backlash to the degree of complexity in modern science. It’s easier to accept
that a god made it all, rather than trying to grapple with the concepts of
modern particle theory, evolutionary biology, taxonomy, astrophysics and
astronomy. Understand plate tectonics? It’s easier to attribute an
earthquake to some god’s displeasure over some offense the believer
objects to. But even the fundamentalist Jews and Christians don’t accept the
Bible’s prescribed “cure” for leprosy (Leviticus 14:33-57) or method of
dealing with a murder (Deuteronomy 21:1-9), among many others. It’s all
pick and choose and a question of interpretation—so we as humanists just
need to help them pick which obnoxious bits to eschew.
To find a lot of the most hateful, racist, misogynistic, sexually repressive
stuff (also lots of wacky and just plain weird stuff) you need to look into the
formative writings of people like St. Augustine, Maimonides, and a score of
Islamic scholars. But this baggage can be dumped, and has frequently been
dumped in the past. The real problem is that people are determined to
impose their cultural beliefs on others. They use religion or government to
justify and enforce this. If someone gets an abortion, under certain Christian
doctrines the participants in the “crime” will go to hell. So why do the
religious want to impose their standards on others, when the punishment of
hellfire already awaits them? The reason is cultural ascendancy, a form of
racism, designed to implement controls on earth not in heaven. It’s like the
period of the Reformation in Germany when German princes would insist
that their subjects convert to whatever form of Christianity they decided to
follow themselves. The Russians did this too, and many rulers over the ages.
There is some cultural imperative within humans that despises those who
are different. Perhaps it’s built into us biologically. But we do have splendid
examples throughout history of cultural (and religious) accommodation, so
we know that this is not inevitable.
It’s Easier to Change Religious Culture than to Eliminate Religion
Also, look at the recent change in treatment of homosexuals. Many
Christians, Jews and Muslims have voiced support for equal treatment of
these individuals. But it was not a change in the religion itself that prompted
this acceptance, it was a change in popular opinion. Religious people want
their religion to be popular. It can become so either by pandering to popular
beliefs and prejudices, or it can be oppressive, as in many fundamentalist
communities (Amish, Jewish Orthodox, Muslim countries following strict
sharia laws, etc.).
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