Religions, Revelations, and Dignity
by WizenedSage (Galen Rose) ~
This is from a recent NBCnews.com article:
Pope Francis suggested there are limits to freedom of expression, saying in response to the Charlie Hebdo terror attack that "one cannot make fun of faith" and that anyone who throws insults can expect a "punch."
The pontiff said that both freedom of faith and freedom of speech were fundamental human rights and that "every religion has its dignity."
Dignity? Religions are based on revelation claims involving supernatural entities which cannot be substantiated. As a result, religions are ultimately superstitions. Where is the dignity in superstition?
Revelations, if they exist at all, are communications from a deity to one person. Upon retelling, that revelation becomes mere hearsay. Without physical substantiation, or some kind of proof, it is no more than rumor at best, and lie at worst. Anyone can claim to have had a revelation. It has happened thousands, maybe millions of times. Virtually every religion, past and present, is based on a supposed revelation; some god or another has told some human how the world works, that it must be revered, and just how that reverence is to be shown. This applies to all the ancient religions from those of Ra, the Egyptian sun god, to the Greek gods of Mount Olympus, to Thor, Anat, Baal, Bacchus, Enki, Freyr, and all of thousands of other alleged gods which have been worshipped on this earth at one time or another; gods which no one worships today.
In modern times we are dealing with the alleged revelations of Christians, Moslems, Hindus, Buddhists, Mormons, and many others (although some claim Buddhism does not involve divine revelation.) Clearly, most or all of these claimed revelations are also false, since they contradict one another. And, it should be obvious that if any of these revelations could be proven to be facts, then all of the other religions would wither on the vine, and nearly everyone would ascribe to that one religion. Thus, all ancient and modern religions are ultimately based on hearsay and are properly understood as superstitions.
Religions are corrosive to societies and individuals, and revelation claims should probably be considered sins against mankind. Revelation claims led to the murderous Crusades of the middle ages and the madness of the European Inquisitions.
In more modern times, Mohammed’s claims of revelations from a god have led to suicide bombings (even by 10 year-old girls), men flying airplanes into the World Trade Center towers, the ISIS massacres in Syria and Iraq, the Charlie Hebdo massacre, the Boston Marathon bombing, and numerous other atrocities around the world. And, men and women are in prisons in the Muslim world for merely questioning the presumed revelations of Allah. And the Pope tells us that every religion has its dignity?
Now, Pope Francis tells us that “The right to liberty of expression comes with the "obligation" to speak for "the common good." Maybe so, but what the Pope misses is that “the common good” can mean different things to different people. He means it in the sense of religious tolerance. But I believe that superstition is, and has been throughout history, the single greatest impediment to man’s understanding of how the world really works, and his control over the dangers of that world. I also believe that all religions qualify as superstition. Thus, I believe emphatically that to speak out against religion is to speak for “the common good.”
to speak out against religion is to speak for “the common good.”It is not at all difficult to make a case that religions have done, and do , more harm than good for mankind. Perhaps the worst fault of religions is what they do to defenseless children. Because of religious superstitions, children in much of the world today are taught by the billions to live in cringing fear of hell, a place that is mere myth as far as anyone really knows.
The Pope says that "every religion has its dignity," but exaggerated respect for religion has enabled the Catholic Church’s cover-ups of child sex abuse world-wide (and Protestants are also guilty), and cover-ups of the atrocities of the Magdalene laundries in Ireland and similar abuses. The desire to prevent sullying the reputation of the Church is behind these cover-ups. Over-respect of religion has also led to blasphemy laws in Ireland and many Muslim countries; laws which override freedom of speech and imperil anyone with the courage to speak the truth about religions.
Because of the exaggerated respect for religion in this world, the Pope’s words will be read by millions, while my words will be read by a few dozen at most. But, there are millions of us who disagree with the Pope, and together we can make a difference over time. I don’t believe for a second that I am doing anyone a disservice by speaking out about the evils of religion and I will continue to do so. And, like those cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo, I am a firm believer in the power of ridicule. People are being killed over religious nonsense, yet the Pope wants us to hold our tongues and pencils and play nice? No! We cannot allow him or anyone else to silence us. Screw him and his flouncy dress and silly hat! Religion sucks and the world needs to know this! Now!
This is from a recent NBCnews.com article:
The pontiff said that both freedom of faith and freedom of speech were fundamental human rights and that "every religion has its dignity."
Dignity? Religions are based on revelation claims involving supernatural entities which cannot be substantiated. As a result, religions are ultimately superstitions. Where is the dignity in superstition?
Revelations, if they exist at all, are communications from a deity to one person. Upon retelling, that revelation becomes mere hearsay. Without physical substantiation, or some kind of proof, it is no more than rumor at best, and lie at worst. Anyone can claim to have had a revelation. It has happened thousands, maybe millions of times. Virtually every religion, past and present, is based on a supposed revelation; some god or another has told some human how the world works, that it must be revered, and just how that reverence is to be shown. This applies to all the ancient religions from those of Ra, the Egyptian sun god, to the Greek gods of Mount Olympus, to Thor, Anat, Baal, Bacchus, Enki, Freyr, and all of thousands of other alleged gods which have been worshipped on this earth at one time or another; gods which no one worships today.
In modern times we are dealing with the alleged revelations of Christians, Moslems, Hindus, Buddhists, Mormons, and many others (although some claim Buddhism does not involve divine revelation.) Clearly, most or all of these claimed revelations are also false, since they contradict one another. And, it should be obvious that if any of these revelations could be proven to be facts, then all of the other religions would wither on the vine, and nearly everyone would ascribe to that one religion. Thus, all ancient and modern religions are ultimately based on hearsay and are properly understood as superstitions.
Religions are corrosive to societies and individuals, and revelation claims should probably be considered sins against mankind. Revelation claims led to the murderous Crusades of the middle ages and the madness of the European Inquisitions.
In more modern times, Mohammed’s claims of revelations from a god have led to suicide bombings (even by 10 year-old girls), men flying airplanes into the World Trade Center towers, the ISIS massacres in Syria and Iraq, the Charlie Hebdo massacre, the Boston Marathon bombing, and numerous other atrocities around the world. And, men and women are in prisons in the Muslim world for merely questioning the presumed revelations of Allah. And the Pope tells us that every religion has its dignity?
Now, Pope Francis tells us that “The right to liberty of expression comes with the "obligation" to speak for "the common good." Maybe so, but what the Pope misses is that “the common good” can mean different things to different people. He means it in the sense of religious tolerance. But I believe that superstition is, and has been throughout history, the single greatest impediment to man’s understanding of how the world really works, and his control over the dangers of that world. I also believe that all religions qualify as superstition. Thus, I believe emphatically that to speak out against religion is to speak for “the common good.”
to speak out against religion is to speak for “the common good.”It is not at all difficult to make a case that religions have done, and do , more harm than good for mankind. Perhaps the worst fault of religions is what they do to defenseless children. Because of religious superstitions, children in much of the world today are taught by the billions to live in cringing fear of hell, a place that is mere myth as far as anyone really knows.
The Pope says that "every religion has its dignity," but exaggerated respect for religion has enabled the Catholic Church’s cover-ups of child sex abuse world-wide (and Protestants are also guilty), and cover-ups of the atrocities of the Magdalene laundries in Ireland and similar abuses. The desire to prevent sullying the reputation of the Church is behind these cover-ups. Over-respect of religion has also led to blasphemy laws in Ireland and many Muslim countries; laws which override freedom of speech and imperil anyone with the courage to speak the truth about religions.
Because of the exaggerated respect for religion in this world, the Pope’s words will be read by millions, while my words will be read by a few dozen at most. But, there are millions of us who disagree with the Pope, and together we can make a difference over time. I don’t believe for a second that I am doing anyone a disservice by speaking out about the evils of religion and I will continue to do so. And, like those cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo, I am a firm believer in the power of ridicule. People are being killed over religious nonsense, yet the Pope wants us to hold our tongues and pencils and play nice? No! We cannot allow him or anyone else to silence us. Screw him and his flouncy dress and silly hat! Religion sucks and the world needs to know this! Now!