Religion

[Eric Rosenbloom]

ng ld wrote:
> Hyperbolic characterizations of religion,
> be it of Islam
> or Catholicism, continue to
> create and sustain ignorance and fear.
> 
> To say that the Christian religion is the Firm
> or the Rocket city or state is a shame.
> 
> We should not tolerate this.


"If Jesus Christ returned today and saw what was being done in his name,
he would never stop throwing up."  --Woody Allen ("Hannah and Her
Sisters" -- speaking of which, Max von Sydow speaks another great line
in that movie, approximately: "The mystery of the holocaust is not why
it happened, but given what we know about human nature why it doesn't
happen more often.")

But seriously, I mentioned Christianity because that was the topic. And
I did acknowledge that religion offers comfort, just as a "good" company
offers its employees "benefits."

What is the city of god, or the New Jerusalem but a fascistic vision of
purity, or an idealized corporate power chart? What, here on earth, is
Vatican City? Nothing wrong with purity, of course -- Hitler was a great
hygiene and anti-smoking crusader among his other campaigns against
blackness. But as William Slothrop wrote (page 555), it is black Judas
that saves the preterite.

Tyrone, thinking of his ancestor (page 556), in another Zone where
choices will be made, muses on America following Judas instead, thinks
there might have been more kindness done in The Dark One's name and not
so much evil done in The Anointed One's name.

I am not against religion any more than I'm against health clubs. But a
nation founded on one is inherently undemocratic and, because the rulers
create the church they need, incredibly self-serving. And that is not
limited to "western" sects. Buddhism is now mellowed with age, but it
didn't spread across Asia by sweet monks meditating under trees, but
instead by giving divine purpose to the Empires it grew inside.

Yowza,
Eric R



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