| For the most part, paganism was non- dogmatic and syncretistic, which is why, for example, Hinduism is such a tangle of competing myths and theosophies. Rome did not conquer surrounding territories for religious reasons, per se, but in order to add to its glory. In that, the sentiment was closer to that of a sports fan, gaining satisfaction from the triumph of the home team during the World Series, than of a religious fanatic. And if you think the sports metaphor too strained, consider soccer hooliganism. War may have various motivations, but insofar as it is primarily a contest among states, it is a competition for glory, to demonstrate the greatness of the state, which reflects on its citizens. Atheism, in fact, increases the motivation to act out of a desire for glory, since we seek to transcend the fleeting aspects of life and participate in something greater than ourselves, something that will endure. There is a fairly good song in "Rent" that expresses the sentiment, sung by someone with HIV: "One Song Glory". Of course, such a desire to accomplish something durable can lead to great art or invention, but it often is a rationale for radical political action, to participate in the change of history, and may directly lead to fascism, or the belief that only by sublimating one's individuality to the state can one achieve a kind of immortality. In the face of the fleetingness of life, the idea of a "good death", heroically serving one's country, can be very attractive, all the more so if one thinks that glory is all there is....... |
