The Ruse of Religion

On the whole, our world is usually quite orderly. Most of the time we can find good justifications for different phenomena. Take for example the honeycomb; it is widely believed that the reason for their hexagonal shape is so that they enclose the greatest volume with minimal use of materials. Indeed, the philosophy behind science is to infer general principles about the universe from a large number of specific examples. The phenomenon of religion is one thing with no such elegant explanation. Like astrology, it is an enormous convoluted mess of tradition.

As with most traditions, we maintain religion for no particularly good reason. It has existed for centuries and is therefore tolerated as normal, comparable to the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes. There are a number of limiting issues with acceptance due to tradition; the tradition continues to be as true or false as it was when it originated - regardless of how perceptions of it change. The fact that something can not be proved false does not at all mean that it is true; there are no means by which one can test its validity. It is ludicrous to expect ourselves to get things right first time, yet we are willing to put faith in an idea that cannot be revised, this is nonsensical. Things are either true, or they are false, there are no shades of gray; either Atheism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Jewish, Pagan, or one of the many other belief systems are truthful, but only one can be.

Unfortunately, history tells us that peaceful coexistence is not possible; the majority of international conflicts have been the direct result of religious disagreements, from the Crusades, to the Holocaust, to the modern situations in Northern Ireland and between Israel and Palestine. Religion is a label we attach to people to justify atrocities and brutalities. Religion has been, and will continue to be damaging to society. We know that there can only be one truth, yet we are willing to go into conflict because we irrationally consider our own beliefs over others; there is a superiority complex, and we can only maintain our superiority by destruction of those who disagree, not by supporting our own beliefs with verifiable evidence.

As with most traditions, religion will continue to play a significant role in the lives of many. This can, but probably will not change. There is no doubt that religion has a positive impact on many people; it can bring people together, but its power to segregate is much more potent. It can hinder the rate of human invention, and has often done so, from the library of Alexandria, to Galileo and the Inquisition. Our goal should be to educate, not to fight; we should not stoop to their level. The pen is mightier than the sword; ideas can change the world, so we should make sure that people continue to base their ideas on reason, rather than tradition.