Originally Posted by Zazu:
If you have a way of predicting who will turn into an extremist and who will not, you should publish it. I know of no way to stop people from using religion or anything else for bad intentions. As the saying goes: guns don't kill people, people do. Even if we ban all guns, they will use knives. Ban knives, and they will use fists. I don't think we can ban fists. The person who was loved by all could turn out to be a serial killer. Until science can detect the defective genes for 'extremist', we can only react after the fact, not before.
I never said I condoned any of the atrocities. As I said, the members of the various religions have to be the ones who speak up and condemn the actions of their members. It is basically like being the parent who tells another their kids are brats. While the statement is true, having heard it form an 'outsider' will not cause the parent to rein in their child. More than likely, they will be offended and let the child go un-controlled even more.
As you already know, the law does step in where a child has died because of the religious beliefs of the parents. We all agree that this is the right thing to do, but at the same time, we are encouraging the loss of freedom to practice the religion of choice. "WE" can say a person who 'hears voices' is insane and let them off the hook for a crime, yet "WE" also state that people who 'talk' to a deity in prayers is perfectly sane.
Unless "WE" actually want the government to outlaw religion, then it will have it's problems the same as any faction of society. Even with the reprehensible outcomes that do occur, i do not want any freedom to be restricted.
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Of course I have no way of predicting who will become an extremist. What I can predict is that if you believe in a Abrahamic religion then the chances of violence and hate within that belief system will always raise its ugly head. There is a long history to attest to that. It is an ongoing issue that has been a part of those beliefs since their inception.
The Bible and the Qur'an are pack full of violence and hate. It encourages its followers to war against those that oppose it. God of the bible ordered his people to kill, rape and enslave those that did not worship him. What message do you think humanity should take away from these examples?
Do I want to see religion outlawed? No. I do not want to have freedoms restricted either. What I would really like to see is those that hold these beliefs catch up to the 21st century and put their beliefs in perspective. To understand and accept that it is only their personal belief and can not be used to control others.
Of course that is wishful thinking on my part. Since the whole essence of those religions are based on the idea that those that don't adhere to their beliefs should be treated as the enemy.
Hence the problem I have with religion.....