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Fanaticism
I read a story once where someone invented a "fanatic detector" - a machine that could identify the brainwaves of fanatics who thought their cause was more important than any individual human life. In the story, the machine was intended as a foreign terrorist detector, but it turned out that there were plenty of dangerous fanatics right here at home.
I don't like where this country's going, in a lot of ways. It feels to me like every attempt at tolerance, every attempt at living and working together, is shot down by extremists who are so blinded by their own belief that theirs is the one true way that any other approach to life is nothing short of blasphemy. I include both liberals and conservatives in this - I don't know if there is a moderate "middle" anymore, but if there is, I'm not seeing it in public life.
And then I saw this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/06/AR2005120601900.html
and nearly lost it. I'm so goddamn tired of people wasting everyone's time with shit like this. The man literally sends out over a MILLION cards every year, to Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Jews, Wiccans, Atheists, and probably Zoroastrians, for pete's sake. ALL of these groups have a major holiday in November or December. If he sends you a card that says "Happy Holidays", Mr. Christian Extremist, it means he's wishing YOU a Merry Christmas, and ME a Happy Yule, and whatever holiday it is that is important to each recipient. How would you feel if you got a card that did mention one holiday specifically, huh? How about one that said "Happy Diwali"? Or "Blessed Ramadan"? Would that make you feel better?
I want to discover another planet. I want to put all the terrorists on that planet (muslim, christian, eco, or what have you). Anyone who thinks that their cause is more important than someone else's life goes on that planet. There they can fight to their heart's content, and be righteous and prideful and die knowing that they died for their cause. And Earth will be left to the people who think living together is better than dying by degrees.
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As far as I can tell, this is all about power. Modern religion, even if it does not start out this way, all corrupts into power and the ability to use it. The Cathlic Church is the biggest example of the power a single religion can build. Religon uses 3 major tools to do this job: fear, being elite, and hate. I am almost 95% sure that if you remove the power that religion generates, then most of the killing and hate generated by it will also go away as well.
It is my belief that the bibble belts way of life is being threatened by outside sources (IE TV, Large Chains, and the general population changes going on in the US), and this is just one more way for them to try to attack back to keep the way of life they want. It is still amazing to me to meet people that did not see let alone talk to anyone that was a different race, religion or social class until they went to college (and then they live in shock for a few years before adapting, if they ever do). They have a totally different view on the world and I think they are part of the root cause of this issue.
I have always said Humanities only chance to live more than another thousand years will be to reach the stars, and make it so that one crazy person with the right tech and money can not kill all life at once. The further out into the Galaxy the human race is, the greater chance it has to prosper.
Government run schools that are PC and the best in the world is the only way I know to combat the issues I see in this world today. Private schools that are controlled by religion are not the way to get a well rounded society. Also teaching a well rounded education does wonders for peoples ability to live in society better.
*eyes his long comment* *silly grin*... ok... in short I agree this is crazy *nods*.
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