Against Dogma
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by Bob Clasen
Most Americans take it as an article of faith that we should be tolerant of other religions.
I am reading an interesting book by an author who challenges this assumption.
In “The End of Faith” by Sam Harris, the author argues that it is time to directly challenge the assumption that toleration of dogmatic religion is a force for good in the world. The basic problem seems to be that many religions believe that God wrote a Book. Unfortunately, they can’t agree on which book it was: the Old Testament, The New Testament, The Koran, Mormon Holy books, etc. These books make conflicting claims and can't all be true.
In every other sphere of knowledge, in the modern world, if one makes some assertion, we are expected to offer evidence and logic to support that assertion. In religion alone, is the idea of believing ideas written in a book thousands of years ago “on faith” considered a virtue. No one would consider for a second adopting the medicine, or engineering, or any other branch of science of twenty-five hundred years ago. Why are we so willing to accept the theology of the Iron Age?
Why are Islamic extremists so willing to turn themselves into human bombs? Because they believe the Koran literally when it praises war against the infidel and promises that martyrs will be transported instantly to Paradise to be attended to by many “dark eyed” females. Take away these specific religious notions and the practice would immediately disappear.
Why are Americans so reluctant to point out the irrationality of the faith of Islam? Because the same fundamental criticisms can be made against their own personally held religious beliefs, based upon “faith” in some different Holy Book. Why do Christians and Jews feel so strongly against Homosexuality? Because of a few lines in a couple of old books. Look at the wars of the past ten years. Look at the wars of the past hundred years, or thousand years. How many are based upon the beliefs that are held by means of faith, without evidence or reason to support them?
Perhaps it is time to stop being tolerant of those willing to kill and die in the name of “Faith;” that is, propositions for which the proponents have no evidence or proof.
http://www.samharris.org/
by Bob Clasen
Most Americans take it as an article of faith that we should be tolerant of other religions.
I am reading an interesting book by an author who challenges this assumption.
In “The End of Faith” by Sam Harris, the author argues that it is time to directly challenge the assumption that toleration of dogmatic religion is a force for good in the world. The basic problem seems to be that many religions believe that God wrote a Book. Unfortunately, they can’t agree on which book it was: the Old Testament, The New Testament, The Koran, Mormon Holy books, etc. These books make conflicting claims and can't all be true.
In every other sphere of knowledge, in the modern world, if one makes some assertion, we are expected to offer evidence and logic to support that assertion. In religion alone, is the idea of believing ideas written in a book thousands of years ago “on faith” considered a virtue. No one would consider for a second adopting the medicine, or engineering, or any other branch of science of twenty-five hundred years ago. Why are we so willing to accept the theology of the Iron Age?
Why are Islamic extremists so willing to turn themselves into human bombs? Because they believe the Koran literally when it praises war against the infidel and promises that martyrs will be transported instantly to Paradise to be attended to by many “dark eyed” females. Take away these specific religious notions and the practice would immediately disappear.
Why are Americans so reluctant to point out the irrationality of the faith of Islam? Because the same fundamental criticisms can be made against their own personally held religious beliefs, based upon “faith” in some different Holy Book. Why do Christians and Jews feel so strongly against Homosexuality? Because of a few lines in a couple of old books. Look at the wars of the past ten years. Look at the wars of the past hundred years, or thousand years. How many are based upon the beliefs that are held by means of faith, without evidence or reason to support them?
Perhaps it is time to stop being tolerant of those willing to kill and die in the name of “Faith;” that is, propositions for which the proponents have no evidence or proof.
http://www.samharris.org/
Comments
P.S. This book is not against all religion. It is in favor of experienced religion: Spirituality or Mysticism; religion in the sense of a form of consciousness that can be cultivated by specific techniques, that can be discussed rationally, that can be criticized and compared. His examples are from eastern religion: Buddhism for example. Buddha said that no one should accept his words based upon mere faith, but find out by experience whether or not what he says is true.
This Eastern approach to religion is more compatible with the Western Scientific method than Western Religion. Unfortunately, it is western religion: Judaism, Christianity and Islam that define religion in terms of putting your unquestioning faith in a sacred book. This form of religion seems to make Spiritual evolution and progress difficult, if not impossible.
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bob