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ATHEIST FOUNDATION OF AUSTRALIA
INC
RELIGIONS AND TOLERANCE
by Peter Plane
The inevitability of religions began in
the circumstance of ancient primitive humanity's ignorance of
the natural world. Long ago, Kant suggested that humans
invented gods because of their need for them. The notion of
gods assisted the invention of explanations for the phenomena
of the natural world and also gave meaning to life within
ancient primitive concepts of the natural world.
Modern rational minds understand the ancient primitive
intellect's necessity for the phantasmagoria of good and evil
gods. Such notions, being the foundations of religions,
became high authority over humanity and a psychological
control factor. Organised religion with its various
psychological ploy levels still maintains this role.
Religion is a major bonding factor of tribalism. On the other
side of the religious coin, it causes estrangement and
xenophobia because different tribes worship different gods.
This led to religious conflicts with prizes of territory,
water, food resources and women going to the victors.
Religious conflicts occur still.
Recently, on an Australian current affairs program, Hindus
and Muslims stated loud and clear that they wanted their
religions to be world religions, to take over the world's
population. This is emulating what Christianity has tried to
do for over two millenniums and it is now being abrogated.
Whilst Secular Humanists should adopt standards of tolerance,
caution is a necessity, particularly when there is a piteous
call for tolerance and non-stereotyping of religionists.
Their history of violence must be taken into account and not
ignored. Remember, fundamentalists rise from the ranks of the
ordinary adherents and always will, as long as the present
forms of religions exist. When a religion is a predominant
belief system, fundamentalists will try to take control supported
by millions of 'peaceful' rank and file members who want
their particular faith to be global.
Religionists will create theocratic States whenever they can.
The history of the Australian governments reveals that they
are frequently influenced by Christian
policies. Thus in practice, they are partially or virtually
theocratic-controlled governments (operated or influenced by
religious people - and that can lead to theocratic States).
Organised religions (private organisations) plunder
government treasuries. Federal and State governments issue
funds from treasuries on demand by organised religion.
It should be noted that the Roman Catholic Church in
Australia refuses to become incorporated. It is doubtful that
any other non-incorporated body would receive such favourable
treatment from Governments, but RC votes are important to
politicians.
Archbishop George Pell would have his Australian Roman
Catholic Church play a role not conducive to a stable
society. On the 22nd February 2002, the Archbishop of Sydney,
George Pell, addressed a Muslim prayer congregation in
Sydney. Pell implied that he wanted friendship between the
Muslim community and the Roman Catholic community.
In an earlier interview with Geraldine Doogue on ABC TV, Pell
said: "I can see that, in the future, Christians (Roman
Catholics, as he only speaks for Roman Catholics) and Muslims
would join together in resisting secularism." Was his
speech to the Muslim prayer congregation a confirmation of
his viewpoint? Religionists' intolerance of Secularism and
promotion of religious policies of male discrimination cannot
augur well for a stable long-term peaceful Australia.
Pell promoting resistance to secularism is a significant
obstruction to establishing a better and safer Australian
society based on Secular Humanist principles and ethics that
can be argued are of a higher paradigm than those he holds.
Secular Humanists do not call for holy wars, fatwas, invoke
antiquated religious blasphemy laws as Pell did and failed,
or practice male domination, various discriminations against
women or have a fear of a vengeful god, or call for the use
of violence to solve problems as many religionists do
etc.etc.
Pell's call for unity with approximately 300,000 Muslims and
approximately 4 million plus Roman Catholics appears a little
odd. Roman Catholics do not need physical support of Muslims
in confrontations with Secularism permeating Australian
society. Pell has governments onside. His policies are
specifically designed to control minds and bodies. He can if
necessary, use psychological terror to coerce acquiescence to
them. You will burn etc. These ploys along with barbarous
laws should be rescinded and outlawed.
Is Pell politically manoeuvring to ingratiate himself with a
potential religious ally on whose behalf he may lobby
governments? Does Pell have a hidden agenda, such as
manipulating Muslims to act as a spearhead against
Secularists? Does Pell realise that the Muslims, by their
creed, have to regard all other religionists as infidels,
including George Pell? Therefore, infidels cannot be allies
of Muslims, although Lawrence of Arabia was for a short
period.
Under Australian Secular democracy, law and governance,
people are not required to be governed by two separate and
often conflicting bodies, the Church and State. Secular
Humanist principles do not support, or prohibit supernatural
faith belief systems. But belief systems should not be
psychologically or physically harmful to anyone and
definitely not grounds for inventing and implementing
barbarous laws. Australian Secular Law is the highest social
justice process that Australians can use. People should not
be made to feel guilty by refusing to have anything to do
with religion in legal matters.
Clergy try to stem the inexorable shift of
Australians accepting scientific views of the natural world
and adopting a secular stance. Australians appear to be
moving gradually towards a Secular Humanist society based
upon accepting and exploiting scientific knowledge, devoid of
religious notions.
Secular government and governance and secular laws are
relentlessly overtaking the social role of religion throughout
the world. Scientific, Secular Humanist principles are usurping religious doctrine and
even forcing them to cease enacting their torturous and
barbarous laws.
Religion's psychological role of comforting millions will be
around for a long time yet. It is unfortunate that it is a member of the criminal global 'Unholy Trinity'
of economics, politics and religion, which only has
self-interest in mind, when it could probably help solve most
of humanity's problems that are usually economically based.
Humanity's history reveals that the 'Unholy Trinity' usually
fixes its self-induced troubles by using violence. Each
century more humans are killed in wars than in previous
centuries. This century so far is following the murderous
pattern of previous centuries. Hence the urgent need for
action to unite the forces of good.

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