Thoughts

Tolerance is a social rather than a religious virtue.

Taking a broad-minded view of other people’s beliefs is essential for the happiness and health of a society, not just for the members of that society but for their neighboring cultures.

It is an attitude impossible for those whose personal religion is strong.

If we hold strong religious beliefs, if we know we have found the key and guiding principle to Life, then we cannot allow our friends to flounder blindly. We may recognize they live virtuous and admirable lives, but their task is made that much harder and it is our duty to help them.

Opinions vary about the nature of this help – from being a shining example to conversion by sword, but no truly religious person can stand by and do nothing.

More than the unbeliever is the wrong believer, whose conversion to teh right way of thinking is of the greatest concern to the true believer. The infidel, the unbeliever, is virtually impossible to win over. No one can prove that Christianity or Buddism or Islam or Numenism is better than Judaism or Shintoism or Taoism. The unbeliever is not a threat to one’s beliefs. Those who follow another creed have beliefs that are, to the believer, unimportant and irrelevant.

But the one who believes the same basic thing, but gives it another interpretation is being led into dangerous and avoidable error. His crime is more serious. The heretic, by accepting the underlying principles, perverts them, detroys their value, and undermines the entire structure upon which the religion is built. Heresies are ubiqiutous and must be rooted out, for the room for error is infinitely great.

Theologians arrive at their interpretations and conclusions through continual arduous efforts of the intellect, rejecting any easy compromise that might weaken their structure. Religion, particularly monotheistic religions, must, by their nature, be of narrow intention and it knows there is no other way to salvation.

It isn’t until the religion gains state acceptance that persecution is possible. Persecution requires the co-operation of the state. That co-operation can be passive, wherein the state doesn’t enforce separation of church and state, and allows a religion to conduct its agenda with only moderate and ineffective restraint. Religion has only spiritual avenues – and to the hardcore heretic, threats of ex-communication and religious banishment are meaningless. The state can bring more physical force to bear. When the two team up, the cruelties can become unspeakable.

Not all heretics are persecuted, or not severely persecuted. This is because some heretical thoughts are more societally dangerous, when their teachings run counter to social welfare, where, if tolerated, the state itself might collapse.

When a religion sets out to crush dissident thoughts, it must have the help of the state.

That’s why I fail to understand why such a dangerous and heretical sect of Christians has come to be in charge of one of our political parties. The Dominionists are a threat to the social welfare of our country, and yet, they are the religious party with the greatest political influence.

OK, that’s probably wrong. I do sort of understand how they got so powerful. They did it through trickery and lies, through preaching a prosperity doctrine at deep odds with their Bible. They appeal to the need and greed of the people they seek to convert. They claim their God will bless them with whatever they need and want. Gaining wealth is a sure sign of their God’s blessing. Being poor is a sign of their disfavor.