I'm not sure what is religion and what isn't. A few "hard" Communists
around here (yea there are a few still around) view any non-physical
non-materialist understanding of even human behavior as superstition. I
tend to view their dogmatism as not terribly different from a religion,
but most Communists relegate Communism to being a philosophy of
politics and history, and allow that mind and spirit may be unknown and
undescribed phenomena.
One characteristic I have found in religion, except for most Buddhists
(though by no means all Buddhists) is that they assert doctrines --
things that are true and things that are false, end of subject. This is
maybe the main reason religions in history have such a bad record.
When religions (and other ideologies) do this sort of thing (I am right
and that is the end of the subject and anyone who disagrees is engaging
in something bad), I think they need to be opposed.
In today's world probably the worst for this sort of thing are the
Muslims, although a lot of Hindus and Roman Catholics and followers of a
few extreme Protestant denominations, are right up there with them. Is
my saying this "bashing" their beliefs? To live in a Muslim country
and have been born a Muslim but to not believe is extremely
dangerous. Such people exist but they keep their thinking to
themselves. Can this be the sign of a genuinely "true" and good
religion? To live in a Muslim country and not be a Muslim is to have to
put up with all sorts of daily inconveniences and rules. Muslims
living in non-Muslim countries insist that they be allowed special
rights that they deny those back home. It really sticks in my craw.
We can be a bit air-headed and say all belief is good, or something like
that, since many beliefs do achieve great good, but it isn't true and
needs dealing with honestly.
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