From: Robert Owen (rowen@technologist.com)
Date: Sun Mar 19 2000 - 00:30:40 MST
Zero Powers wrote:
> The belief system of other people is only a problem for you when, because of
> that belief system other people feel the need to impact your life.
I can't argue your point, Zero, on a purely pragmatic basis.
What you say is true.
But I am inclined to hedge here a bit -- what we are talking
about are "religious" belief systems, and I am not aware that
in any sacred scriptures in the world there is an unambiguous
moral command to destroy human life.
Not that these metaphorical documents are not capable of
infinite interpretation -- certainly the Torah was the basis
of the attempted genocide of the Philistines by the Hebrews.
But this was war, and in a war politicians, generals and the
rest invariably try to legitimize the use of lethal force by
citing some passage in something that seems to provide
"religious" justification, i.e. to prove killing is the right thing
to do in this case. There is no scriptural basis of any kind
that states unequivocally that Christians should bomb
abortion clinics. In my view, this is mere rationalization by
sociopaths to justify what they would probably do anyway
in another connection if they could feel righteous about it.
Perhaps this distinction has no practical meaning at all, but
for me at least it is quite important spiritually.
Thanks for your reply,
Bob
=======================
Robert M. Owen
Director
The Orion Institute
57 W. Morgan Street
Brevard, NC 28712-3659 USA
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