"When the physical body ceases to matter, and can be used as a weapon, or where the eternal becomes more important than the physical suffering of the people right in front of you in the here and now, you can justify some pretty horrendous things."
To kick off my side of this debate I required the suspension of reference to religious dogma, so that we could focus on the rationality underlying faith.
The question about faith then becomes faith in what, if not the dogma of a particular religion, then what?
"There are people who find suicide bombers very noble (and those folks have most certainly bought in to the concept of eternity, and think they are extending their individual purpose beyond the material)."
My observation is that most people establish loyalty to culture as their 'purpose' in life. Religion can and does become an emblem of cultural membership, more than faith in an eternal righteousness of some sort. This actually represents materialistic self interest of culture or a distinct society and is a corruption of the notion of eternal purpose based on the higher good of human principle, in short it's clubism lacking faith in a purpose beyond this life.
The problem/corruption of religious authority is to acquire obedience in exchange for belongingness prior to or in place of faith as a foundation. So, I always ask the very personal question when people want to discuss their religion... Faith in what? If the answer is something lacking eternality of soul and purpose, it is usually some requirement to call God by a particular name or to have a perspective on Jesus that represents a test of fellowship, or to give certain rituals an elevated status.
I agree with Neo and my observations of human beings in all sectors of society bears out what he suggests ... people who do not recognize the higher purpose of human principle always spend their lives seeking as much pleasure, property, power, and influence in the world as possible for the benefits those things offer in and of themselves. With no view of eternity of purpose representing a higher good, those people are always found conducting themselves in ways we condemn as corrupted. Life is worth living for such people because they measure their accomplishments as measurable within the limits of a life time, although the fear of death is unbearable. Life like that is unbearable for people who recognize eternal value in how they behave in the here and now, and who view death as a good and natural outcome for an uncorrupted life well lived.
The view of eternity or no eternity is huge. If there is a rational reason to think there is no eternity, I haven't heard it, yet. |
