Holy War?

      Where does the human instinct for religion come from (if that is what it is, an instinct). Now given that people around the world are often found to be religious and religion has always been with humanity, another question comes to my mind. Since people seem to be religious, why is that they cannot choose better religions. If you actually look at human religion it is too often nonsensical, aberrant, with religious documents that are cruel, sadistic, murderous war mongering things. This is true of the Bible, as anyone who has read its descriptions of excruciating tortures and its repetitive calls for genocidal slaughter would know. This is true of the Koran, another document which professes to be ‘the Word of God' and is peddled by preachers as some kind of ‘Holy Book'. Why is it that the Holy Books on this planet are so hostile to humanity and offer such profound offense to what some of us value as kind, good and simple ordinary decency in conduct.

      Now there are excuses galore offered to explain away the offense of so called ‘Holy Books'. The murderous fury of such books, and the constant calls to war fare and butchery are said to be ‘Holy Wars' (‘jihad' if you prefer) and the demonized victims of these cult documents are said to be evil, demonic sorts, and thus deserving of exactly what they are said to have received at the hands of the Holy Saints, the Chosen Ones of God, the Holy Warriors, as described in their ‘Holy Books'.

      Now it would be much more convincing to someone like me, someone who values ordinary decency, if rather than reading of the bloody, murderous rampages of maddened religious zealots recorded in detail in their so called Holy Books, well if I could read of the glorious rampages of a god and the glorious deeds of a god on the battlefield, this would be a lot more convincing evidence of the truthfulness of such accounts of holiness than the watching religious Holy Warriors take their feudal crusades to one country after another, as happens, and continues to happen on this sorry sorry excuse for a planet. Just think about it. The next time some god wanted a bunch of people slaughtered in a genocidal massacre, the religious saints could stay home, doing saintly things, rocking on their rocking chairs, maybe doing a little needlepoint or some other harmless activity, if that's what they were into, and meanwhile Allah could off his sorry hind end, and that useless Bible god could drag its sorry lazy backside off its throne, and those two could go out onto the battlefield and tear each other to pieces, rather than always sending for humans who bleed and die after all, and perpetually getting humans to do their disgusting and filthy business, instead of showing the wherewithal to do it themselves for a change. It would be a refreshing change of pace to see gods doing their own warring and slaughtering. It would be a different Bible and a different Koran if one could crack the covers and read of the mass murders of gods, the tortures of gods, and the jihads of gods, who, after all, if they are gods, should be able to kill a few million people no problem, or stone someone themselves, or burn someone at the stake themselves, leaving the saints to be saintly rather than torturers and murderers, which is what they were, or so they said if you read their homicidal holy books, which testify against them.

      Just where does this religion come from in the first place. Just what is the perverse attraction of its cruelty and violence? How does something so cruel, undesirable and wicked ever manage to get such a hammer lock on the human imagination in the first place? As I have mentioned previously, no religious zealot no matter what their name tag might say, would ever seriously consider asking a god to do its own warring. If it is war time then religious zealots go out slaughtering themselves, and write up the disgusting tale in gory detail, capturing their own blind stupidity in what they will then call ‘the Word of a God', leaving behind their cruel and bloodstained legacy to poison future generations who are also, apparently, to faithless and senseless to reason their way through a simple chain of logic and come to the obvious conclusion that something is just not right with this picture. Now the lewd conduct of religious heroes will be celebrated by the dogmatism of religion as ‘the Word of a god' but even so, while the word of a god might mean murder, torture, oppression, and theocratic tyranny, none of this proves to be the deed of a god, as gods require humans to do their killing for them. You know the ancient Greeks used to believe that the gods were perverts who enjoyed having sport with humans, and it would seem to me that this world's holy books offer up pretty much the same idea.

      Now let me assume that someone is reading this who comes from a far away land. I don't know what is going on where you are, but let me tell you what its like over here. The religious war zealots have been agitating for months for an attack on Iraq, the name of Iran has been tossed around. It is remarkable to me that the main focus of so called religious war hawking in this place has been directed almost exclusively at Muslims. Now granted, Christians make up only a marginal percentage of the population in these modern times, but they remain inordinately important. You see, take the president of the United States as an example. He was elected by only 25 per cent of the population, most Americans not even bothering to vote, being just that cynical and understanding full well after years and years of experience, that only a small powerful clique really matters, and basically whoever you vote for winds up serving their interests, the whole system having been rigged to produce just such a result. The Bible reading religious war zealots form only about 15 per cent of the population, but when you can get to be president with only 25 per cent of the vote, that 15 per cent really matters. Only 15 per cent of people vote in school board elections. This explains why school boards are some of the most reactionary institutions in American society. And it probably also explains why the U.S. president, using language of the second world war, just threatened the new ‘axis' powers of World War three, Iran, Iraq, and North Korea. Iran and Iraq have been on the wish list of the Christian crusaders in this country for months now, and I can only imagine how joyful they were to hear that, just as their ancestors marched off to Christian crusades, being pretty much the same type of people I must assume, and just as their bible heroes marched off to Holy War against the foreigners, being the ancestors of religious people, and a lot like them, as one would expect, and the author of religious books which religous people naturally enough continue to read to this very day. They also wanted an attack on the Palestinians, who are, after all, ‘Gog and Magog' hurting harmless and innocent little Israel, and they got that too.

      The ‘prophecy' they are working to fulfill in doing these things come from Jeremiah, a book composed of multiple sources (some prophet calls for an alliance of nations to attack Babylon, once located in Iraq, this particular prophet not being the type to trust in God, but rather the type to send humans to the slaughter house to achieve a political end). That being as it may, it is interesting to note that the nation that destroyed Babylon was Iran, once known as Persia, and with Iran on the schedule to get nailed this time, it makes one wonder how prophecy could ever fulfilled in this case (but never mind). As the tale goes, some god wanted the Jewish people to be free to sacrifice more goats in Jerusalem, and so, being a god after all, decided to send some prophet to go get the Persians and send them to the slaughterhouse so as to get that job done, this apparently being the first thought to pop into the mind of the almighty god when some people need to be free from tyranny. The delusional religious war zealots will of course fancy the image of that god striving and straining in the heat of horrific suffering and slaughter out on that Battlefield, working divine signs and wonders, causing arrows to go astray, or arrows to hit their targets, diverting bombs, and just generally helping out with things so that delusional tales of the many mercies and the awesome signs and wonders that god performed during the war can be told around by religious war zealots for years later, a characteristic of those who are very religious but lacking in simple reason and ordinary common sense.

      More prophecy also comes from Daniel, where one finds the prophecy of a great powerful goat speeding across the earth so fast that ‘its feet didn't touch the ground' and destroying both Iran and Iraq. If one reads this prophecy through it is interesting to note that immediately after its powerful victory and its gloating and glorying the powerful King from the west had his horn busted off and his kingdom crumbles to dust, this being something that religious people either ignore in their patriotic war fever, or they simply don't care, prophecy being prophecy after all, and gods not being much use for anything, after all, since they will have to labor to fulfill prophecies themselves, like certain prophets did, who seemed to think that when people need to be saved you go rally a bunch of nations for a war. Well let's put it this way. You wouldn't want to put any trust at all in a god now would you. I mean when the chips are down you don't put all your trust in a god now do you, gods being useless things after all, which even religious people know full well. They trust in their bombs, and their missiles, and later they will tell delusional stories of a god hovering over the field of slaughter directing and misdirecting missiles, miraculously saving people by stopping bullets and just generally making itself useful so that people can say that it was a jihad, a holy war, and a matter of great interest in god, as the evidence of the active participation of a god in their wars so clearly demonstrates, as proved by those senseless delusional stories they will tell about their wars. Their gods never show up for wars, but appear only starring roles in the stories they tell of the wars which they fought themselves.

      Yes, gods are useless things, good only for political and social purposes, you know, creating compliant masses who will support causes and send tithes and donations. Through it all marvels occur as gods help people overcome credit card debt, and heal marriages and send words of knowledge into the minds of true believers and just generally be miraculous all the time, well, unless the chips are really down, or people need to be saved from tyrants or something like that, in which case gods are useless, as even the most religious war zealot understands, and thus it is time to go get an army and go warring. Just try to suggesting to any religious war zealot that at a time like this they should not trust in their missiles and bombs and should not go warring but should trust completely in a god instead, and they will regard you as a maniac who gives worthless advice. Their god is completely useless, and they know it, and they consider any prophet who suggests trusting a god to be a raving lunatic, so corrupt and faithless is the religious soul at the end of the day. They consider gods to be useless and armies to be useful, as evidenced by the choices they make, and the documents they keep peddling as 'holy' which accurately reflect their true point of view, being documents written by people just like them, after all, and thus naturally being their first choice in reading material for that very reason. After the warring is over that god will become more useful again and heal more marriages or save someone from alcoholism and do other powerful signs and incredible wonders, the stories about which will be endless, these being the sorts of things that gods are good for, not being much good for anything else, especially when the going gets really tough and there is warring to do, warring being that sort of thing that gods prefer to watch from afar. The reasons for this remain unclear, since gods do not scream in pain, they do not die like little kids who were bombed from the air, they don't suffer and bleed and die and become some of that unfortunate ‘collateral damage' that religious zealots and others in favor of war will bemoan, before they get back to their lives, not being dead collateral damage themselves. Being tragically and unfortunately killed in a war is something that someone else will do, and if you are an atheist I suppose it makes one hundred times as sinful, since you just sent that kid or that woman or whoever it was to the eternal blackness during your war, which is unfortunate of course, but not unfortunate enough not to do it, right. Well you have to be pragmatic and just accept the fact that your a murderer, because that is the nature of reality. People are evil, and you, and the religious people and everyone else in this place is right up to their necks in it, but such is life, right.

      They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none that does good. God looks down from heaven upon humanity to see if there are any that are wise, that seek after God. They have all fallen away; they are all alike depraved; there is none that does good, no, not one.

      None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands, no one seeks for God. All have turned aside, together they have gone wrong; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave, they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood, in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes.

      They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none that does good. YAHWEH looks down from heaven upon humanity, to see if there are any that act wisely, that seek after God. They have all gone astray, they are all alike corrupt; there is none that does good, no, not one. Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon Yahweh? There they shall be in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous. You would confound the plans of the poor, but the LORD is their refuge.

      Do you indeed decree what is right, you saints? Do you judge humanity uprightly? Nay, in your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence on earth. They have venom like the venom of a serpent, like the deaf adder that stops its ear, so that it does not hear the voice of charmers or of the cunning enchanter.Then people will say, "Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth." Deliver me from my enemies, O my God, protect me from those who rise up against me, deliver me from those who work evil, and save me from the bloodthirsty.

      Hear a just cause, O YAHWEH; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit! From thee let my vindication come! Let thy eyes see the right! If thou triest my heart, if thou visitest me by night, if thou testest me, thou wilt find no wickedness in me; my mouth does not transgress. With regard to the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. My steps have held fast to thy paths, my feet have not slipped. I call upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O God; incline thy ear to me, hear my words. Wondrously show thy steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at thy right hand. Keep me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of thy wings, from the wicked who despoil me, my deadly enemies who surround me. They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly.

      They are like a lion eager to tear, as a lion lurking in ambush. Arise, O YAHWEH! confront them, overthrow them! Deliver my life from the sword of the wicked. As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with beholding thy form. I love thee, O YAHWEH, my strength. YAHWEH is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon YAHWEH, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

      Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. For insolent men have risen against me, ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before them. Selah Behold, God is my helper; YAHWEH is the upholder of my life.

      Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication! Attend to me, and answer me; I am overcome by my trouble. I am distraught3 by the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked who cherish enmity. And I say, "O that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; yea, I would wander afar, I would lodge in the wilderness, Selah I would haste to find me a shelter from the raging wind and tempest." Destroy their plans, O YAHWEH, confuse their tongues; for I see violence and strife on the planet. Day and night they go around it; and mischief and trouble are within it, ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud do not depart from it. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and God will hear my voice. God will deliver my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. God will give ear, and humble them, God who is enthroned from of old; because they keep no law, and do not fear God. Selah Their speech was smoother than butter, yet war was in their heart; their words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. But thou, O God, wilt cast them down into the lowest pit; men of blood shed shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in thee. Be gracious to me, O God, for men trample upon me; all day long foemen oppress me; my enemies trample upon me all day long, for many fight against me proudly. When I am afraid, I put my trust in thee. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust without a fear. What can flesh do to me? All day long they seek to injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil. They band themselves together, they lurk, they watch my steps. As they have waited for my life, so recompense them for their crime; in wrath cast down the peoples, O God! Thou hast kept count of my tossings; put thou my tears in thy bottle! Are they not in thy book? Then my enemies will be turned back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me. in God I trust without a fear. What can man do to me? Be merdiful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in thee my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of thy wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. I cry to God Most High, to God who fulfils his purpose for me. God will send from heaven and save me, and will put to shame those who trample upon me. Selah God will send forth steadfast love and faithfulness! I lie in the midst of lions that greedily devour humanity; their teeth are spears and arrows, their tongues sharp swords. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let thy glory be over all the earth! They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to thee, O YAHWEH, among the peoples; I will sing praises to thee among the nations. For thy steadfast love is great to the heavens, thy faithfulness to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let thy glory be over all the earth!

      Thou, LORD God of hosts, Awake to punish all the nations; spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah Each evening they come back, howling like dogs and prowling about the city. There they are, bellowing with their mouths, and snarling with their lips—for "Who," they think, "will hear us?" But thou, O LORD, dost laugh at them; thou dost hold all the nations in derision. O my Strength, I will sing praises to thee; for thou, O God, art my fortress.