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Politics : Should God be replaced? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: E who wrote (3099)	11/3/2000 9:05:53 AM
From: Solon	Respond to of 28931

Yes, E. There has always been goodness and kindness. I was speaking more, though, to the relative balances and strengths. If mankind was graded on a 10 point scale, I believe we would currently earn about a four. We have come a long way since barbarian days. For the first time ever, much of the world now recognizes that people have rights. Most slavery has been abolished. Many governments have a social contract to assist the aged, the infirm, and the weak. Churches in much of the world have been deprived of their power to torture, to punish, and to kill. I suppose that the increased charity of people toward one another may be partly accounted for by the incredible affluence enjoyed by western nations. Also, mass media has served to create a more cohesive humanity. As well, democracy itself, by relying on the voting power of all people, is forced to acknowledge that power, and to address its voice. Still, this being said, there yet appears to be more of an empathic consideration for strangers, than can reasonably be inferred to have been a trait present in history. Progress is being made, but there is far to go. The next major conquests in the social arena would appear to be racial harmony, and an end to war. Certainly, we see (especially among the young--good for them), an ability to ignore color, and to judge by character. In my opinion, the great barrier to this next advance is the tribal religions, that comprehend their superiority by virtue of the favor of the True God. Racial harmony (and the end of war) can never exist while these tribal religions continue to strut the world as the grand pooh-bah of God's will. What else would move our rating up? Well, I can't say re-distribution of wealth, because the words have always sent a chill up my spine. But a rational pay scale would certainly be an improvement. There is absolutely no way that anybody is truly worth 10 thousand times more than someone else working twice as many hours in a day. Maybe a thousand times--that would be an improvement. There is no way this is supply and demand. This is connections of power, and a system that needs a bit of fine tuning. What else? No human being should be without food and clothing, and a place to live. This is common sense. One can talk philosophy till the cows come home, but human beings ought to have food, and a place to live. I don't say this is a right, of course; But I say it is highly desirable, and it ought to be put to the vote in every democracy, and a social agreement or contract formed. All of these things would put us at a 6 1/2. I agree with you on the salt caper: Discouraging and disturbing. The only really prosperous State in India is the Punjab. India is full of poverty and bewilderment. For some, it is sufficent to attach any huge name (such as Ghandi's) to anything and the anything is thus justified, with no need for a rational appreciation. Yes it is discouraging; Despicable and abhorrent, too.