 Killing for religion
Draining the root of absolutism in traditional societies
By Ali Sadeghi
April 9, 2004
iranian.com unedited
My name is Ali Sadeghi . I was imprisoned twice
in Iran for taking part in student demonstrations and also
writing against religious absolutism. Right now I
am in Turkey as an asylum seeker awaiting my fate to
be decided by UNHCR -- United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees.
Definition of faith: Not waiting to realize what is true! -- Friedrich
Nietasche
Truth belongs to the category of discovery, not invention .
Extreme caution of ancient sophists in mentioning the word truth,
made them become the most condemned generation of thinkers in the
history.
A very obvious symptom of that condemnation is that we still use
the expression "sophistication" in signifying of playing
on words or using null statements in reasoning.
However, sophists
were the graetest lovers of truth; so that they never forgot pondering
at an object from different viewpoints.
If Aristotle knew that establishing "logic" and
maintaining the idea of achieving "absolutely" true
statements with the use of logic will shape the absolutism as a
doctrine, and absolutism will become the firm base of all religions,
and that will result in
religious wars, the most horrible disasters of human history, maybe
instead of disputing the sophists, he would prefer to put himself
in the oblivion brought about
by
alcohol! Just as what his master Socrates did! Though there was
still
a danger of making "more absolute" conclusions in
drunkness! That, absolute belongs to wine and philosophy.
Religious crimes, from killing intellectuals in Iran to
world terrorism, have existed thousands of years. A very
summarized
analysing of this matter, is based on three main issues: "genius",
"conscience", and "hatred".
GENIUS
The chained environment of ideology, determines every talent
to be formed in a particular way. Only a scarce and valuable
type of philosophical astuteness, can look at itself from
the "outside";
I call it third eye. When I was a muslim, I had the chance
to observe the fact that existing of that outside atmosphere
is completely
denied by religion; So, naturally, looking from the outside
is already obviated .
A genius, accidently raised by deep religious
culture, unconsciously uses all the ability in favor of getting
melted
in absolutism, more and more: Every other path is undescribable
to him; His
third eye is blind.
Describe a powerful spout in which there is an obstacle against
it. In vertical stead, it will spout the water in a horizonal
path. That's what religion exerts in order to lead the
genius and its power to a specific direction.
CONSCIENCE
That prepared and accumulated power of genius, will be demolishing
if nothing hinders it. In common sense conscience is
considered as a hinderance to any destructive intention . However
conscience
is but the spontaneous reaction of one's spirit to any unusual
event in his or her life. Ideology, gives meaning to that
reaction and justifies it Clearness of religious conscience
is provided
by ELEGATING the fear of crime to "beyond the invisible"!
Ofcourse! What could be more comforting than leaving the responsiblity
to the almighty's will? Therefore conscience gets monopolized
by absolutism Literally there is no conscience there anymore
.
HATRED
Merely absence of conscience is not the cause of committing
a crime. A strong motive is also required. Religion, as
the
greatest "inventor" of truth, is the natural enemy
of any method concerning discovery. Because opening the longing
arms for truth, inflicts the heaviest burden of patience;
and this, threatens the existance
of religion
which intends to answer all the answerless questions as quickly
as possible! Striving to survive makes the religion vindictive.
And we shouldn't forget the fact that direct opposing with
religion, provokes more vindication in religious world.
Mingling the hatred with the power of genius , while there
is no hinderance there (as conscience ), can cause savage
crimes,
as we have been experiencing during the past few decades.The
modern world moves fast and increases the distance to the stationary
world
of absolutism. Compensating this distance, makes the religious
man solve himself more and more in that sick hatred. So,
potentially, more horrible crimes could be expected from
him; and, this
is a serious warning.
Draining the root of absolutism in traditional societies,
is the only way of stoping ideological terrorism. "How
to drain
that root ..." requires another consideration.
The age of philosophy is not passed! We still need it in order
to get rid of it!!
.................... Say
goodbye to spam!
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Killing for religion
