In Fighting Words: The Origins of Religious Violence, Dr. Avalos did a careful analysis of the fundamental texts of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and shows how four 'scarce' resources have figured repeatedly in creating religious violence: sacred space (churches, temples, holy cities); the creation of holy scriptures (exclusive revelations); group privilege (chosen people, the predestined select few); and salvation (only some are saved).
In other words, these scarce resources contribute heavily to the divisiveness between in-groups and out-groups inherent in organized religion. The sacred space, the holy scriptures, the privilege, the salvation - all of them play a role in making exclusive some absolute "Truth". When such a concept is threatened in any way, violence is inevitable. No monotheistic religion can be a religion of peace.
Gotta get that book!
You have some good points, some not so good; however, if you wanna go to Hell, ain't nuthn I can do nor anyone. First, I'd like for you to read this before you descend --- FACT: all of U.S. will croak someday sometime somewhere and FACT: our souls are also indelible, meaning they never die, they’re eternal. I believe Almighty God made U.S. that way precisely because God loves U.S. and God wants us to enjoy the splendors of Heaven to never croak; but, yet, there’s also two choices of whether we wanna follow the whorizontal deceit, the relativism of this zoological psychosis of the Devilish world which turns U.S. away or follow God. One other choice to think about: how lengthy is this finite existence VS. the utter vastness of the universe which we may take part in? That’s free will. Make your choice -Saw I know where I’m going. Isn’t atheism cool now? To not believe in anything but your own pride and vanity? God bless you.
ReplyDeleteMr Kold, let me stop you on your comment about our souls being indelible/eternal. First off, typing the word "FACT" before making an assertion doesn't automatically make it a fact. But more importantly, I reject the existence of the soul, so if you truly care about having a discussion, you're going to have to provide a coherent argument that supports the existence of this soul you speak of before you automatically assume the truth of its existence.
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