Pigeons of war

[archerships]

Richard Dawkins on the WTC bombing:

I am trying to call attention to the elephant in the room that
everybody is too polite - or too devout - to notice: religion, and
specifically the devaluing effect that religion has on human life. I
don't mean devaluing the life of others (though it can do that too),
but devaluing one's own life. Religion teaches the dangerous nonsense
that death is not the end.

Richard Dawkins
Religion's misguided missiles
Guardian, September 15, 2001

Comments

[shribble.livejournal.com]

I went through a rather anti-religion phase and later decided I'd been to harsh. My rationale was as follows: if everyone's not going to be a libertarian, than it's surely not so bad for them to be religious. I mean most major religions preach some sort of respect for others (if not for oneself). Tuesday's and other events have made me re-evaluate this position. The first tenant of every religion is that one's own understanding is always subordinate to edict. Don't think--believe. That's why the suicide bombers were willing to sacrifice their lives even though their leaders were not. That's why people follow blindly. Because they are taught that there is someone so completely more right than they, that their own ability to judge morality is made obsolete.
I think this is why the religious propoganda of the press and government is particularly frightening. Just one more instance of thought control.

[crasch.livejournal.com]

Although I'm an atheist, and largely agree with his thesis, I can think of two responses to Dawkins' article:

1. Devaluing this life is a necessary, but not sufficient condition for turning men into missiles. You must also convince the would-be terrorist that his actions will be rewarded in the afterlife. Most religions, including Islam, strongly condemn violence against others except under very specific conditions. Violate these constraints, and your suffering in the afterlife will be great indeed. Under most circumstances, a believer may be more willing to behave morally than the unbeliever, if he believe that he will otherwise burn in hell for eternity.

2. Committing suicide may be rational if, by committing suicide, the person increases the probability that the gene's of his close family members will be propogated.

Re:

[shribble.livejournal.com]

1. The problem here is that Christianity, Islam, and Judiasm contain stories and phrases that can easilly be twisted to provide the necessary support for such actions. The old testament contains numerous storie of god smittin enemies b/c they a) worshipped other gods and b) were "immoral". Islam is is amusing in that there are certainly Suras that denounce violence and even speak favorable of Christians and Jews and others who want peace but there are also Suras which denounce the former groups. Depends where you look. This pliability of text coupled with the pliability of the individual religion engenders make for a dangerous combination.