Journal Elrac's Journal: Where I stand: Science vs. Religion 1
Slashdot is getting increasingly polarized along the lines of conservatism (especially American conservatism) and religion on one side vs. science, enlightenment and liberalism on the other. Just in case anyone cares, I think it's time to state where I stand.
Religion
My parents tried to raise me to be Jewish, but without success. Since long before I knew the meaning of the term, I was an agnostic. Having had an opportunity to educate myself and think about things, I am now a convinced atheist.
Politics
In my youth, I marvelled at money and the things it could buy, and was a fan of capitalism. In the past few years, I've seen evidence of the effects of unbridled capitalism: I feel pressured by corporations and an apparent power reversal between producer and consumer. Capitalism has its strong points and I still prefer it to many alternatives, but I believe it wants to be reined in.
I live in a European country that (mostly) takes care of its disadvantaged, its old, its infirm, its homeless and jobless. While I don't consider pure socialism a Good Thing, I think a good national policy needs to have some socialism mixed in. Surprise: Socialism doesn't preclude prosperity.
Science
I was fortunate to attend Canadian schools and get a solid science curriculum. I've been fascinated by science, especially the physical sciences and mathematics, since my school days. Science uses methods of common sense to discover and attempt to explain the world around us. Science builds on itself and constantly re-creates itself better than before. Scientists stand on the shoulders of their peers and predecessors in building up ever wider knowledge and better tools. Science was Open Source before Open Source had a name.
Science vs. Religion
Science attempts to build a complete, consistent, interlocking picture of life, the universe and everything. In time and through science, our knowledge of ourselves and our world becomes more complete and more useful, and our lives can become better. Religion is an archaic anachronism dating back to the times when primitive men huddled in caves and puzzled about the origins of rain, lightning and thunder. Then, they postulated supernatural spirits in the sky, in clouds, in rocks and trees. Now, we smile patronizingly at the ancient myths but people don't realize that monotheism is just a different package for the same mysticism. In my view, monotheism is a step in the right direction, leading from polytheism to 0-theism: Atheism.
MAN CREATED GOD, NOT VICE VERSA.
Knowledge, science and technology bring mankind forward toward the full realization of its potential, religion holds it back with shackles of ancient dogma.
Tolerance
I used to believe I should be tolerant toward those of other faiths. I used to think of religion as harmless nonsense, to be pursued at will by anyone just like any hobby. I was wrong.
Religious leaders are political leaders. This was true thousands of years ago, it is still true. These leaders are not tolerant; they seek to convert or overcome. Especially the three Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) have long histories of strife and even genocide. Many religious people are not content to live by their own self-imposed rules but want to impose them on the rest of us too. This is where I draw the line.
Christianity emphasizes a mystical afterlife at the expense of our current, very real life. It emphasizes a mystical soul at the expense of real sensations. These central tenets have led to untold wrong decisions about matters involving human lives. Christians have burnt humans alive to save their souls. Christians deny abortions to poor families, resulting in squalor and misery for the unwanted children and their needy families. Christians protect primitive clumps of cells but sacrifice sentient animals and humans. In preparing for an afterlife that never comes, Christians waste the only life they have. To protect their religion, many Christians feel they must fight knowledge and science.
To the extent that they infringe on my freedom, my standard of living and the good of humanity as I perceive it, I am committed to oppose them.
damn.... (Score:2)