How Civilized Are We? -- Religion

Man the self-deceiver

It may truly be amazing to some that in these days and age modern man still seems to believe in such imaginary beings as God, gods, angels, devils, demons, ghosts, souls, etc. -- all conjured up by primitive man during the infancy of the human race.

The truth, however, is that no one who is sane and sensible really believes in his heart of hearts such abject nonsense. It is just a hypocrisy or at worst a self-deception. Their behavior in the serious matters of life and death shows they are just paying lip service and acting it out while sticking to the dictates of reality in practice.

Religions are mostly primitive cultures and a way of life based on the belief in the existence and involvement of so-called supernatural beings -- spooks in common parlance -- in our everyday life. Religions are cultural, emotional, social and psychological affairs, generally cobbled together by lying and deceiving gurus who claim familiarity with these spooks. 

The most important thing to note about religions is that they have nothing whatsoever to do with reality, facts, truth and reason. Also, the common denominator of all religions is the virtual worship of a guru who is really the maker, mentor, minder and "spokesman" of spooks in the first place.

The so-called believers are living a lie. Besides the three international pop religions, there are thousands of other religions out there keeping a low profile. Each religion considers itself to be the "one true religion" and sometimes goes to war against other religions to prove their superiority. 

Now, how can one consider a society or a nation based on a culture of lies, make-believe, myths, self-deception and primitive customs as being civilized -- even if it's all pretended?

If truth, knowledge, worldly wisdom, maturity and sophistication of thought are some of the principal components of true civilization then we have failed miserably since truth implies conformity with reality and facts while religions are notorious for their emphasis on blind faith and unquestioning beliefs.

So can we abolish religion? Yes, if we can abolish human nature and superstition!

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Religion was invented when the first con man met the first fool.
-- Mark Twain.

There is nothing more important than appearing to be religious.
― Niccolò Machiavelli

The whole history of civilization is strewn with creeds and institutions which were invaluable at first, and deadly afterwards.
-- Walter Bagehot

Men become civilized, not in proportion to their willingness to believe, but in proportion to their readiness to doubt.
-- H.L. Mencken, as quoted in James A. Haught's 2000 Years of Disbelief

Religion is all bunk.
-- Thomas Edison

"The world holds two classes of men -- intelligent men
 without religion, and religious men without intelligence."
-- Abu'l-Ala-Al-Ma'arri (Syrian poet, 973-1057)

Religion is a weapon of mass delusion. (Me)

The origin and purpose of religion arose from mankind's attempt to understand himself and the mysterious and terrifying world around him.-- (Me)

Religion is the spiritual grog of the masses. (Me)