There is an increasing number of Westerners who believe that there are scientific miracles in the Qur'an, and converting on that basis. This blog documents my attempts to persuade one Muslim convert friend to examine these miracle claims (and other worrying aspects of Islam) rationally. Muslims are invited to respond in the comments section where I am always delighted to debate.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Boston bombers - good people...
Religion doesn't make bad people do good things, but it does make good people do bad things.
Of course bad people can do good things. When they see the light!!
As for the Boston bom*ers, it's a sad situation and I empathise with the innocent victims and families being put through this. Also with the bom*ers' families.
Unfortunately, I'd have to disagree with you on this post because it's not religion that makes people do bad things. It's people who *choose* to do bad things. We have free will. Like the Omagh bom*ings or IRA activities or even the terrorist shootings we regularly get in America. People *choose* to do these thing 'cos of their sick and twisted minds. Perception is everything. Choosing to distort something and create something new is a disease in your mind. We all know about it. What are psychologists for? And then, on top of all that they use religion for their own sick agendas. Not forgetting the bias and propaganda we see on tv to really stir up the sh*t!!!
I'm against all such activities from any organisation which carries out these atrocities in the name of religion. Not just Islam. Same goes for any other so called 'religious' factions.
Hi Si - thanks for your recent comments. Yes I do moderate - but reject only spam or comments designed to encourage hatred. I'll try to respond to your other comments when I get get some time.
An interesting fact I came across is that religiosity (esp. extreme religiosity) is one of the hallmark features of developing mental illness (esp. schizophrenia, bi-polar, nervous breakdown and similar "extreme" mental states) - so I don't know if it's religion leading to madness, or madness leading to religion: but the link is there and we should not discard it by attributing ALL to religion.
(having said all of that there is obviously little that is more harmful to the mentally weak than repeated messages of war, hatred and violence which is he case in all extreme groups including but not limited to religious ones)
Hi Spinoza, "Religion doesn't make bad people do good things" I disagree. At least in my case, it was not so. When I was a teenager, I was very religious, and I was more forbearing then -- If someone insulted me I would not retaliate, for instance. I believed that anger would estrange me from Vishnu's (the god I worshipped) grace, and so I think I was a better person then, more restrained. My beliefs at least helped me curb my bad side(s).
"but it does make good people do bad things." In the Tsarnaevs' case, and that of many young men who become terrorists, again, I disagree. It is not religion as such, but a religious identity. When Muslims see their coreligionists butchered by the US in Iraq and Afghanistan, or Palestinians butchered by the Israeli military, they feel they should fight back, because of the pan-Islamic Ummah ideal that encompasses them all. People fight and kill each other because of this feeling of us-versus-them. Any identity-- religion, language, race, nationality, political ideology, the caste system and its discriminatory practices here in India, all of these can lead to this us-versus-them syndrome, and that is what lies at the root of much of human conflict. And if you replace religion with something else, people will divide into two groups based on allegiance to that thing.
I wouldn't think anyone's interested in my biography. But I might put a few relevant details up if only to stop the odd reader accusing me of being variously: Christian, Jewish, Zoroastrian etc. For the record - if you like labels then call me an old atheist, teacher and father.
Bit of a hyperbole.
ReplyDeleteOf course bad people can do good things. When they see the light!!
As for the Boston bom*ers, it's a sad situation and I empathise with the innocent victims and families being put through this. Also with the bom*ers' families.
Unfortunately, I'd have to disagree with you on this post because it's not religion that makes people do bad things. It's people who *choose* to do bad things. We have free will. Like the Omagh bom*ings or IRA activities or even the terrorist shootings we regularly get in America. People *choose* to do these thing 'cos of their sick and twisted minds. Perception is everything. Choosing to distort something and create something new is a disease in your mind. We all know about it. What are psychologists for? And then, on top of all that they use religion for their own sick agendas. Not forgetting the bias and propaganda we see on tv to really stir up the sh*t!!!
I'm against all such activities from any organisation which carries out these atrocities in the name of religion. Not just Islam. Same goes for any other so called 'religious' factions.
By the way, why do you have comment moderation on this blog?
ReplyDeleteHi Si - thanks for your recent comments. Yes I do moderate - but reject only spam or comments designed to encourage hatred.
DeleteI'll try to respond to your other comments when I get get some time.
An interesting fact I came across is that religiosity (esp. extreme religiosity) is one of the hallmark features of developing mental illness (esp. schizophrenia, bi-polar, nervous breakdown and similar "extreme" mental states) - so I don't know if it's religion leading to madness, or madness leading to religion: but the link is there and we should not discard it by attributing ALL to religion.
ReplyDelete(having said all of that there is obviously little that is more harmful to the mentally weak than repeated messages of war, hatred and violence which is he case in all extreme groups including but not limited to religious ones)
Hi Spinoza,
ReplyDelete"Religion doesn't make bad people do good things"
I disagree. At least in my case, it was not so. When I was a teenager, I was very religious, and I was more forbearing then -- If someone insulted me I would not retaliate, for instance. I believed that anger would estrange me from Vishnu's (the god I worshipped) grace, and so I think I was a better person then, more restrained. My beliefs at least helped me curb my bad side(s).
"but it does make good people do bad things."
In the Tsarnaevs' case, and that of many young men who become terrorists, again, I disagree. It is not religion as such, but a religious identity. When Muslims see their coreligionists butchered by the US in Iraq and Afghanistan, or Palestinians butchered by the Israeli military, they feel they should fight back, because of the pan-Islamic Ummah ideal that encompasses them all. People fight and kill each other because of this feeling of us-versus-them. Any identity-- religion, language, race, nationality, political ideology, the caste system and its discriminatory practices here in India, all of these can lead to this us-versus-them syndrome, and that is what lies at the root of much of human conflict. And if you replace religion with something else, people will divide into two groups based on allegiance to that thing.
Spinoza,
ReplyDeleteWhere can I read your biography?
-M
I wouldn't think anyone's interested in my biography.
DeleteBut I might put a few relevant details up if only to stop the odd reader accusing me of being variously: Christian, Jewish, Zoroastrian etc.
For the record - if you like labels then call me an old atheist, teacher and father.