Knowledge Part 5:
It seems necessary at this point to examine further the use of reasoning to form religious or ethical beliefs. I think it starts with an observation that man is distinguished in the evolutionary process by the advanced ability to reason just as birds are distinguished by the ability to fly and fish to swim. All human societal advances have basically been achieved through the use of reason, not just blind acceptance of historical decrees by religious leaders. While religious or ethical beliefs are still beliefs, not facts, there is no real reason, it would seem, to not always seek to make religious and ethical conclusions logical. There are many examples of religious scripture in various faiths which become illogical with the passage of time as more and more is known about ourselves and the world in which we live. For any historical religious writings to be declared the REAL word of God, all the writing at a particular time would have to be able to stand the test of time-----that is, nothing in those scriptures can ever eventually be shown to be absurd, or simply wrong. For example, the earth is not flat, and stoning children for misbehaving are not beliefs anyone would take seriously today. The fact some of scripture is logically outdated and wrong does not make all scripture wrong, but it does eliminate, I think, labeling such scripture as the direct handiwork of God. Logic, the God given ability to reason, should prevail. One would have to believe God would dumb himself down to write partially true directives directed at select humans at any age, past or present.
When Jews and Christians push the notion that Jews are, or were, the chosen people of God, I find this rather absurd. If true, there would never have been a Holocaust, Christians would by now be in firm control of the whole world, and Christian or Jewish prayers would be answered right and left. If one observes the history of warfare over the centuries, always with God wrapped around the flag poles of opposing sides, one can only accept the absurdity of the whole scenario. It seems we humans always want to visualize God as looking like us, thinking like us, and needing us to win for Him this or that battle here on earth. Were it possible for this train of thought to lead us to any promised land, we would by now be there. Tribalized religion---complete with it's tribalized dress, tribalized rituals and tribalized titles---is a blueprint for conflict, for prejudice, and outdated dogma. In a truly globalized society, which seems more and more unavoidable, ethical or religious principles need to be universal and everywhere based on sound logical principles. In a heavily populated world, one in which no longer can any group be any isolated island, others have to count. The rationality of composite human thought, evolving over time, dictates certain notions of fairness as an expression of this rationality. Thus, whether it be called Christ's 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you', 'what goes around comes around', Terrell's 'fair is fair', 'I am my brother's keeper', etc.----these all reflect the same principle: a principle which is the basic element of ethics and the core of all religions. This is not something transmitted from one people to another, or from one religion to others, but an understanding inherent in our human nature as rationale, ever evolving species of the created evolutionary process. To be missing this inherent rationale is to be mentally defective---a psychopath. Psychopaths, by definition, do not understand right from wrong.
There is no need to disrespect or denounce the historical great prophets or religious leaders of the past anymore than one would disrespect or denounce the historical great leaders in science or other disciplines just because they had limited understanding of their subject matter at the time. To dig in with any understandings, to refuse to ever change a belief, is to deny the God given ability for humans to use reason to better themselves and the world in which they live. Part of the beauty of the created evolutionary process, as it pertains to the human species, is the ability, over time, to increase, through reasoning, our knowledge and understandings in all areas, including our religious beliefs. A belief, by definition, is still a belief---which dictates the irrationality of attacking someone else for their religious beliefs. Religious hostilities and wars are de facto absurdities. I have never seen the commandment not to kill (except for defending yourself) which is present in all religions, listed with an * denoting that it is ok to kill people, preferably in great numbers, if their religious beliefs are not properly lined up. No sane reasoning could lead to such a conclusion.
