Well, first, let me just say that if religion really is viewed with such universal disdain in Europe, it's different in the USA. Religion here is dominant to the point that non-religious politicians (well, actually, politicians who don't feign religion well enough) are virtually unelectable.
Yes, you've got a fact there. Religion in general is viewed very differently in some European parts; especially my country which has gotten progressively secular. They claim it to be a country free for any religion, but my personal experiences claim something very different.
Second, those imprisoned these days for religious beliefs are invariably put away by practitioners of another religion (i.e. Muslims imprisoning Christians or vice-versa). This, partly, is why religious people are sometimes called fanatics.
Religion versus religion, yes, but not only. In too many countries, the government barge in on religious practicioners and imprison them for either practicing their beliefs, or proselytizing. It's more common in dictatorship countries, but others have had this happen as well.
Third, people in the middle ages probably thought they were getting somewhere. "Gee, I'm sure glad we dumped those old pagan practices. Let us reclaim these lands for the glory of Godde!"
Well, yes, of course they did, otherwise they wouldn't have done it. Just as we nowadays act like we do, believing that what we do is right. But is it, just because we believe it to be?
This is the point I wished to bring forth, in a rather rushed and not-thought-through ranting. People tend to look back at the days of witch burning and terrorizing people into obedience by threatening with God's powers. And they think, "certainly we have progressed, in showing better respect for people in general, structurizing our community and the world we live in"...
I just can't agree with that. Maybe I live in a very small point of view, maybe I don't know half of what the world gives...but if anything, our way of living hasn't improved.
Yes, you've got a fact there. Religion in general is viewed very differently in some European parts; especially my country which has gotten progressively secular. They claim it to be a country free for any religion, but my personal experiences claim something very different.
Second, those imprisoned these days for religious beliefs are invariably put away by practitioners of another religion (i.e. Muslims imprisoning Christians or vice-versa). This, partly, is why religious people are sometimes called fanatics.
Religion versus religion, yes, but not only. In too many countries, the government barge in on religious practicioners and imprison them for either practicing their beliefs, or proselytizing. It's more common in dictatorship countries, but others have had this happen as well.
Third, people in the middle ages probably thought they were getting somewhere. "Gee, I'm sure glad we dumped those old pagan practices. Let us reclaim these lands for the glory of Godde!"
Well, yes, of course they did, otherwise they wouldn't have done it. Just as we nowadays act like we do, believing that what we do is right. But is it, just because we believe it to be?
This is the point I wished to bring forth, in a rather rushed and not-thought-through ranting. People tend to look back at the days of witch burning and terrorizing people into obedience by threatening with God's powers. And they think, "certainly we have progressed, in showing better respect for people in general, structurizing our community and the world we live in"...
I just can't agree with that. Maybe I live in a very small point of view, maybe I don't know half of what the world gives...but if anything, our way of living hasn't improved.
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