the other hand, he has been criticized for bowing before an Eastern ruler on being introduced. (Can’t remember who, but you’ll forget when you’re 87 too.) The bow was courteous, and the President was paying respect, not obeisance.
ARW
11/28/09
The notion that a radical is one who hates his country is naive and usually idiotic. He is, more likely, one who loves his country more than the rest of us, and is thus more disturbed than the rest of us when he sees it debauched. He is not a bad citizen turning to crime; he is a good citizen driven to despair.
I have made some edits to my original post.
