The Problem With Absolutist Religions

Deuteronomy 12:1 + These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth. Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.

We hardly need to mention Catholics. The Inquisition, where Catholics murdered countless people in their own nation for not succumbing to their dogma, and the Crusades, where the Catholics slaughtered people in other nations because they wouldn't become Catholic. Millions of people, some say as high as 16 million, ordered to die by Catholic Popes. An appropriate quote is in order. How about one from Pope Clement VIII against the Jews.

"All the world suffers from the usury of the Jews, their monopolies and deceit. They have brought many unfortunate people into a state of poverty, especially the farmers and the working class people and the very poor. Then, as now, Jews have to be reminded intermittently anew that they were enjoying rights in any country since they left Palestine and the Arabian desert, and subsequently their ethical and moral doctrines as well as their deeds rightly deserve to be exposed to criticism in whatever country they happen to live.

But what of other Christians? Aren't they more peaceful? Here is Martin Luther, the father of Prostestanism, another Christian who hated Jews.

"What then shall we Christians do with this damned rejected race of Jews? First, their synagogues or churches should be set on fire ... secondly, their homes should likewise be broken down and destroyed ... They ought to be put under one roof or in a stable like gypsies. Thirdly, they should be deprived of their prayer books and Talmud in which such idolatry, lies, cursing. and blasphemy are taught. Fourthly, their rabbis must be forbidden under threat of death to teach any more ... Fifthly, passport and travelling privileges should be absolutely forbidden to Jews ... Sixthly, they ought to be stopped from usury. All their cash and valuables of silver and gold should be taken from them and put aside for safe keeping. Seventhly, the young and the strong Jews and Jewesses should be given the flail, the axe, the hoe, the spade, the distaff, and spindle, and let them earn their bread by the sweat of their noses as is enjoined upon Adam's children ..."

Pat Robertson, in more current times, also takes a dim view of Jews. The infighting among similar religions indicates the venom they would bring to those not of either faith.

"The New Testament reveals that Jews both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and they persecute us, and they please not God, and are contrary to all men," announced Robertson.

History records the terrible suffering the Jews have experienced due to their continued persecution by Christians.

Women too are subjects of scorn in the bible. Weak, sinful, supposed to be subservient to their husbands, unclean because they menstruate and give birth. Many Christian leaders still proclaim that women are not designed by god, nor entitled to the franchises in society to which men are entitled. A quote from our past President Ronald Reagan before communism fell of its own weight in Russia.

"Everything is falling into place. It can't be too long now. Ezekiel says that fire and brimstone will be rained upon the enemies of god's people. That must mean they'll (Russia) be destroyed by nuclear weapons ... Gog, the nation that will lead all of the other powers of darkness against Israel, will come out of the north ... Gog, must be Russia ... now that Russia has set itself against god ... it fits the description of Gog perfectly."

We become concerned when religious fanatics become leaders in Moslem nations. We need to be concerned with the dangers we would face should religion take root in our government. The quotes above are from people no different than the ones who try to inject themselves into positions of power and the only weapon we have to stop them is the vote. These quotes are not in absentia, they are the attitudes expressed over and over again by religious leaders and through the centuries they have not changed, not softened. If the relgious ever gain control of the nation, it will plunge us into the darkest period of humanity since the Catholics plunged us into the dark ages by destroying the knowledge, science, and mythology of the pre-christian era. It took centuries before science came back to the world. It must never be allowed to happen again.