Nick wrote: > Howzzat? > > I mean, I know that anything can be twisted to its opposite, but > self-sacrifice and selflessness are central to major religions. Passive > "it must be God's will" attitudes are not what the great teachers taught.
If some of the milblogs are to be believed, the "God's will" excuse is prevalent in Iraq and Afghanistan and possibly throughout the Muslim world. This is of course anecdotal, but how often do we get the "God works in mysterious ways” BS excuse to explain or even justify tragic circumstances? I think that, if humanity regarded themselves as masters of their own fate rather than believing that some imaginary being was pulling strings that they had no control of, they might play a greater role in guiding that fate. All that said, I _don't_ believe as others we've heard from, that religions are evil, or even that they are useless. Historically, I think that religion may have played a major role in selecting the intelligence that is our hallmark. Also, I think that wherever people gather with the greater good of humanity in mind, it is at least potentially beneficial (though in the hands of the wrong leader, it is also potentially harmful). It's just my opinion that, were we to believe that we were doing it for our collective selves; for the benefit of our children and the future of humanity, we would be more likely to take an interest. And that if people thought that the _only_ way to live beyond their physical life was via their offspring and their good works, perhaps they would pay more attention to that aspect of their lives. I don't really appreciate being labeled a cynic, however gentle, because I feel this way. Doug _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
