Friends, a cleric in the U.S., Terry Jones, is gaining notoriety by threatening to burn copies of the Koran on September 11. It seems this cleric thinks that Islam is evil although what burning Korans will do to correct this is unknown.
What the American cleric seems to have forgotten is that soldiers from his country, one which calls itself a Christian country, are currently over in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan killing Muslims by the thousands.
And why are they doing this? Because they believe if they kill enough Muslims using bombs, missiles, depleted uranium, cluster bombs, etc, peace will be achieved and Christian America will be loved and respected. The logic of this is beyond me.
What this bizarre ‘book-burning’ situation reveals is that religion is a divisive force in the world. Each brand of religion is in competition with all other religions for adherents. Each religion makes different claims to the faithful. Each religion, especially the mainstream ones, is very rich and very powerful.
Each religion preys on peoples’ gullibility. Each religion exploits its flock so that its clerics can live a very comfortable lifestyle. And each religion has a religious book upon which it bases its claims, a book that is thousands of years old which puts it in ancient times when human, in the main, were primitive, superstitious and uneducated.
The continuing existence of these holy books ties us to the distant past. It holds us back as we humans try to evolve.
It puts superstition and fantasy into our minds when we should be dealing with reality. It makes us concentrate on a supposed ‘afterlife’ when we should be working hard to make each person’s life on earth as good as it can be while it lasts. It allows leaders, who talk about god being on our side, to manipulate voters and citizens.
What should happen on the 11th of September is that we burn all these ancient books, bibles, korans, the whole lot and sever once and for all our irrational ties to a primitive past.
Can you imagine how different the world would be? Many wars would stop. Divisions between people would disappear. Fear would dissipate. Churches could be turned into places for the homeless. The wealth of religious institutions could be given to the poor ( from whom much of it was taken). Child molestation would diminish. And the extremists, who exist in all religions, would disappear.
Are we mature enough to take this necessary book-burning step or will we opt to waste another thousand years living in a warring, religious wasteland?
i totally agree……….burn the whole bloody lot of them. (and tony blair’s ‘a journey’ along with them)
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David G Reply:
September 9th, 2010 at 4:50 am
If we don’t stop this religious crap from interfering with and manipulating our lives, Coco, it will eventually bring about our demise.
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David, you make an excellent point. Why stop with the Koran? ( Even though the thought of burning ANY book makes me cringe. Something to do with respecting knowledge.) I believe this is why Stephen Hawking came out with the bold words that he did. God – is a man-made creation – how’s that for a twist on things! Clearly, we didn’t learn the lesson of the Tower of Babel. The religious structures we have built, threaten to crush all of humanity. The books that were meant as a guide on our life’s journeys would be better served as fuel for a campfire under the starry skies. Humans can declare themselves, free. Nothing but the Golden Rule to guide us. (Treat others as you would have them treat you.)
“Don’t tase me, bro”, “Don’t burn my holy book, bro.” Wake up – that is about as much control as we have. We must be free – ultimately. We are free. Some people have inserted themselves into authoriies shoes, but they are just grasping for something solid to hang onto.
Respect self, respect others. That is my Bible.
Thanks David!
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Sounds to me like some fanatic trying to push the old lie that 19 Muslems attacked us (America) on 9/11. Just another diversion, c’mon one paster with a small congregation. Why is this even news? Who benifits?
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Amazing how one fool, can make the whole world take notice of his idiotic thinking.
Don’t ban the book, ban the people ; (
Hope U R doing well otherwise! Cheers!
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Governments of the world would tremble if all people of all nations came out and burned all holy books on the same day. They would have to come up with new ways to make us live in fear of “the other.”
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76-water Reply:
September 10th, 2010 at 1:12 am
Took me a minute to wrap my head around that one. No more killing in the name of religion. Peace on Earth.
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Grace, your observation about ‘respect’ is very wise.
76-water, 9/11 was a small taste of what America will reap in the future. Its chickens will come home to roost.
Coffee, to suggest that Jones was thinking is being far too generous.
Kathy, the world is filled with fear. Some of it is real. Most of it is manufactured by our masters.
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The MSM had a lot to do with this mess. It is a tiny church with only 30 members and hardly anyone would have noticed the burning if the media hadn’t reported on this story day after day.
Of course, it is a good way to take people’s minds off the mess the economy is in and how bad off they are. It is also a good way to keep muslims angry at us so the US has another excuse to go to war. Not many people are ready to fight and die for oil and corporate profit so a good bogey man is needed. Muslims are the current one.
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Grace Reply:
September 10th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
So true, Jeannie. The Power of Propaganda. Put a guy on who looks like Yosemite Sam. Watch him turn red as he talks about burnin the Kohran and then keep the camera on him for days as he twists and writhes in the lights of the cameras. Watch my left hand while my right hand is busy. Nothin’ else going on in the World, folks.
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David G Reply:
September 10th, 2010 at 11:14 pm
Jeannie, all governments are adept at fanning the flames of fear when it suits their purposes including my own.
The MSM, driven by the profit motive, cannot be relied upon to properly inform anymore. News Limited papers in Australia are proof of that!
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David, the fact that Australia thought the Koran burning story was a big deal, or any deal at all – or the Tea Partiers, which some call the modern day kkk; twenty, forty years ago they would have had hoods on. The fact that these are the Big news items of the day – is proof positive of the Power of Propaganda!
On the ground, here in America, these are foreign stories. I have not met a single tea-partier, nor a kkk for that matter and the same goes for book burners.
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kate bates Reply:
September 14th, 2010 at 3:36 am
hi everyone, like you Grace, I’ve never met a teapartier or bookburner but I do have a cousin who’s an adherent of Fox News ~ and he seriously believes I’m the uninformed one.
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Grace Reply:
September 14th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Fox News is like Crack (drug) for its followers. That sht is addictive! My brother, the sociopath, watches Fox News compulsively. It is always on! It is more than news, it is a way of life. Oh, and he says he is a Democrat. I think he only says that because of our Democratic mother. I am sure he votes conservative (Republican). Actions speak louder than words.
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Grace, the fact that these groups are forming and they are right-wing, is a worrying sign.
Kate, with relatives like your cousin, who needs enemies?
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SCRIPTURE: n. The sacred books of ‘our holy religion’, as distinguished from the false and profane writings upon which all the other beliefs are based. Ambrose Bierce – the Devil’s Dictionary
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Amerikagulag, sacred books have become like an anchor around our necks. Generation by generation people use them to indoctrinate the next generation. It’s a cycle that must be broken if humans are to progress.
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