Monday 16 November 2015

PARIS AND THE CONNECTION WITH RELIGION

PARIS AND THE CONNECTION WITH RELIGION


A STATEMENT FROM ISLAMIC STATE, AFTER THE PARIS MASSACRE, SAID THEY HAD ATTACKED PARIS FOR TWO REASONS:

1. France's part in the bombing of IS strongholds in Syria and Iraq.

2. In defence of Allah and the Holy Prophet whose names are disrespected in the Western World.

One can have any number of thoughts about the Paris tragedy - the most important just now being deep compassion for those killed and injured and their families and friends.

But the question that has been on my mind since Friday night - and its not a new question for my mind - is the connection between evil violence and fundamentalist religion. And there is a massive connection!

We often casually say that RELIGION has been and is the cause of war in the past and in the present. However there is a TRUTH to that statement.

The Paris tragedy and others like it were caused in great part by fundamentalist Islam. These nut cases believe that they are doing a holy act for their Allah. They believe that they are faithful followers of Allah's prophet Mohammed. 

They believe that they are holy martyrs and that when they get to Heaven Allah will give each of them 72 virgins to have fun with.

This kind of thinking is the fruit of RELIGION as an EVIL. 

Of course it is not only the Muslims who are at it like this:

The Jews - "God's Chosen People" are guilty of great evil in Israel and the Middle East - and they have their YAHWEH on their side!


Jewish soldier and Palestinian boy


Buddhist monks - a normally harmless looking group - have been guilty of torture and murder in various parts of Asia.




Roman Catholics and their popes were behind vile and murderous activities in the Crusades, 




the Inquisition 




and the Counter Reformation and indeed turned a blind eye to the Nazism that left 6 million plus dead only 80 years ago!




The Anglican Church in England, Scotland and Ireland tortured Presbyterians and Roman Catholics.





In Northern Ireland the Anglicans and Presbyterians of the Orange Order spread sectarian hatred. 




When I was a curate in Divis Flats in Belfast I was in a flat when news came through of the killing of the 18 young soldiers at Warrenpoint and the place erupted into celebration. 





And so it goes on..........and on.............and on......................

It begs the question: IS RELIGION EVIL?

My answer to that is YES.

Genuine Faith and Spirituality are very good things. But nine times of of ten religion is evil.

Religion is about control, power and wealth. 

A commentator to this Blog today criticised my Blog on Eamon Marting the RC Archbishop and Primate and called him "a harmless critur".

Really?

Is it "harmless" that the hierarchy of the RC Church has political power in Ireland?

Is it "harmless" that it controls over 90% of the state schools and that you can only get a place in them if you are a baptised RC?

Is if "harmless" that the RC Church is against condoms and contraceptives?

Is it "harmless" that the RC Church is anti gay and calls gay people "disordered" ?

Is it "harmless" that a mother dies for the want of a termination in a hospital that is influenced by the so called "Catholic ethos" ?

Remember that "harmless critur", as you call him, Eamon Martin, supports all these "harmless" positions and will work to keep them in place for years and decades to come. 




We ignore "harmless" things at our peril. History has taught us so !!!








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