Rolling on Hot Air: Part 2

Religion is an easy target when aiming at unquestioning tragedy. Sometimes it seems as if extreme faith is alone in the bulldozing of reason. Thoughtless actions, however, have no religion.

Most people within the United States should be aware of the Oklahoma City bombings. It is hard to imagine that 168 people, including children, died because Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols believed that fighting the government was worth any cost.5 The key emotion here is fear. Fear that the government would take over and rule everyone’s lives. That fear caused so many deaths, and those deaths tainted any message they might have tried to send. With so many different mediums of communication, such use of violence is unnecessary.

But, they thought mass murder would be louder, so they slaughtered.

Blind beliefs do not always lead to violence. But it usually has victims anyway. Racism, while not as destructive or as prevalent as it used to be, still wounds. Segregation, while not supported legally any more, is still socially imposed.6 Such obstinate beliefs are built of ignorance, and keep people that might otherwise contribute greatly to society from gaining the means to do so. Such contributions might have even helped those who are committing the evil of racism.

But, people hate anyway.

More insidious are the views that do not seem so dangerous. Some people believe that religion is at the heart of all the evil in the world, and therefore wish to destroy it. In view of recent events, it is hard to argue that religion is purely benevolent. What seems to escape those who hate religion, however, is that religion is ultimately a tool. Some people use it to guide them, helping those in need. Many churches are connected to the giving of aid to people who need it. Some use religion as a cover for their own materialistic desires. The cases of sexual harassment committed by pedophilic priests are widely known. Religion has the potential to be good or bad, depending on how it is used. The wish to eliminate something for fear of it is still hate. Hating all religions is still intolerance, no matter how it is colored. Intolerance has the potential to be incredibly dangerous, and is almost always hurtful.

It is therefore extremely important to question any belief. The belief might seem innocuous to the one who holds it, but questioning the belief is necessary to understanding it. In the case of more controversial convictions, questioning might save lives. In the case of faith, it is even more important to query, as such will build and strengthen one’s own religion. Without looking inward, all that screaming faith is a bunch of hot air.

Citations

5) "Oklahoma City bombing." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 15 Sep. 2009 .

6) "Racial segregation in the United States." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, 16 Sept. 2009. Web. 20 Sept. 2009. .