Outdated notions of religion leads to violence
http://www.athensmessenger.com/blogs/guest_columnists/outdated-notions-of-religion-leads-to-violence/article_3f4299c6-12b1-506a-86a1-50c24f2f4007.html
On Jan. 7, I, alongside the rest of the world, learned of the terrible triumph of ignorance that occurred at the offices of Charlie Hebdo. There was no evil inherent there, it was simply the furthered crusade against reason that religion has waged since the inception of sentience in the course of human evolution; ignorance turning to violence to cling to the ever–fading power it once had over the world.
You sitting here in Athens, Ohio might look at that as being strictly a problem of Islam, of the Middle East, of anywhere but in your own heart; but that ignorance isn’t just a symptom of Islam, but one of religion in general. You see, religion is an example of what is called cultural evolution, a derivative of meme theory that provides value and definition to trends in a society’s culture, and how effective an aid in survival it is. Religion was man’s first steps at gaining understanding of the world, ironically enough filling the role that scientific study fills today. Like most initial conclusions based out of ignorance, they’re all wrong. Or all of them save the truth, as the world’s entire breadth of major religions postulate that they, above all else, are the sole source of foundation to the world. I hope you can see the paradox here, they can not all be right, only one can.
It’s okay though, just because they’re wrong doesn’t mean that they aren’t important in history, that they didn’t further the progress of mankind, but they should now fall along the wayside with Darwin’s conclusions on Evolution, Einstein’s understanding of Relativity, and Freud’s grasp on psychology.
But they won’t, instead we’ll continue to murder, torture, rape, and terrorize each other because of our animalistic, and well-grounded, fear that our 2,000 year-old suppositions concerning the machinations of the universe are wrong.
I know, “How dare I!” you’re so offended, I know. Well shoot me, alright? As an atheist, my belief system is based on what is quantifiable and testable. I am not afraid to be wrong; I don’t get angry when my beliefs are challenged. I live to evolve. Some of you sitting at home reading this will tune me out now, or did a while back. Growing up in Southeastern Ohio has exposed me to the bitterness of faith on a massive scale. I have been called every name in the book, denied having my voiced heard, and victimized because I dare challenge the beliefs of the many as I challenge myself. Now what does that sound like? I can’t seem to place the familiarity clawing on the back of my mind.
I challenge you now to look past your suppositions, to switch perspective, and critique the world around you. Leave no “truth” challenged, no legend uninvestigated, and no fallacy uncontested. Your reason and logic is the only real moral compass out there, it’s time we stopped making its use a capital punishment.
It’s OK, I’m done. I’m just going to go back to watching the religious right insist that they’re beliefs infect every aspect of government and education. Wouldn’t want to postulate the idea that my freedom from religion is being emaciated in the wake of the glutton that is freedom to religion; That might be dangerous, as all the peaceful folk are armed.
May the Force be with you; Je Suis Charlie.
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