Do you see danger to the common good from irrational belief in spirits and deities?

Question

Whether it's the Crusades to rid the Holy Land of Muslim "infidels" in the name of Christ, or Osama bin Laden urging attacks against non-Muslim "infidels" in the name of Allah, or the large sums of money collected from suckers by so-called psychics, or the added grief from people using ridiculous "treatments" for various ailments, there is clear danger on a personal level from non-critical thought, belief in the supernatural, religion, etc. But beyond those dangers to individuals, do you see a danger to the common good of all humans (or even all living organisms on the planet) from such beliefs?

DougLawrence - "If you can't tell the difference between them, you need help. Get some." I should have guessed this question would bring bigoted comments from intolerant zealots.

SmileyGirl - It's true that these issues go back to the earliest days of humanity, but only in the last few decades have we, through nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, been able to convert these individual or local threats to global dangers.

Answer 1

Of course, irrational superstition and the abandonment of truth is always dangerous.

Answer 2

I think it's particularly worrisome in the USA. Christian 'Dominionists' (Reconstructionalists, Theonomists) have largely usurped the local level political apparatus of the Republican Party, and are engaged in a sub rosa process to politically motivate moderate Christians under the false cover of religious issues such as morality and family values. The goal is nothing less than the takeover of all elective offices in the USA.

Their doctrine comes from the Bible, starting with the term 'dominion' at Genesis 1:28... “And God said unto them, [Adam and Eve] Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have DOMINION… over every living thing.” They interpret DOMINION as: “... a supremacy in determining and directing the actions of others or in governing politically, socially, or personally.”

They want to remake the USA as a theocracy... and they are succeeding.

Its most common form, Dominionism, represents one of the most extreme forms of Fundamentalist Christianity thought. Its followers, called Dominionists, are attempting to convert the laws of United States so that they match those of the Hebrew Scriptures. They intend to achieve this by using the freedom of religion in the US to train a generation of children via home-schooling and in private Christian religious schools. Later, their graduates will be charged with the responsibility of creating a new Bible-based political, religious and social order. One of the first tasks of this order will be to eliminate religious choice and freedom. Their eventual goal is to achieve the "Kingdom of God" in which much of the world is converted to Christianity. They feel that the power of God's word will bring about this conversion. No armed force or insurrection will be needed; in fact, they believe that there will be little opposition to their plan. People will willingly accept it. All that needs to be done is to properly explain it to them.

All religious organizations, congregations etc. other than strictly Fundamentalist Christianity would be suppressed. Nonconforming Evangelical, main line and liberal Christian religious institutions would no longer be allowed to hold services, organize, proselytize, etc. Society would revert to the laws and punishments of the Hebrew Scriptures. Any person who advocated or practiced other religious beliefs outside of their home would be tried for idolatry and executed. Blasphemy, adultery and homosexual behavior would be criminalized; those found guilty would also be executed. There are two conservative Christian pastors in Texas who have advocated the execution of all Wiccans. Ralph Reed, the executive director of the conservative public policy group the Christian Coalition has criticized Reconstructionism as "an authoritarian ideology that threatens the most basic civil liberties of a free and democratic society."

By failing to openly confront this insidious agenda, we have sown the seeds of our own destruction, while these religious wing-nuts are paving the way to Armageddon with gleeful anticipation.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/reconstr.htm
http://www.yuricareport.com/Dominionism/HistoryOfReconstructionMovement.html
http://www.yuricareport.com/Dominionism/Clarkson_RiseOfDomionism.html

Answer 3

Realizing that religious beliefs have been around since people have been around, and we're still on the planet, I'm not too worried about the common good. I do worry sometimes about peoples' common sense, but that's another story.

Answer 4

'While the propensity to emotion and thus a failure of rational thought is a potentially dangerous factor in being human, it's part of being human. No real alternative is available, though one can make the attempt to approach things rationally -- including one's own irrationality.

Peace.

Answer 5

Do not equate irrational and false beliefs with the legitimate worship of the one, true God.

If you can't tell the difference between them, you need help. Get some.

Answer 6

Yeah, sure, but it's not anything new.