The Fear of Religion
Many years ago, back when I actually had to work to earn an income, I had a customer who had a fear and loathing of salesmen. I would tease him about his fear. “Better be careful, I just might sell you something.” He was not really afraid of me. He was afraid of himself, afraid that he might lose control of his senses and do something illogical, in defiance of his better judgment, and actually buy what I had to sell.
I find this same irrational fear is rampant among atheists or non-theists or anti-religionists or anti-fundamentalists. All people are ultimately seekers of freedom. They seek their version of freedom of the mind and freedom of thought. They want no barriers to obstruct their intellectual journey of exploration into ideas. Atheists fear religion as something that imposes barriers on that which is most precious to them – the freedom of their own mind and spirit. Some atheists believe they are the most open-minded of people. In fact they are not. They can be unconsciously intolerant and are closing doors to interesting intellectual adventures.
Everyone has their own moral construct. It’s about whether this construct conforms to an existing construct or not. Atheists fear preconstructed religion because it conflicts with their own construct. In this way, they are like any other religious group. To me, this fear appears irrational as if, like my mercatophobic friend, they fear that their whole world will collapse if in a fit of madness, they decide to convert to Calvinism on the spot. It is the same as the irrational urge one has crossing high bridges, a fear that in a fit of madness, one may hurl their wallet, then their keys and finally themselves over the bridge for the pure Hell of it.
It is very primal, this whole business of fear.
But I have found the solution. The solution is to embrace the madness, skirt the edge, peer over the bridge and dangle your keys, but don’t let go of them and feel the rush. Live your emotions in the now, take control of them and use them as you would use your intellect. This makes one incredibly powerful as fear becomes a tool, an engine upon which one draws strength. And it allows one to peer deeper into the abyss. To jump off the intellectual bridge while tied with an emotional bungee cord that will always save you from spiritual collision.
True freedom of the mind permits one to explore a broad religious experience and not just from a spiritual perspective which I find rather dull. What is fascinating is to study the flow of power that develops from having a group of people under a set of controls. The effect this power has on people’s daily lives, the affairs of the state and the progression of culture, science and technology is truly fascinating. Too many deprive themselves of this. One can also enjoy studying and being around so called moral and religious people, be they people, saints or gods. To wit may I present my discontemporal meeting with St. Francis at Assisi. To deprive oneself of what these people have to offer is to deprive oneself of opportunity to learn about them and about oneself.
Cheers and Good Mental Health
Many years ago, back when I actually had to work to earn an income, I had a customer who had a fear and loathing of salesmen. I would tease him about his fear. “Better be careful, I just might sell you something.” He was not really afraid of me. He was afraid of himself, afraid that he might lose control of his senses and do something illogical, in defiance of his better judgment, and actually buy what I had to sell.
I find this same irrational fear is rampant among atheists or non-theists or anti-religionists or anti-fundamentalists. All people are ultimately seekers of freedom. They seek their version of freedom of the mind and freedom of thought. They want no barriers to obstruct their intellectual journey of exploration into ideas. Atheists fear religion as something that imposes barriers on that which is most precious to them – the freedom of their own mind and spirit. Some atheists believe they are the most open-minded of people. In fact they are not. They can be unconsciously intolerant and are closing doors to interesting intellectual adventures.
Everyone has their own moral construct. It’s about whether this construct conforms to an existing construct or not. Atheists fear preconstructed religion because it conflicts with their own construct. In this way, they are like any other religious group. To me, this fear appears irrational as if, like my mercatophobic friend, they fear that their whole world will collapse if in a fit of madness, they decide to convert to Calvinism on the spot. It is the same as the irrational urge one has crossing high bridges, a fear that in a fit of madness, one may hurl their wallet, then their keys and finally themselves over the bridge for the pure Hell of it.
It is very primal, this whole business of fear.
But I have found the solution. The solution is to embrace the madness, skirt the edge, peer over the bridge and dangle your keys, but don’t let go of them and feel the rush. Live your emotions in the now, take control of them and use them as you would use your intellect. This makes one incredibly powerful as fear becomes a tool, an engine upon which one draws strength. And it allows one to peer deeper into the abyss. To jump off the intellectual bridge while tied with an emotional bungee cord that will always save you from spiritual collision.
True freedom of the mind permits one to explore a broad religious experience and not just from a spiritual perspective which I find rather dull. What is fascinating is to study the flow of power that develops from having a group of people under a set of controls. The effect this power has on people’s daily lives, the affairs of the state and the progression of culture, science and technology is truly fascinating. Too many deprive themselves of this. One can also enjoy studying and being around so called moral and religious people, be they people, saints or gods. To wit may I present my discontemporal meeting with St. Francis at Assisi. To deprive oneself of what these people have to offer is to deprive oneself of opportunity to learn about them and about oneself.
Cheers and Good Mental Health
posted by The Commisioner and McKay | 7:32 AM
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