The Eternal Truths Of Religion

Villainous Company is looking at some studies on the effect of daycare on children. And comes up with this stunner:

It's amusing, in a way, to see the very same arguments being arrayed against Science that have been used for centuries to argue against Religion. In both cases, essential truths about human nature are too often discarded because they can't be proved beyond the shadow of a doubt.

Yeah. The essential truths of religion. Don't mix milk and meat. Don't mix fibers. If you have sex with a guy (and you are a guy) we will kill you. If you have sex with a guy not your husband we will kill you.

In fact that seems to be the essential truth of religion as practiced. "We will kill you." And given the current rise of the Islamic nutters we forget the essential truth of religion at our peril.

And where did we go wrong? Organized religion. Collectivized religion. If every one had their own religion, religion wouldn't be such a mess. In fact I favor direct talks with God (spirituality) over religion. It is generally safer. And from my experience more comforting. Plus the advice is way better than anything I ever got from a Rabbi. Why would that be? The Rabbi talks to the congregation. God talks to me. i.e. collective advice vs personal advice.

So how do I know I'm talking to God and not the Devil? Well it is a risk. Just like figuring out if the minister is a man of God or of the Devil. At least in my case if I am mistaken it is one man led astray. In the case of the minister it could be whole congregations, ministries, and worst of all whole religions. I'll take my chances with individuals to avoid Extraordinary Popular Delusions and The Madness of Crowds.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Dali Lama Threatened By Osama

Asia News has a story about Muslim threats against the Dali Lama.

Lumbini (AsiaNews) – Nepal’s three million Buddhists are alarmed over death threats made against the Dalai Lama, allegedly by Islamic extremist group Lashkar-e-Toiba. In Lumbini, Buddha’s birth place in southern Nepal, monks and lay people are praying for him.

A local monk, Bhante Jaydeo, told AsiaNews that the Dalai Lama “is an apostle of non violence and peace. In spite of being a victim of Chinese Communist violence he has never preached for a violent uprising in Tibet and has always called for reconciliation” with Beijing. “Here in town monks and the faithful have prepared special prayers for his safety.”

When an Indian paper reported the threat on April 1, police in Dharamsala (India) where the Dalai Lama lives in exile stepped up security arrangements.

Lashkar-e-Toiba is based in Pakistani-held Kashmir and is among the most powerful Islamic terrorist groups in South Asia. It is thought to be tied to al-Qaeda and it has been held responsible for many attacks in India.

For experts, the threat made against the Buddhist leader is probably connected to a recent statement attributed to Osama bin Laden against all religions other than Islam, including “pagan Buddhism.”

It is not just Americans and Israelis who are threatened by the Religion of Peace™. How people believe we can have peace with Islamic fascists running wild is beyond me.

The problem is one of mirror imaging. We like to think everyone is as good as we are and is motivated by the same things. Sadly, such is not the case. Buckminster Fuller saw this quite clearly many years ago. He said that for people whose life propects were poor the hereafter was a big motivating factor. He predicted an attenuation of religion as life improved for people.

This was stated clearly by one of Arafat's henchmen at the start of Stupidfada II. The henchman said (when the Palestinian economy was improving due to the integration of the Palestinian and Israeli economies) that people who are doing well do not wish to fight.

Which brings us back to mirror imaging. We see the purpose of government as improving the lives of our citizens. The Islamic fascists see the purpose of government as destroying the lives of their citizens in order to have cannon fodder for their wars of domination. The leaders of the Islamic fascist movement see civilization as a destroyer of their power. I believe they are correct in their estimation.

Eric at Classical Values covers similar points from the standpoint of Moderate Islam, secularism, science, and Classical Values.

H/T Gates of Vienna

Cross Posted at Classical Values