Quote:
Originally Posted by ReaperX7
Islam is a religion and religion still creates exclusions for society. I think I mentioned it once having faith in a deity is not the same as religion. Islam creates just as many exclusions in it's own brand of society as Judaism, Christian-Protestant, and Christian Catholicism do. The variations differ, but only Islam outright condones murder of the "excluded" aka infidels.
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While it is very often true that religions create strong and exclusive social patterns (not always, as I've been told that there is at least one place in Africa where different religious groups actively participate to each other's celebrations), it is not true that, as you say, Islam is the "only" religion that "condones murder of the excluded aka infidels".
It is annoying to point to the so-called "Bible" again and again, but that collection of writings is
full of massacres and unjust, cruel, even stupid actions allegedly ordered (and condoned) by "God" against the people "he" doesn't like. Moreover, such "orders" have been actively interpreted and
followed over the centuries, and still are today in some unfortunate places, and that's not Islam at all: «Give me your land, because it's mine: God said that, it's written here and here, so scram. And don't even try to react with your ridiculous means: if you do you're evil, and I'll destroy you».
People have always tried to justify their own nasty actions by saying that it was some god's will pushing them: I think this is cowardice, period. We've heard such justifications again and again a few years ago, on the "us" side of the business, before a few countries were destroyed once again under the direction of somebody, a self-described "Christian" picked from the Middle Age, who was saying all the time that "God is with Us" (and by the way, almost
everyone in the so-called "Western World" followed him obsequiously). If "God" is allegedly with "us" in such circumstances, that undoubtedly means that "he condones the murder of the excluded", as you say, but then "
we" are excluding. And the excluded were mostly civilians, like in every war, and of course they had nothing to eat and were called "collateral damage". But of course, when you're fighting against the "devil" everything is permitted, isn't it?
Don't forget that gods and religions can be given weird names like "Democracy", "Freedom", "Free Market", "Infinite Justice", "War on Terror", or anything else which sounds good and is good for "us", that is, the "right" side of the business. Especially if that business is based on a "permanent war economy". Don't get me wrong , but saying that "only Islam condones murder of the excluded aka infidels" is another stale and unjust
cliché, because it considers only one tiny part of the really big picture. Also, it inherently justifies gratuitous reactions against an abstract idea of "Islam", which in the actual world is very often represented by some of the poorest and least fortunate people on this planet.
Let's make an example. A few years ago I was flabbergasted when I heard a few people, from a rich and fortunate country, talk about the Muslims as if they were
rats: «We have to stop them», they said, «they breed, they will overwhelm and contaminate us, we will lose our culture and freedom». Those people were not nazis, but so-called peaceful Christian "firm believers" who watched the news on TV every night... I didn't ask
how they would have stopped "them", but they were perfectly OK with what the so-called "Western World" was doing at that time under the direction of the Middle Age guy. In other words, their "god" was perfectly OK with murdering "excluded" people, as long as the news said it was OK.
So please let's stop with those stinky "us/them" patterns, and let's start spreading some mutual knowledge and understanding, instead of fear, superstition and ridiculous
clichés. Let's read some good stuff based on serious research, and let's try to find out and learn
why certain things actually happen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ReaperX7
To me religion takes away from the Spirituality and Faith in your chosen deity. I honestly think religion has some place in society such as creating moral standards to aid society and create sane laws for society to benefit mankind but if the religion condones acts that are harmful, then I believe that religion is wrong, and that part of religion needs to go.
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While it is
not necessary
at all to be part of a religion in order to hold sound ethical standards, nor it is necessary to believe, even privately, in some kind of "spiritual" or super-natural being, it is true that organized religious groups do very often condition their members to a point where they lose any willingness to think critically and independently. On the other hand, if you believe that somebody holds certain beliefs which you consider to be harmful, and for that reason you feel justified in doing something potentially harmful yourself, because of
your beliefs, well, you know what I'm driving at.