"DON'T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE WASH WATER"

POST 105

Hi,

This blogger was taught to never discuss religion or politics in polite??????????company. Whatever polite company was encountered over the years turned out to be rooted traditionalists. Traditional is not a dirty word. It is part and parcel of what all of us seek, some sooner, some later. But it is not only youth who want to throw the "baby out with the wash water" and traditionalism out with modernism.

Many of the traditional delights of living are built around holidays, some religious, some political, some emotional. These things are often the social sides of religious faith and patriotism. As modern living has evolved these attitudes have come under fire as old fashioned, poisonous, ritualistic, costly, ineffectual and irrational by the New Atheists and One-Worlders.

Is it just this blogger's view or do people these days feel that they have to destroy the "best of something" in order to present a new theory about it?????????? Or is it just any cohesive force is just plain SCARY to those outside the group. GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!!!! IF WHAT YOU ARE PETITIONING FOR IS STRONG AND RIGHT, IT CAN STAND THE ESTABLISHED COMPETITION!!!!! Take a simple proof. THE INTERNET which has all but defeated ENTRENCHED media in all forms PERHAPS TO OUR DETRIMENT.

Suddenly the media including the Internet is beginning to hear from dedicated atheists that religion has PERHAPS SERVED A PURPOSE IN SOCIETY!!!!!!!!!FANCY THAT. Religion is being cited as having had a cohesive effect that brings out the BEST IN PEOPLE by PROMOTING MORALITY, HONESTY, INSPIRATION, LOVE, AND GRATITUDE.

ALAIN de BOTTON, whom this blogger finds to be a bright light among MODERN PHILOSOPHERS, has written a book called "Religion for Atheists" in which he finds that many who are "left cold by doctrines of the Christian Trinity and the Buddhist Eightfold Path...." may "at the same time be interested in the ways in which religions deliver sermons, promote morality, engender a spirit of community, make use of art and architecture, inspire travels, train minds, and encourage gratitude at the beauty of spring."

de Botton states that "The error of modern atheism has been to overlook how many aspects of the faiths remain relevant even after their central tenets have been dismissed.”

It is interesting as well that in modern times ONE-WORLDERS fail to understand the sense of NATIONAL COMMUNITY NECESSARY FOR CITIZENS TO PRODUCE AND THRIVE. It is all well and good to want to extend a hand to the world but WHO IS THERE TO SHAKE IT OR SALUTE IT, AS THE CASE MAY BE.

WE ARE INDEED ALL PART OF THE WORLD BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY PART OF A FAMILY, A NEIGHBORHOOD, A COMMUNITY, A TERRITORY, AND A NATION. THESE CATEGORIES ALLOW PEOPLE TO FEEL THE NECESSARY ADVANTAGES OF SOCIAL HARMONY, GROUP EFFORT, AND THE SUCCESS OF ETHICAL AND MORAL CONDUCT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE GROUP. THE WORLD IF YOU WILL!!!!! THESE ELEMENTS, BOTH IN RELIGION AND PATRIOTISM, OFFER PEOPLE A CHANCE TO COOPERATE WITH EACH OTHER WITHOUT BEING KINSMEN which then extends outwards limitlessly.

As an issue of economics, the rituals of Church and State provide tremendous avenues and REVENUES for the creation of art, music, architecture, science, technology and all the myriad creative efforts that come through a community of peoples working and achieving lasting goals based on both heaven and Earth.

The CREATIVE are MORE OFTEN INFLUENCED BY THOUGHTS OF A HIGHER POWER, A HIGHER INTELLIGENCE, A GREATER GOAL FOR GOOD, for ART THAT WILL WITHSTAND THE TESTS OF TIME AND CHANGE.

THESE EFFORTS HAVE TO BE ROOTED IN WHAT IS KNOWN AND UNKNOWN AS WELL AS WHAT IS DISCOVERED OR INVENTED. THESE EFFORTS DEMAND A COHESIVE SOCIETY which may EVEN be tested by attempting to break it apart to establish its rightness or wrongness by the most creative movers and shakers.

When ONE speaks of the goal of good to all HUMANITY AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF EQUALITY AND GOOD FOR ALL PEOPLES, IT IS PUTTING ONESELF DIRECTLY IN A POSITION OF BEING A HIGHER POWER. None of us can hope to provide that kind of existence without becoming a DEMIGOD and by so doing actually DESTROYING the INTENDED GOOD.

Bringing good to the lives of others is a group effort and the CHURCH AND STATE HAVE certainly stood in the FOREFRONT OF THAT EFFORT FOR A LONG TIME. EACH INDIVIDUAL who BECOMES PART OF THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN THE EFFORT TO PROMOTE WELL BEING, MAKES THE POSSIBILITIES ENDLESS.

However, DESTRUCTION OF THE BELIEF IN DIVINE JUSTICE IN AN UNJUST WORLD MAY BACKFIRE on those who would do so in the hope of controlling minds for the GREATER GOOD. Sacrifice, bravery in the face of duty, resolve in carrying out odious tasks, all elements of morality, and the invisible ties that bind communities CAN DISAPPEAR ALMOST OVERNIGHT and UNDERMINE ANY EFFORT TO PROMOTE GOOD AND ALLEVIATE POVERTY.

Thus far, those who would promote a destruction of religion and a destruction of patriotism have been fortunate. THEY HAVE, AS THEY SAY, BEAT IT WITH A STICK BUT haven't KILLED IT. The very tenets of both religion and patriotism even among those who deny both have served to maintain a COHESIVE AND STURDY COMMUNITY that if not totally effective is at least shoring up until the THREAT OF ANNIHILATION is DIMINISHED.

This blogger's question has been and will continue to be WHY MUST SOCIETY ALWAYS DESTROY THE GOOD WITH THE BAD?????????? The attitude of the New Atheists in reluctantly admitting some good in Religion may just be a step in the right direction!!!!!!!! Let's see if the One-Worlders can open up to the idea of the good in patriotism!!!!! We can hope so.

Cheers, Connie