wisdom

disclaimer: I have wonderful friends and family who I love dearly that are religious. Some believe in Buddha, some are Christians and some are Pagan. The points I express in the following are to the negative points and traits that I have noticed over time. It is possible for those of us who do not follow a particular religion to have moral and ethical beliefs – as I do – very strong beliefs. I know that I will only live once – on this planet, with no hope of an afterlife or place to go beyond this world. With that in mind – think how I live my life – with love, laughter and hope – enjoying and living life to it’s fullest. In some respects, some people have said that we perhaps cherish life more than some of those who believe in an afterlife – because this life – is so precious, because this life – is the only one we have.

Religion has destroyed countries, beliefs and entire civilizations over the years.
Religion is at the reigns of entirely too many current wars and ‘efforts’ overseas. Countless numbers in the millions are dying in this age, due to these corrosive beliefs.

Religious War currently wages in: Afghanistan, Bosnia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cyprus, East Timor, India, Indonesia, province of Ambon, Indonesia, province of Halmahera, Iraq, Kashmir, Kosovo, Kurdistan, Macedonia, Middle East, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Chechnya, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand, Tibet and Uganda.

“It is time for us to recognize that these gods, these goddesses have been our own creations, our own fabrications that were used to give us reason, explanation and false truth to the unexplained Universe we call home.”
~Kelli Klymenko

“We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.”
~Professor Richard Dawkins

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/richard_dawkins_on_militant_atheism.html

“The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” ~Professor Richard Dawkins

Religious wars:

Afghanistan:……Extreme, radical Fundamentalist Muslim terrorist groups, non-Muslims. Osama bin Laden heads a terrorist group called Al Quada (The Source) whose headquarters were in Afghanistan. They were protected by, and integrated with, the Taliban dictatorship in the country. The Northern Alliance of rebel Afghans, Britain and the U.S. attacked the Taliban and Al Quada, establishing a new regime in part of the country. The fighting continues.

Bosnia:……Serbian Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholic), Muslims. Fragile peace is holding, due only to the presence of peacekeepers.

Côte d’Ivoire:……Muslims, Indigenous, Christian. Following the elections in late 2000, government security forces “began targeting civilians solely and explicitly on the basis of their religion, ethnic group, or national origin. The overwhelming majority of victims come from the largely Muslim north of the country, or are immigrants or the descendants of immigrants…”
A military uprising continued the slaughter in 2002.

Cyprus:……Christians, Muslims. The island is partitioned,creating enclaves for ethnic Greeks (Christians) and Turks (Muslims). A UN peace keeping force is maintaining stability.

East Timor:……Christians, Muslims. A Roman Catholic country. About 20% of the population died by murder, starvation or disease after they were forcibly annexed by Indonesia (mainly Muslim). After voting for independence, many Christians were exterminated or exiled by the Indonesian army and army-funded militias in a carefully planned program of genocide and religious cleansing. The situation is now stable.

India:……Animists, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs. Various conflicts that heat up periodically producing loss of life.

Indonesia, province of Ambon:……Christians, Muslims. After centuries of relative peace, conflicts between Christians and Muslims started during 1999-JUL in this province of Indonesia. The situation now appears to be stable.

Iraq:……Kurds, Shiite Muslims, Sunni Muslims, western armed forces. By mid-2006, a small scale civil war, primarily between Shiite and Sunni Muslims started. The situation appears to be steadily degenerating.

Kashmir:……Hindus, Muslims. A chronically unstable region of the world, claimed by both Pakistan and India. The availability of nuclear weapons and the eagerness to use them are destabilizing the region further. More details Thirty to sixty thousand people have died since 1989.

Kosovo:……Serbian Orthodox Christians, Muslims. Peace enforced by NATO peacekeepers. There is convincing evidence of past mass murder by Yugoslavian government (mainly Serbian Orthodox Christians) against ethnic Albanians (mostly Muslim).

Kurdistan:……Christians, Muslims. Assaults on Christians (Protestant, Chaldean Catholic, Assyrian Orthodox).

Macedonia:……Macedonian Orthodox Christians, Muslims. Muslims (often referred to as ethnic Albanians) engaged in a civil war with the rest of the country who are primarily Macedonian Orthodox Christians. A peace treaty has been signed. Disarmament by NATO is complete.

Middle East:……Jews, Muslims, Christians. The peace process between Israel and Palestine suffered a complete breakdown. This has resulted in the deaths of thousands, in the ratio of three dead for each Jew. Major strife broke out in 2000-SEP. Major battle in Lebanon during mid-2006. No resolution appears possible.

Nigeria:……Christians, Animists, Muslims. Yourubas and Christians in the south of the country are battling Muslims in the north. Country is struggling towards democracy after decades of Muslim military dictatorships.

Northern Ireland:……Protestants, Catholics. After 3,600 killings and assassinations over 30 years, some progress has been made in the form of a ceasefire and an independent status for the country.

Pakistan:……Suni, Shi’ite Muslims. Low level mutual attacks.

Philippines:……Christians, Muslims. A low level conflict between the mainly Christian central government and Muslims in the south of the country has continued for centuries.

Russia,Chechnya:……Russian Orthodox Christians, Muslims. The Russian army attacked the breakaway region. Many atrocities have been alleged on both sides. According to the Voice of the Martyrs: “In January 2002 Chechen rebels included all Christians on their list of official enemies, vowing to ‘blow up every church and mission-related facility in Russia’.”

South Africa:……Animists, “Witches”. Hundreds of persons, suspected and accused of witches practicing black magic, are murdered each year.

Sri Lanka:……Buddhists, Hindus. Tamils (a mainly Hindu 18% minority) are involved in a war for independence since 1983 with the rest of the country (70% Sinhalese Buddhist). Hundreds of thousands have been killed. The conflict took a sudden change for the better in 2002-SEP, when the Tamils dropped their demand for complete independence. The South Asian Tsunami in 2004-DEC induced some cooperation. The situation in mid-2006 is degenerating.

Sudan:……Animists, Christians, Muslims. Complex ethnic, racial, religious conflict in which the Muslim regime committed genocide against both Animists and Christians in the south of the country. Slavery and near slavery were practiced. A ceasefire was signed in 2006-MAY between some of the combatants. Warfare continues in the Darfur region, primarily between a Muslim militia and Muslim inhabitants.

Thailand:……Buddhists, Muslims. Muslim rebels have been involved in a bloody insurgency in southern Thailand — a country that is 95% Buddhist. The army has seized power and has agreed to talks with the rebels.

Tibet:……Buddhists, Communists. Country was annexed by Chinese Communists in late 1950’s. Brutal suppression of Buddhism continues.

Uganda:…. Animists, Christians, Muslims. Christian rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army are conducting a civil war in the north of Uganda. Their goal is a Christian theocracy whose laws are based on the Ten Commandments. They abduct, enslave and/or raped about 2,000 children a year.

List: religioustolerance.org

“I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world.” ~Professor Richard Dawkins

Grow. Learn. Conserve. Preserve. Question. Denounce. Educate. Change. Free your mind.

EVOLVE

We are all works in progress. Even the slightest action will create ripples, then waves through time. We all have the ability to make a difference in this world. We can indeed, find unity.

Unity in Life | Unity in Conservation | Unity in acts of Preservation & Humanity.

Because religion has destroyed countries, beliefs and entire civilizations over the centuries, it is time for us to recognize that these gods [or God] and these goddesses have been our own creations, our own fabrications that were used to give us reason, explanation and false truth to the unexplained Universe that we call home. Shift the focus away from religion, away from greed and away from absolute power.

Truth is more fascinating than fiction; science and reason are more powerful than religion. Live a life of truth. Choose knowledge over fantasy.