Religion is an intellectual and social pathology

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Apr 202012
 

Another terrific Eric MacDonald article:

I’ve said myself that religion deserves to be mocked; it is the refuge for the intolerant, for the unenlightened, for the irrational, for the racists, for the homophobes, for the barbarous, for the ignorant, and for the tyrants.

I’ve repeated these quotes already in another article but worth repeating again, and again and again:

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I will criticise all religions and the religious where they come into conflict with ideals such as reason, rationality, freedom, equality and justice. History has shown that religions will suppress such ideals through use and abuse of whatever powers and controls they have.

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It’s quite simple. The religious are not at all comfortable in their delusions and instinctively lash out at those that expose the irrationality and fragility of the religious mind. So much for turning the other cheek!

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Religion needs people to be uneducated, to be unquestioning, to be stupid and credulous. This is how religion exerts itself and how it continues to enslave people into backwards thinking. Jerry Coyne explains this quite clearly in the recent “Be stupid” command from Pope Benedict XVI of the Roman Catholic Church.

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Religion is institutionalised delusion, a social grouping mechanism for the irrational. But for those within this group who dare to explore with open minds, with the tools of critical thinking, there is hope of a life free from the prisons and poisons of religion.

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Religion, contrary to the naivety expressed by some, cannot lay claim to morality. Religion is a source of enslavement, a source of inequality, a source of barbarity. Humans, as a community-based species, have derived morality from within itself, from within the community, influenced by the social interactions that takes place. And morality changes, progresses, as communities advance. But religion stakes a claim on morality, claims itself as a source of morality, and distorts it for its own means. Here we are, in the 21st century, with the inhumanity and unreason of religion exposed by advances in science and by application of critical thinking. Religion has not only passed its sell-by-date but was defective when conceived and manufactured. Let’s move on and free ourselves.

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Science is the search for truth. It is a rational mechanism that uses logic, evidence and other facts to formulate theories to arrive at the truth. Religion is at odds with this rationality and thus those who advocate religion are deluded. And those scientists who claim compatibly of religion with truth in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary must do a pretty good job of compartmentalising the irrationality of religion from their rational thoughts. But, then, humans are not always consistent or rational in what they do which makes the scientific process an absolutely critical method to progress.

Religion is not compatible with truth. Religion is an intellectual prison, a method of control, a method of suppression and repression, which blinds the religious to the truth. It’s about time humanity broke free of its shackles, to experience the truth, to experience the excitement, wonders and mysteries of this planet and the universe.

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…religion does not deserve any special privileges; it is not immune to criticism and I will object to any laws or “politically correct” influences that seek to protect religion or not cause “offence”. Any “offences” that religious people feel, I think, may be the result of a deep split within their personalities where their rational-self is trying to get to the surface but is pushed back down by the irrational-self. This battle probably goes unnoticed by the person but if they really thought about it they may perhaps know that there’s something not quite right. And rather than explore and understand and admit that they are wrong they, instead, lash out at the external, the rationalists, the critical thinkers. They want this nice, cosy world that they’ve built around themselves and are afraid to venture out, afraid to grow-up, afraid to confront reality.

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…religion is used as the canvas and as the brush to paint a veil of terror

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2012

Christopher Hitchens

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Apr 132012
 

Today is 13th April. On this day in 1949 the late great Christopher Hitchens was born. I thought I’d share one of his many quotes:

Many religions now come before us with ingratiating smirks and outspread hands, like an unctuous merchant in a bazaar. They offer consolation and solidarity and uplift, competing as they do in a marketplace. But we have a right to remember how barbarically they behaved when they were strong and were making an offer that people could not refuse.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2012

Persecution

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Apr 082012
 

Eric MacDonald on Charles Moore’s article in The Telegraph:

Of course, Moore has deceived himself, that he thinks that his “beliefs” are representative of reality irrespective of evidence and reason which indicate otherwise. The evils of religions are plain to see and described at length by Hitchens, Dawkins, MacDonald, et al. A base morality is inherent in us all, something that evolved with us, giving our species an ability to interact with each other, and adapted through the ages. Even Moore’s beloved Christianity has changed its message on what is moral and acceptable. It changes, it has no absolute truth; people loved their children before Christianity.

So it is sad when someone dedicates their life to irrationality and delusions. How would you deal with someone who believes that an invisible fire-breathing dragon lives their garage and which leaved no footprints or other evidence. How about someone who believes that they have fairies living at the end of their garden which leave no evidence, or that evidence is shown to be fake? And after you have highlighted to these persons that their worldview is untenable but they persist in their views, how would engage further with them? Discuss the size of fairy wings? I think not.

Those who persist in delusion, to promote such delusion, deserve no special privileges and should not be protected from criticism; irrationality should not be allowed to reign our societies again.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2012

Prime Minister Cameron’s hypocritical or disingenuous speech to religious leaders

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Apr 052012
 

The National Secular Society has a great piece on Cameron’s recent speech on Christian values and Easter:

Common sense, critical thinking, the scientific method, these have all shown the improbability of any religion being a reflection of reality. In fact, religion has been shown to be nothing more than a mechanism for control and enslavement, a media for ignorance, injustice and terror. Further, science has shown the improbability of a god.

There is enough beauty in truth and in reality but the religious are blind, close-minded, in their faith. I would therefore question the thinking processes for those that profess belief in gods and religions as such thinking is in opposition to rationality. In particular, I would scrutinise those politicians who “do god” as they have now flung open the door of their beliefs to criticism,

Based on the improbability of gods and religions being a truth, based on the evils of religion, Cameron is either an unthinking, credulous person with a flawed thinking processes, or he is a liar trying enhance his politician position. What is undoubted is that he is a politician.

The National Secular Society makes a clear case that Cameron is dissembling, hypocritical and disingenuous. He has failed in trying to be “cool” to attract younger votes. Now he’s going for the religious votes.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2012

Truth. Wonder. Reality. Stardust. Beauty.

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Mar 312012
 

Great video from philhellenes:

Dust That Sings

There is a beauty out there and in here, a truth of how the world really is. But the distortions of religions, their delusions and lies, hide that and create a grotesqueness of reality, the enslavement of free thought and the suppression of rationality.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2012

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