Terrorism, Religion, and Superstition

Feb. 28, 2005 Dear Editor: Terrorism, Religion, and Superstition Think of it: terrorism against the Christians is committed in Allah’s name. Terrorism against the Muslims is committed in God’s name. But we have never heard of terrorism committed anywhere in the devil’s name. I ask: what can we expect of a world where half of its population believe in God, and the other half believe in Allah? Where people are willing to terrorize and kill each other based upon their beliefs as if they knew anything truthful at all about the existence of such extraterrestrial beings. Bertrand Russell, In his The Prospect of Industrial Civilization, wrote it quite clearly: “Governors of the world believe, and have always believed, that virtue can only be taught by teaching falsehood, and that any man who knew the truth would be wicked. I disbelieve this, absolutely and entirely. I believe that the love of the truth is the basis of all real virtue, and that virtues based upon lies can only do harm.” For so many centuries religion has done mankind so much harm. Religion has made people love supernatural beings, and at the same time, make them misunderstand and kill each other. I say: enough is enough. If we must enjoy peace on earth and goodwill to all men – we must first enjoy not the freedom of religion, but only the freedom from religion. Look at religion in America in cahoots with rich corporations. Religion has stolen the government away from millions of ordinary American citizens. The separation between Church and State in America is no longer a reality. It is now a fantasy. President George W Bush even admits that he talks to God for advice. The Founding Fathers of America must be turning over in their graves. Look at religion in the US government? It has wings. It can fly. It’s known as the US Air Force. And if the US government continues to insists to oil-rich countries to sing: "God Bless American Democracy," innocent blood, enough to float the US Navy, will continue to flow as it did in the rivers of Vietnam and now flowing in the rivers of Iraq. Look at religion in Israel today. It is the place where Christ was allegedly born. Yet Israel today is not a Christian country. It is Jewish State surrounded by hostile Arab countries that hate not only the Jews, but as Muslims, they also hate each other in Allah’s name. Look at the Catholics and the Protestants of the same Christian religion in Northern Ireland. They have not ceased hating and fighting each other confirming that Christian love and compassion does not exist there. And how about us Filipinos, look how we pray to God. We pray for the forgiveness of our sins and crimes. But we also pray to God to “lead us not into temptation.” It is surely time to understand prayer for what it simply is: Asking an imaginary being that apparently knows the future to change his mind. Couldn’t we pray to God to convert the devil back to the ways of the Lord? In this way, we will commit no more sins and no more crimes as the devil will no more make a mockery of our daily prayers to God. Some African tribes worship anthills for being the source of human life, Filipinos worship a biblical supernatural being that made the world in seven days. A visitor from another planet would find it hard to see either as anything other than primitive superstition. Tradition does not make fairy tales real. In fact, tradition practiced by a people says nothing about its veracity, viability, or even its common sensibility. Take, indeed, the tradition of daily prayer. It has yet to decrease insanity, not increase human stupidity that’s generating our sick society. For my part, I am happy to be an atheist. I do not care to go to heaven to please God; neither do I care to go to paradise to please Allah. I also do not care to go to hell to please the devil. I care only for the human race of which I am a member. If we must believe in anything precious – let us believe in our precious minds and precious hearts. In the meantime, if we must leave this world one day, let us leave it sober and not drunk with lies; let us leave it a much better place than we found it; or there will be no reason at all for neither of us to have lived. Yours Sincerely, Poch Suzara Bertrand Russell Society, Phil. San Lorenzo Village, makati, Philippines

I love Buddha of the Ancient world and I love Bertrand Russell of the Modern World

If you were a Christian and wish to know just how insane are the Muslims, please open the Holy Koran and read 3:169 “Never think that those who were slain in the cause of God are dead. They are alive and well provided for by the Lord.” If you were a Muslim and wish to know just how insane are the Christians, please open the Holy Bible and read Luke 14:26 “If any man come to me and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” If you were neither a Christian nor a Muslim and wish to know too just how insane are the Jews, look at how they believe that they are the Chosen People of God. However, according to President George W. Bush, Americans are God’s real people as he believes that America is God’s only real country. For my part, as a non-believer of silly faith, I love Buddha. He was neither religious nor superstitious. He was not a lunatic. Buddha was atheistic as, in his way of thinking, he was rather scientific. Take heed and Listen: "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find anything that agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all then accept it and live up to it. "Siddharta Buddha But I love Philosopher Bertrand Russell even more. He summarized the entire religious mess neatly into one simple sentence: “Religion encourages stupidity and an insufficient sense of reality.” Poch Suzara Twitter# Facebook# Google#

Bruce Hall

Feb. 11 /2005
Dear Mr. Bruce Hall,

I should not hope to rain on your parade, but I should wish, however, to comment on your letter published in the Daily Inquirer today.

As soon as the American Indians are properly compensated for the precious land (worth trillions of dollars today) expropriated away from them by the white men, I will believe freedom exist in America.

As soon as the freethinkers or atheists, and not just the wealthy Jesus freaks, have equal opportunity to run for high government office in the US, I will believe democracy exist in America.

As soon as all the Black Americans are duly compensated for having their ancestors from Africa transported to America to work as slaves, I will believe that America is the land of the free and the home of the brave.

No doubt, America installed democracy in the Philippines. But thus far, such American style democracy in the Philippines has only been a farce, a fraud, and a ceremony. I am afraid, in the years to come, it will be more of the same in Iraq.

Freedom and democracy can exist only for the rich; not for the poor. The poor Americans in the USA do not enjoy freedom or democracy. In fact, poor Americans have no government; it has been stolen away from them by the rich in cahoots with the religious freaks in control of ignorance of which is quite unique in the world - American ignorance has wing. It can fly. It flies with the US Air force. And indeed, as long as ignorance remains in control of the US government, innocent blood, enough to float the US Navy, will continue to flow.

With all good wishes,
Poch Suzara
c.c. Philippine Daily Inquirer