Religion, a Government's WMD for it's people

 

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

 

 

So I haven't written in a while, been busy with school and whatnot. That, and I really haven't had anything on my mind as of late. I try not put off the vibe that this blog is simply a bedpan for my opinions, but like a journalist it becomes hard to come up with stories and topics on a day to day basis. However, today I do have something. Something that I have constantly tried to clarify for those who know little, something that is hard to distinguish. We come back to the topic of religion. This time I want to go over it a little in-depthly. I want to start with this quote from Kingdom of Heaven (2005).

 

"I put no stock in religion. By the word religion I have seen the lunacy of fanatics of every denomination be called the will of God. I have seen too much religion in the eyes of too many murderers. Holiness is in right action, and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves, and goodness. What God desires is in the heart and mind."

 

I changed the last sentence because in the movie he points to the said areas.

 

Anyway, this quote says it all. We have seen what people have done in the name of religion, from the Islamic conquest of the Middle East, the Spanish Inquisition, and of course the Crusades and Salem witch trials. Many have died in the name of religion. Religion has a trend of causing a close-minded ignorance that breeds the idealogy that all are wrong, and those who aren't with you must die or be vanquished because "God wills it".

 

Let's take a look at our situation in Iran now. I have said it before, and I say it again: the religion of Islam IS responsible for Iran's problems, not the Islamic Regime itself, not rich mullahs, not America--Islam. What we need to stop doing is blaming other things, so we do not sound politically incorrect or non-offensive. Religion has no place in politics. As one can see with examples such as the Taliban, Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Roman Catholic church of the Renaissance period I believe, religion becomes a main tool in creating fear and acquiring power within governments that utilize it as a factor for running the country. People become fearful, the clergy or leadership enforces their doctrines upon the people, and punish them by claiming that "God wills it", as if punishment through torture or death is mentioned in the Gospels (for example).

 

If Iranians want change they first need to eradicate Islam and religion itself from their politics. They don't need new leaders, they don't need a new president. What they need is a new political system, based off democratic ideals. However, to do that is to first acknoweledge Islam and religion as the reason for Iran's dilemma.

 

Religion will undoubtedly be the main factor in our world's end. Wisdom and logic have the power to refute and rebuke error. We obviously find error in religion, but not many of us have the knoweledge to talk about it. I'm not an athiest or agnostic, but I do believe that God does not desire us to be blind followers of man's interpretation of spirituality and holiness. As the quote says, what God desires of us in our hearts and our minds, and how we use them.

Posted by Haa-meed at 11:03 PM 

 

 

http://hamidshaho.blogspot.com/2008/09/religion-governments-wmd-for-its-people.html