THE CORE PROBLEM

Submitted by DANIEL REDMOND (United States), Mar 22, 2008 at 10:05

The core problem that transcends the problems presented by conflicting religions and the inevitable comparisons of one to another lies in the continued presence of religion itself in most human societies. As Christopher Hitchens has pointed out, religion was "the first and the worst" attempt our species made at explaining our existence. It was born during the crying, wailing, fearful, primitive infancy of our existence on this planet, at a time when everything was mystifying, frightening and confusing. The human mind prefers a "junk explanation rather than no explanation at all."

And so gods were invented. From that time on none of the ten thousand or so gods we humans have worshipped has ever shown themselves to mankind, nor answered a single prayer or entreaty, yet billions still believe in them. Inevitably conflicts have emerged wherein whole nations have fought one another believing that their preferred deity was on their side in the battle. "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition," were the lyrics to a popular tune sung by Allied soldiers during World War I, while during that same war German soldiers had "Gott Mit Uns" (God With Us) etched onto their military issued belt buckles. Both sides believed that God wanted them to win. It is worth noting that England, France and Germany were all Christian societies.

It is true that Christianity has morphed into a relatively benign version of its former self---there are no more Salem Witch Trials and no Spanish Inquisition these days---but we have a president who would like nothing better than to tear down the separation between church and state and millions of citizens who would encourage him to do so. To date, all three of the Abrahamic religions---Judaism, Christianity, and Islam---have been war-like and intolerant during their history at some time or another. Right now it is Islam's turn. I'd rather they were all dispensed with entirely in favor of the one proven means of acquiring knowledge and advancing the well-being and spiritual growth of our species---a concentration on science and the arts.

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