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Uber-Religion
An all-inclusive belief structure to end religiously fuelled conflict! | |
It seems to me that a lot of conflict and violence is perpetuated through the misuse of religion. People empowered through ‘divinity’ can do both wonderful, and ghastly things.
One possible solution to religious conflict is the abolition of religion. This, in my view, is unfavourable as it destroys
individual cultures and customs and will lead to a boring, homogeneous world. My solution is a paradox: end religious conflict using religion!
This is how it works. Optimistically, if a group of theologians and scholars can think of a number of traits common to all religions and form a plausible belief structure from these, then a super-religion can be formed. All existing religions can be maintained, but as a sub-class of this super-religion. Therefore, all religions are fundamentally one religion. In this way, people will realise that regardless, we all share common traits, and can focus on these as opposed to the differences. At the same time, (because the details of the sub-class religion are maintained), individual cultures and customs are not wiped out or homogenised.
Most people will would agree that saying “can’t we all just get along” works just as well as creating a complicated hierarchy of belief structures. This half-baked idea however is for the people who are reliant on doctrine and, for whatever reason need to be told what to think by an authoritative source.
Custard Cult
http://www.halfbake...idea/Custard_20Cult
A similar idea, but with added custard. [Aristotle, Jun 26 2001]
Wisdom of the Willow
http://www.india-to...010604/books2.shtml
A review of a classic book about civilisation and cricket. [Aristotle, Jun 26 2001]
Bahai World
http://www.bahai.org
Official website of the Bahai faith. [Uncle Nutsy, Jun 26 2001]
Unitarians
http://www.unitarian.org.uk/unitsec1.htm
"Love All, Serve All." [jutta, Jun 26 2001]
The Wiccan Rede
http://pagan.drak.n...athomas/wiccae.html
[Susen, Jun 26 2001]
Satanism philosophies
http://www.faqs.org...gions/satanism/cos/
about 1/2 way down the page [Susen, Jun 26 2001]
Prospect Magazine: Gerin oil addiction
http://www.prospect...details.php?id=7036
Richard Dawkin's speaks out about the hazards of Gerin Oil. [bristolz, Sep 29 2005]
[link]
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Taoists would get very upset if you said that they were reliant on doctrine ... |
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History suggests that if two religions are absolutely identical except for one totally inconsequential detail, that detail will be the excuse for one to attempt to eliminate the other. |
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I applaud your goal, but I think the problem lies not in adherents' adherence to doctrine (which is perhaps a more serious problem than you may estimate), but in the fact that, as you state, the problem is *mis-use* of religion. I do not know of any major religion (including Islam, and I believe also Wicca and even perhaps Satanism) whose doctrine actually condones the abuses you (and I) lament. But religion is a powerful tool, and those who want to destroy or to oppress have been all too willing to use it. I fear this would remain the case even with the existence of an uber-religion. |
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I did a search on this subject and a more obvious solution presents itself. The British Empire is now finished transforming itself into the the Commonwealth but one thing still unites it, even in the face of religious divides such as that between Indian and Pakistan. I'm talking about Cricket. |
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All we need now is for rogue countries to adopt Cricket as a national sport and both civilization and world peace would start to take place. I note that even America is learning how to play now. |
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This is sorta like Bahai, which believes that all religions spring from the same divine source and are all reflections of one true religion. |
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This one true religion is not necessarily Bahai, either; Bahai's big contribution to the one true religion is the revelation that all religions are in fact one. |
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(People often bend doctrines to their will and use religion as a vehicle for their own ends. I always felt that the higher or more deified the leader, the more subservant he/she should be towards his/her constituents. I often witness the opposite, regardless of religion, political function, etc.) |
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That said, this is a WIBNI of the tallest order. |
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This was very nearly baked by the Moghul emperor Akbar (d.1605AD), who appointed himself high priest of all the religions in his empire (most of northern India) and forbade religous persecution on pain of death. |
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On waugsqueke's point - I'd give ea big recommendation to anyone to read "Skinny Legs and All" by Tom Robbins. Great book - deep, entertaining, touching and slighty surreal all at the same time. Oh, and it's about the conflict between Islam and Chrisitanity, in case you're wondering why I mentioned it!Well mostly...
...in fact, it strikes me as being a very 'half-bakery' kind of book. |
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This is baked... if there were one world religion, Christians would believe the end was coming... so watch out for Santa, uh Satan...god, what the? |
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The solution is a religion such as the one I've founded. The KUU is a non-belief system, there by cancelling out conflict. We also have as our second non-commandment 'You can laugh' making us immune to mockery.
If God (or as we would have it 'Yhe KUU - The Knowing Unknowable Universe) had meant us to be so serious about matters we know nothing about why did he make us the only creatures on the planet with a sense of humour? |
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Correct me if I'm wrong (and I'm sure someone will), but it seems to me like the only things common to all religions (that I know at least a little about) seem to be only these two: The belief that their religion is the one true religion, which can cause various amounts of conflict, and there is some sort of higher being or order that humans are a part of. Even with all the religions united, there would still be fighting, as the different religions would then want to be still the only one. I think the only real solution to religious conflict is the removal of all religion (probably what will happen in a few hundred years when we figure out how the universe works, how we came to be, etc.) |
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We will never figure out 'how the universe works' etc. Mystery I believe is essential to our emotional and intellectual well being.
The KUU embraces mysteries seeing them as, directly or indirectly, the inspiration for all art and music.
As you say, the problem lies with the religions who claim they have the answer.
The KUU non-religion says: |
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Entertains the possibility
and the possibility
will entertain you. |
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KUU? Most of the time, religions help people live good lives by encouraging fellowship, charity and morality. A non-absolute faith probably couldn't keep people from sinning. |
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Religion does not fuel conflict, it excuses it. |
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WIBNI. I see no idea here other than stapling religious doctrine together and tearing out the duplications. As each religious code of ethics itself contains contradictions, I don't see how uniting them all would work. |
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In Iraq for example, there are both Sunni and Shi'a muslims and they don't get along very well. I know a reasonable amount about Islam and have had the subleties explained to me on occasion, and I have no idea what the difference between their beliefs is, or why it is worth fighting about, other than the exact origins are slightly different. |
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