Quote:
Originally Posted by Neapolitan
Lets see you just insulted Jacob, Jesus and Mohamed, their respective religions and observes of those religions in one fell swoop, and for what?
|
To break that absurd taboo according to which all religious figures are, by definition, more "respectable" than the rest of human beings (past, present and future) on this planet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Neapolitan
(...) so 1 depends on 2 - I don't see why you think there is a distinction between the two.
|
I was stating a general approach to the matter. That is, from a global point of view, not necessarily religious. I mean, the main question was: why would
anyone (religious or not) follow those principles? And my aim was to contrast
moral autonomy with
blind obedience.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Neapolitan
Really I don't get your reference of "a goathers-village's local boss," maybe you mean Abraham, but it also could be Jacob who is associated with sheep since he took care of Laban's herd, it isn't as sardonic as the others (maybe it is maybe it isn't), but anyway your knowledge of Judaism (the Bible) is wanting, the two people whom were given the law were Noah and Moses, not Abraham or Jacob.
|
It doesn't matter. I just wanted to remark the eminently rustic nature of the three Abrahamic religions'
origin.
Peoples create their religion
in their own image and likeness. And the historical and geographical context play a key role here. People's knowledge of the physical world has a reflection on their religious world. Thus, a narrow husbandry geographic area corresponds with a narrow and simplistic religious view.
"On Earth as it is in Heaven"
Exactly.
On Earth as it is in Heaven. Or
In Heaven as it is on Earth. Or in other words: in religion (and therefore in morals) as it is on the land. Physical sheeps projected on
moral sheeps. Sheep. The stupid animal par excelence, who always needs to be guided. Only suitable for
blind obedience. - "
Abraham, kill your son!" - "
At your orders, my Lord!"
As an opposition, the Greek Civilization. Explored the entire Mediterranean Basin:
Comparatively speaking, an immense richness of knowledge on diverse lands, peoples and cultures. Therefore, a complex and elaborated mythology, as a highly refined cultural creation.
The Iliad,
The Odyssey, Aeschylus, Euripides and Sophocles' tragedies, etc. Complex characters immersed in a complex web with complex moral dilemmas, in a wide range of psychological and ethical descriptions. And even nowadays we can extract valuable philosophical teachings from those ancient Greek texts (see, for instance, Martha Nussbaum's essays on the subject).
The hero Prometheus stole fire (symbol of knowledge) from Zeus and gave it to men. And Ulysses represents the achievement of
moral autonomy. -"
I, god of the Sea, condemn you to wander around the World for your lifetime." -"
Go f*ck yourself, Poseidon. I'll return to Ithaca." And Ulysses returned to Ithaca, indeed.
In short: Greek heroes
rebel against the gods in pursuit of truth and freedom. On the contrary, the three "
religions of the book" establish
submissive and conformist models of moral behaviour.
Quote:
"Now that I look back, I realize that a life predicated on being obedient and taking orders is a very comfortable life indeed. Living in such a way reduces to a minimum one's own need to think."
Adolf Eichmann, nazi criminal. Die Welt (memoirs).
|
Threaded Mode