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Re: From another conversation
On Thu, 24 Jan 2002, J. Marie Hall wrote:
> > And when David Letterman, who evidently has a positive view of faith
> > and religion, asks how it is possible for "religious fervour" to lead
> > to events like September 11, I am disturbed by the fact that I know
> > the answer to his question, not just in my head, but in my gut.
>
> do you mean that you understand the process of the widespread and/or
> subtle ideology or that you are horrified that it's now a deep part of
> who you are? or that it always was? or something...? :)
I guess I'm horrified that children are still being taught that kings need
to go and commit mass slaughter just because a prophet, who claims to
speak on God's behalf, tells them to. I grew up with stories like that,
so I understand how easy it is to be moved by the ideology behind those
stories. I'm not really sure how much of that ideology is still a part of
me -- I believe God can do whatever he wants with his own creations, just
as Karin & Linford can do whatever they want with their songs and Woody
Allen can do whatever he wants with his films and Stephen King can do
whatever he wants with his books, but if some entity claiming to be God
ever asked me to kill someone on his behalf, I think I'd take a cue from
Captain Kirk and ask, "What does God need with a starship?" Um, I mean, I
think I would ask, "Why do you need *me* to do this? Do it yourself."
--- Peter T. Chattaway --------------------------- peter at chattaway_com ---
"I detected one misprint, but to torture you I will not tell you where."
Winston Churchill to T.E. Lawrence, re Seven Pillars of Wisdom
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