Journal Entry # 270
November 29th, 2010
I PROMOTE PEACE
Recently the approach that some of the faithful have been taking towards me is that killing and other terrible acts throughout history have been done in the cause of atheism. This is ridiculous because atheism is a statement saying that one does not believe in god or gods. If such acts have been committed by regimes or individuals who are not believers there was some other motivating factor behind them. Maybe it was the lust for power. People do not kill in the name of no god. This is not the post to explain the different regimes mentioned to me but I will say that that they are usually found to be religious when properly examined.
Religious doctrine does promote terrible acts as defined in the holy books but it is still individuals who commit these acts. The doctrine is just used as the justification for these acts. Also this is not a contest to see which belief has committed the most injustice it is about in my view demonstrating why god probably does not exist.
Proving that Atheism promotes terrible injustices will not verify that gods are real. That is not the point.
My message has been twisted to portray the end result being the eradication of all religious people which is not the case at all. I would not follow this agenda in any way. I am about positive change towards peace for all.
I recently made a public posting on face book to address this issue and I feel the need to repeat it in my blog.
Gary David Currie This was said to me.. what do you think?
Atheism is dangerous it wants to shut everyone up that disagrees with it. Religion is forced to shut up and be destroyed. They justify their own atrocities and blame all religion for what a few are doing. Christianity has the answer for world peace, for taking care of the poor”.
Gary David Currie………All Atheism is.. Stating one does not believe in god… How is this dangerous?
RESPONSE TO A VIEW OF WHAT MY OVERALL MESSAGE IS.
I feel I must publically answer a view of the solutions and ideals I propose in my writings and my overall message that was interpreted by someone… I believe they have twisted my views and the purpose of why I speak out so I must answer to clarify.
Below are their comments and my answer….
Christian…………Would it not be more accurate to say that you define ‘truth’ as physical reality? As what can be reduced to the realm of the five senses? Seen, touched, and measured?
I believe in truth as well, however, though empirical evidence necessarily m…ust factor in to my concept of reality, truth for me is far more than this. TRUTH in my view is all that I right, good, beautiful and life-giving. Not just fact, not just reality. And REALITY in my view includes the supernatural, which at times can and at other times CANNOT be experienced empirically.
You reject this view. That is your prerogative. It is my prerogative to accept the supernatural as part of reality, God as the Source of truth. Each man must have the freedom to decide this for themselves or we enter a world where freedom of conscience is LOST.
I am aware that you personally would be, and are, rankled by the thought of people being ‘exterminated’ for their religious beliefs. I said the things I said above in part for the shock value, but also in part because this is where I beloved your thinking ultimately leads, and I desire to provoke you to consideration of this.
You would do well to consider where passionate anti-religious sentiment ultimately has led in every instance of human history: persecution of the religious. You would do well, when you issue a call for the banishment of ‘religion’ as a remedy to humanities ills, to consider what you speak of PRACTICALLY. Human history shows with blinding clarity that humans are incurable worshippers. We inevitably worship SOMETHING or SOMEONE. And whenever we decide that OUR particular system of ideas or beliefs is SUPERIOR and ought to be ENFORCED on all men, it leads to massacre.
History is clear on this.
You see it clearly in regards to all other ideologies and philosophies save your own.
Most adherents to philosophies and ideologies are similarly blind to their own bias.
You say that you adhere only to TRUTH. Well, that is your view, Gary. Not mine. Not the view of millions of people across this planet. When you call for the eradication of religion, you are calling for something that will never take place voluntarily on a global scale. You are calling for some of us to cease bing who we ARE, to surrender our core beliefs, that which makes us WHO WE ARE. We are the passionately religious. We cannot be unpersuaded, however much that rankles you and grieves you and exasperate you.
So what do you propose?
That is my basic question. You campaign for the eradication of religion, but when I speak of the ONLY ultimate solution, forcible persuasion with the threat of execution, you quail at the prospect in horror.
I’m glad you do. But you need to realize, there will be those who do NOT quail. They will hear the cry for the eradication of these delusional fanatics who call themselves religious, and they will be willing to take the ultimate path to eradication of religion by force. They will see that such deluded fools as we are CANNOT be unpersuaded from our superstitious folly and they will see that it is DANGEROUS to humanity and they will be willing to take do whatever is necessary to be rid of us. Whatever must be done. As if there are enough of them in power….
Do you understand?
You cry for the elimination of the ‘God Delusion.’ You rail and rage and demand that such fallacy cease. You want a world free of religion. But you don’t really want to do what must be done to create it.
I don’t fear you nor am I an alarmist. I don’t know if such horror as the forcible eradication of the openly religious on a global scale will ever take place. I’m not lying awake at night worrying about it. But I do think it’s possible. I do think that anyone who raises their voice in a passionate cry for the eradication of someone else’s beliefs ought to seriously consider the historical implications. Because in history, we see over and over that such nightmares always begin with voices calling out, demanding that someone else’s beliefs should cease. And the argument that these people’s ‘beliefs’ are DANGEROUS to the HUMAN RACE and that many of our races’ problems would be solved by the elimination of such ‘beliefs’ is a extremely common form of rhetoric in history, use often, used well, and used most effectively to ignite genocide, over and over and over.
Look at history to see if my words have merit. Prepare to face the possible consequences of your life’s pursuit–the rallying of humanity to end religious beliefs, in the name of Truth and Science and Progress. It’s been done before.
Gary David Currie………. well I said truth is all that is… I think that you are saying there is another reality that cannot be seen with the 5 senses.. guess what then that would be part of reality.. All that is..
It doesn’t matter what we believe or want… it to be it will still be .
What you are talking about in your first paragraph is either something that is real or something that you believe exists but does not. If there is a spiritual world it will have nothing to do with this world and should only be addressed when you are there. There would be no rules in this word to get to another world that is insanity. If there is a connection between the two it should be evident and it is not..
Religion has always dominated this world so we do not know how it will be if people are not thinking this way. Give thinking with reason and logic dealing with truth the same opportunity that faith and religion has had.
You are correct in saying it is you who makes you who you are not a god . Your core believes are still yours, Why do you need to have a belief in a god to have most of the core values you have?
I want a world free of delusion not religion a world where truth is valued. I also encourage diversity as a world we are all the same is not a world I want to live in.
You say I do not want to do what must be done to create it… You have lost me here.. I am doing it now and have been for a while..
It is what we teach and value that must change.
People evolve , cultures come and go.
Why would I ever be forcible and eradicate people because of their religion that is ridiculous.
Change comes through education, communication and understanding.
I will protect myself from any aggressors beyond this but that is not religion that is humans being violent.
Yes you are an alarmist and really do not understand the direction I propose.
Anything can take a wrong turn including reason and science.
At no point have I endorsed any violence or stopping people from believing in their god. I urge people to be reasonable and I challenge people’s claims.
Your path that you say I am pursuing is not my path.
Sorry you missed the point of my message.
I urge people who want peace no matter what their beliefs to stay the course and not pursue the violence and nasty agenda that the holy books endorse and command that is all.
I must say your conclusions are way off base…
By the way the religions of the world are pushing very hard with their agendas right now. Where do you think that will lead? WW3 is on its way if this escalates.
Gary David Currie…… I DID NOT NOR I WOULD NOT CALL FOR THE ERADICATION OF RELIGION.. I call for a pursuit of truth, common sense and peace. Where religion goes from this is not my doing. I have stated many times that I would fight to the death for the rights …we have declared as a species whether I agree with what is said or not.
I will repeat what I said in the beginning and someone twisted it good. I was asked who will be the first to give up their nukes…
my answer…Gary David Currie Well this will never happen until we put religions in the place they belong, personal beliefs that have no place dictating how humanity as a whole lives. Step #1.
