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