@Oscar @WebMaster @waz @WAJsal
Please close this thread if the discussion on the captioned topic is against forum policies. I am skirting the line here but hope the debate is constructive and add somes perspective to muddled thought process many of us have.
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Introduction
We have all been appalled by the acts of terrorism, murder, rape, genocide etc committed in the name of religion. No religion is untouched by the crimes committed by their practitioners in it's name. We have had Paedophile priests, Islamic terrorists and Hindu genocidal mobs in times we live in.
All this perhaps creates a situation that the it is not the religion which defines it's followers but often followers defining their religion. So the goodness of Islam is warped by a fraction of misguided adherents, plurality and inclusivism of Hinduism lay forgotten because of it's demagogic leaders and Kindness of Christianity is undone by zealousness and cruelty of it's practitioners.
The good is so overshadowed by evil that we forget about the likes of Gandhis and Mother Teresa both
@Devout practitioners. We forget that the noblest deeds, the most virtuous efforts in Human History have also been made in the name of religion.
At this stage one is forced to ask -
What is it about religion that it inspires such cruelty as well as such kindness? How can the same fount of religion can be used to justify terrorism as well as altruism
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Dogma - A critique
All religions at their core are Dogmatic. For those who don't understand what it means - Simplest example is that the Dogma is something you can't deny. For Islam it would the singularity of God, for Hindus it could be belief in reincarnation, for Christians it could be virginity of Mary.
The above are benign examples of Dogma but religion also contains certain dogmatic cores which brings one group in direct conflict with the other. A true Adherent of Islam can perhaps be in conflict with Ahmedis, A Vaishanvite can be in conflict with Shaivite, a Protestant with Catholic. These are just examples of internal conflicts. External ones have much greater scope.
It is the dogma which demagogues use to brainwash the terrorists like ISIS and Al-Quaeda - implying that it is word of the God that you wage Jihad on Non Muslims, It is the word of the God that you kill Shias. In Hinduism it was the dogma which led to centuries long oppression and exploitation of Dalits. Some Christians still use Christianity to justify slavery and racism.
Dogma based approach to religion is not about bettering oneself but following of rules and scriptures. It instills among the adherents the need to
impose their version of truths on others. It creates an exclusivist mentality. It creates the need to prove others wrong to prove oneself right. In short Dogma may at sometimes lie in direct conflict with morality
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Conclusion
The time has come to reform the static parts of the religious morality as the world cannot sustain itself much longer with all modern tools of destruction at hand which will be used if dogmatic beliefs of supremacy of one set of principles over others is to persist.
I am not a religious scholar - and the purpose of this thread is to not to deliver a lecture. PDF is fortunate enough to bring together people from all faiths and nationalities to a common platform. So I hope we can discuss if we can introduce enough flexibilities and leeway in the way religion is preached and practiced and may be take steps towards removing dogmatic principles which brings us in conflict.
Towards this end I will pose certain questions without malice for any religion
- Do you believe that your religion allows for other faiths to be practiced without censure and with tolerance
- Do you believe religion should be static or it should reform itself to adapt with modern sensibilities
- Does the required reform clash with founding principles of your religion
- If reforms are possible what would it entail and how do you suggest one begin
- How does one stop the misuse of religious dogma by terrorists to justify their action
@Joe Shearer @niaz @Levina @MarkusS @Chinese-Dragon
