Religion: Source of Terror or Peace?
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Presentation given at the Interfaith Symposium in Milton ON, Nov 16, 2011
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Religion: Source of Terror or Peace?
- 1. Dr. Kevin Saldanha Source of Terror or Peace?
- 2. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 3. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 4. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 5. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 6. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 7. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 8. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 9. Map showing relative importance of religion by country. Based on a 2006-2008 worldwide survey by Gallup. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 10. from the Latin verb terrere meaning "to frighten“ Verb:Make (someone) afraid or anxious. Deter someone or something from involvement or action by making them afraid…. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 11. Fear is a distressing negative sensation induced by a perceived threat. Universal – Biochemical Fear Individualized – Emotional Fear The top ten fears were, in order: terrorist attacks, spiders, death, being a failure, war, heights, criminal or gang violence, being alone, the future, and nuclear war. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 12. Fear of death is tied into religious belief Religious beliefs are highly personalized It has roots in fear of the unknown People who are highly intelligent and inquisitive are often at greater risk As are those who are questioning their own philosophical or religious beliefs. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 13. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 14. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 15. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 16. FROM BIOLOGICAL DEATH SPIRITUAL DEATH DIVINE PUNISHMENT Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 17. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 18. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 19. Inner peace refers to a state of being mentally and spiritually at peace Being "at peace" is considered by many to be healthy and the opposite of being stressed or anxious. Peace of mind is generally associated with bliss, happiness and contentment. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 20. “The question of real, lasting world peace concerns human beings, so basic human feelings are also at its roots. Through inner peace, genuine world peace can be achieved. In this the importance of individual responsibility is quite clear; An atmosphere of peace must first be created within ourselves, then gradually expanded to include our families, our communities, and ultimately the whole planet.” Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 21. http://www.visionofhumanity.org Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 22. http://www.visionofhumanity.org Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 23. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 24. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 25. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 26. Health: Life expectancy at birth (in years). Quality-of-life index Family life: Divorce rate (per 1,000 population), 8.000 - 8.999 Community life: Rate of church attendance or trade-union 7.201 - 7.999 membership 6.000 - 7.200 Material well being: GDP per person 5.000 - 5.999 Political stability and security: 4.000 - 4.999 Climate and geography: Latitude, to distinguish between 3.000 - 3.999 warmer and colder climates. No Data Job security: Unemployment rate Political freedom: Political and civil liberties. Gender equality: Male and female earnings. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 27. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 28. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 29. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 30. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 31. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 32. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 33. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 34. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 35. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
- 37. Dr. Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director, Humanist Canada
Editor's Notes
- Dear Maqbool, fellow speakers, honoured guests and patrons, I am really very happy to have been invited back to this interfaith symposium to present a secular humanist perspective on the topic of Religion and it’s effects.As mentioned in the introduction, I am a veterinarian by profession , a vegetarian by dietary choice and a Secular Humanist by the confidence I have in the scientific method. I am not a preacher so I will have to rely on technology to help me convey my message. >>>Although there are gaps in our knowledge, science is the only universal way we can gather credible information about the systems around us. It helps us develop technology that makes our lives easier and longer with less suffering. It also helps us learn from the past to predict the future. It has helped us understand that through the process of evolution, we are an integral part of the biodiversity of this planet.How we proceed over the next few decades will convey a legacy of either terror or peace on our descendents for which we will be responsible. In other words, whether we leave them a >>> “hell of a mess” to clean up or a >>> “heavenly sanctuary” free of strife will depend on the individual choices we make in our lives today. Will Religion help or hinder that quest remains to be seen.I will start by defining Religion and establishing it’s distribution around the worldThen I will attempt to describe how Religion creates anxiety as well as calm in the individual using Christianity as a modelAnd lastly I will provide some data on communities around the world and allow you to draw your own conclusions.
- Let us start by examining the main words posed in the title of this discussion… Religion, Terror and Peace.>>>Old Latin word religio meaning "taboo, restraint." or "respect for what is sacred, reverence for the gods," >>>It may come from the two words re and ligare. Re is a prefix meaning "return," and ligare means "to bind;" in other words, "return to bondage“ or “re-connect”. That which binds people together, as in a community, or a “bond between humans and gods.">>>There is yet another term religare which means to “read again” or reflect on the written word as in “Lecture”, "go over again" or "consider carefully">>>Or it could mean “to take care of” as opposed to “neglect”The general usage to mean “a particular system of faith" was first recorded in the 13th Century.The modern sense of “worship of a higher, unseen power“ has been in general usage from 16th Century.
- Just so that we are all on the same page, I will quickly state the standard components of Religion>>>It is a belief in something greater than oneself, usually supernatural>>>A reverence for the sacred and disdain for the profane.>>>Rites and ritual acts focused on sacred objects, people and places.>>>A written moral code believed to have a supernatural basis.>>>A sense of fervour or inspiration aroused during the practice of ritual.>>>Prayer, invocations and communication with the supernatural with expectation of intervention.>>>A comprehensive worldview of the individual’s place in the universe.>>>Organization of one’s life based on the world view.>>>A social community bound together to the exclusion of others
- There are less than half-a-dozen major religions in the world with the modern Abrahamic monotheisms accounting for more than half the religious adherents around the globe today.The Eastern traditions , of which Hinduism, Chinese folk religions and Buddhism are the predominant ones make up another quarter of worlds population with the irreligious, comprising of Agnostics and Atheists, contributing 1/5.
- In absolute numbers, as you can see from this chart, almost 6 billion of the worlds 7 billion people follow some sort of belief system with the main 5 (>>>in the first column) accounting for about 5 billion. Interestingly, Judaism which gave rise to Christianity and Islam retains less than 5% of the monotheistic followers. The concepts of a single divine deity were adopted from Egyptian theology of the single Sun God – Ra and the accompanying belief of the soul surviving the death of the body to journey onwards in the after-life.The remaining billion are divided between various other faiths but fully over a billion people today consider themselves non-religious with about 10-15 % of them actively denying a supernatural power. I belong to this latter group so today I will limit my presentation to the internal turmoil religion presents to it’s followers and how this affects society.In this quest, I will use my knowledge of Christianity and specifically Roman Catholicism which was the religion I was baptized into as an infant and which I chose to leave after I found it impossible to reconcile my knowledge with what it required me to believe. So I apologize in advance if I seem to dwell on the Catholic version of Christianity since that is the religion I am most familiar with but in no way a theological expert.The following series of images quickly establishes the global distribution of the main religions I have describe here.
- The Eastern religious traditions can either be traced back to Hinduism or Daoism and have remained confined to the south-east area of the Asian continent.
- The Abrahamic monotheisms tracing their evolution to the ancient (now extinct) Egyptian worship of the Sun. Incidently, Egypt today is predominantly Muslim with a small but powerful Coptic Christian community.
- Christianity got a boost into Europe from the Romans who adopted it as the religion of the empire, replacing the Hellenistic and traditional pagan religions around 380 CE. From there it spread to the European colonies around the world.
- The history of Islam began in Arabia with the Islamic prophet Muhammad's first recitations of the Qur'an in the 7th century in the Arabian Peninsula from where it spread around the Mediterranean and into central Asia.
- Hinduism has remained predominantly in India, arising from ancient traditions that worshipped a pantheon of Vedic deities not unlike the Greek, Slavic and Germanic religions. It gave rise to Buddhism which spread to the east.
- Today, Buddhism prevails mainly in East Asia, with less being practiced in China than the neighbouring countries to the north (Mongolia) and south east asia from Tibet to Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia & Laos.
- Religiosity, in its broadest sense, is a comprehensive sociological term used to refer to the numerous aspects of religious activity, dedication, and belief (in a particular religious doctrine). It is determined on the religious activity reported via polling of the citizens of the various countries.In response to the question “Is religion an important part of your daily life?”:>>>98-99% - Bangladesh, Niger, Yemen, Indonesia, Malawi, SriLanka, Somalia, Djibouti, Mauritania & Burundi>>>16-34%- Estonia, Sweden, Denmark, Japan, Hongkong, UK, Vietnam, France, Russia & Belarus
- What do we actually mean by the word TERROR? Unfortunately, these days, it is immediately linked to fundamentalists who attract attention to their cause by wreaking mayhem on innocent people.>>>The dictionary definition of Terror is derived from the Latin verb terrere meaning "to frighten“>>>As a verb, it is used to make (someone) afraid or anxious.>>>It is an instrument to deter someone or something from involvement or action by making them afraid.>>>Ancient religions of the Maya and Aztecs had refined these rituals into spectator events to appease their gods and impress their viewers. >>> Usually they would sacrifice prisoners of war or criminals but often used the event as a show of power. >>>This brings us to one of the most universal human emotions of FEAR and how religion uses it.
- Fear is a distressing negative sensation induced by a perceived threat.Fear can actually be divided into two types, (>>>) biochemical – which can be found in almost all sentient species. When we confront a perceived danger, our bodies respond in specific ways. Physical reactions to fear include sweating, increased heart rate and high adrenaline levels. and (>>>) emotional fear that can be self induced. >>>Psychologists have addressed the hypothesis that fear of death motivates religious commitment, and that it may be alleviated by assurances about an afterlife. This is the basic premise of ALL religions which offer rewards or punishments in the after-life.
- >>>Many people's fear of death is tied into their religious beliefs, particularly if they happen to be going through a period of questioning. Some people think that they know what will happen after death, but worry that they may be wrong. Some believe that the path to salvation is very straight and narrow, and fear that any deviations or mistakes may cause them to be eternally condemned.>>>Religious beliefs are highly personalized, and even a therapist of the same general faith may not fully understand a client's beliefs. Some people have such a debilitating fear of death that may even require mental health counseling.>>>Thanatophobia may also have roots in fears of the unknown. It is part of the human condition to want to know and understand the world around us. What happens after death cannot be proven while we are still alive. >>>People who are highly intelligent and inquisitive are often at greater risk for this type of fear, >>>as are those who are questioning their own philosophical or religious beliefs.Witnessing DeathHow many of you have witnessed death first hand? Actually observing a person at the point of them taking their last breath? Not many I would guess. As a veterinarian, I am called on to provide this service to ill animals when all options for a successful treatment have been exhausted and there is a fear that the pet, who is regularly considered part of the family, is suffering unduly. Invariably the family in attendance have never personally witnessed death firsthand and are usually overcome with grief and guilt.
- There is a powerful symbol of death that we have come to associate with Christianity. >>>From the images appearing on the screen, >>>this powerful symbolism of the Crucifix >>>has been lost on generations of Christians.>>>The crown of thorns>>>and the huge spikes that impaled Jesus have become decorations>>>A votive candle holder>>>or a canvas for idyllic scenes from Christ’s life.>>>Gradually it becomes apparent that this symbol>>>was actually a device for executing criminals>>>and on which a man died>>>while supposedly proclaiming “I AM THE AGONIZING JESUS CHRIST WHO LOVES YOU”His actual final words before dying were something a little different but I’m sure you get the point.>>>Christian theology states that Christ decended into Hell, which is indicated to be a terrifying place. This was later sanitized to Him having descended to the dead, which didn’t help thanatophobes with their dilemma.
- In many religious traditions, Hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. What could be more terrifying than that eternal suffering… into which we are indoctrinated as children.>>>All religions with a linear divine history (such as the monotheisms represented here) often depict Hell as endless. Hell is often portrayed as populated with demons who torment the damned such as the Devil (Satan or Lucifer). >>>Other traditions, which do not conceive of the afterlife as a place of punishment or reward, merely describe Hell as an abode of the dead – a neutral place located under the surface of Earth. Modern understandings of Hell often depict it abstractly, as a state of loss rather than as fiery torture literally underground, but this view of Hell can, in fact, be traced back into the ancient and medieval periods as well.Religions with a cyclic history (such as Hinduism and Buddhism) often depict Hell as an intermediary period between incarnations. In the Christian tradition, this is a place of purification and is called >>> Purgatory, where one’s sins are purged.
- The use of the word "purgatory“ as a noun appeared perhaps only between 1160 and 1180, giving rise to the idea of purgatory as a place. The Roman Catholic tradition of purgatory as a transitional condition has a history that dates back to the worldwide practice of caring for the dead and praying for them, and to the belief, found also in Judaism, that prayer for the dead contributed to their afterlife purification. >>>Purgatory is the condition or process of purification or temporary punishment in which, it is believed, the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for Heaven. This is a theological idea that has ancient roots and is well-attested in early Christian literature. The poetic conception of purgatory as a geographically situated place is largely the creation of medieval Christian piety and imagination.>>>However, other religious traditions also have such intermediate stations in the afterlife, transitional zones in the larger cycle of rebirths, a place where reincarnation has a chance to move forward towards nirvana or higher life forms. The same practice appears in other traditions, such as the medieval Chinese Buddhist practice of making offerings on behalf of the dead, who are said to suffer numerous trials.
- In Christianity, salvation is the belief that, >>> as part of divine providence, God saves people from some or all of the following:>>>from biological death, by providing for them an eternal life or long-lasting afterlife>>>from spiritual death, by providing divine law, illumination, and judgment.>>>from divine punishment, particularly from Hell, by granting them acceptance into Heaven.from having sinful character and conduct, through a process of positive moral change.Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or "redemption" from sin and its effects.The concept of salvation belongs mostly to Judaism and Christianity.
- Christianity has overcome the problem of death by promising everlasting life.>>>The Resurrection of Christ is one of the central tenets of Christianity and is used to defeat the terror instilled by the permanence of death. >>>The fact that Christ is considered to have risen from his grave, “Body and Soul” indicates his triumph over biological processes that afflict us mere mortals.
- Heaven is a religious term for the transcendental place where the God and Angels reside with those who have lived according to God’s will of goodness, piety and faith.Religions that speak about heaven differ on how (and if) one gets into it, typically in the afterlife. In many religions, entrance to Heaven is conditional on having lived a "good life" (within the terms of the spiritual system) or "accepting God (or Jesus)into your heart." It is the place of ultimate peace BUT this peace can be realized here on earth. And it is the necessary step towards achieving a harmonious society or WORLD PEACE
- With that imagery in mind, one can only surmise that Heaven has to be the most peaceful place or attitude one can attain.Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Peace can also pertain to an individual's sense of himself or herself, as to be "at peace" with one's own mindReligious beliefs often seek to identify and address the basic problems of human life, including the conflicts between, among, and within persons.Inner peace (or peace of mind) refers to a state of being mentally and spiritually at peace, with enough knowledge and understanding to keep oneself strong in the face of discord or stress.
- Inner peace (or peace of mind) refers to a state of being mentally and spiritually at peace, with enough knowledge and understanding to keep oneself strong in the face of discord or stress. Being "at peace" is considered by many to be healthy (homeostasis) and the opposite of being stressed or anxious. Peace of mind is generally associated with bliss, happiness and contentment.
- In the words of the 14th Dalai Lama, who emphasizes the importance of inner peace in the world:>>>“The question of real, lasting world peace concerns human beings, so basic human feelings are also at its roots. >>>Through inner peace, genuine world peace can be achieved. In this the importance of individual responsibility is quite clear; >>>an atmosphere of peace must first be created within ourselves, then gradually expanded to include our families, our communities, and ultimately the whole planet.”--------------------It is not whether you can achieve inner peace with religion but what you do with your life to extend that peace to others that will eventually make religion a force for peace.
- Structures of Peace is a new conceptual framework for understanding and describing the factors that create a peaceful society. Derived from an empirical and statistical analysis of the Global Peace Index. Over 300 country data sets were used to define the key economic, political and cultural determinants that foster the creation of a more peaceful society.Free flow of informationLow levels of CorruptionAcceptance of Rights of othersHigh levels of EducationGood relations with NeighboursLead toSound Business EnvironmentWell-Functioning GovernmentEquitable Distribution of ResourcesLeads to PEACEStructures of Peace is a new conceptual framework for understanding and describing the factors that create a peaceful society. Derived from an empirical and statistical analysis of the Global Peace Index. Over 300 country data sets were used to define the key economic, political and cultural determinants that foster the creation of a more peaceful society.The Structures of Peace, derived from the analysis presented in the report, consist of the following elements:Well-functioning governmentSound business environmentEquitable distribution of resourcesAcceptance of the rights of othersGood relations with neighborsFree flow of informationHigh levels of educationLow levels of corruptionThese eight factors were found to be associated with peaceful environments and can be seen as both interdependent and positively reinforcing of each other. This means the relative strength of any one ‘structure’ has the potential to either positively or negatively influence peace.
- According to the Global Peace Index for 2011, the most violent nations in the world are:Somalia, Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan, Korea, Congo, Russia, Pakistan, Israel and Central African RepublicContrast that with the most peaceful:Iceland, New Zealand, Japan, Denmark, Czech Republic, Austria, Finland, Canada, Norway and Slovenia
- Poorest countries in the world:Congo, Liberia, Zimbabwe, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Central African Republic, Niger & Ethiopia.Richest countries in the world:Quatar, Luxembourg, UAE, Norway, Singapore, USA, Switzerland, Netherlands, Ireland
- Most religious countries: Egypt, Bangladesh, SriLanka, Indonesia, Congo, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Djibouti, Morocco, UAELeast religious countries: Estonia, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Czech Rep., Azerbaijan, HongKong, Japan, France, Mongolia, BelarusTherealso appears to be a correlation between religion, poverty and violence. Unfortunately, those countries also show a lower than average quality of life index.From this map created from a 2009 Gallup poll, at least half of the 11 most religious countries are also the worlds poorest which sets them up for violence over resources. I’m not sure whether their poverty makes religion attractive or religious institutions tap away their meager resources in exchange for imaginary rewards in the afterlife.Conversely, the least religious countries have the lowest rate of violence and highest quality of life. They have learned that social welfare systems which narrow the income gap are key to stable, safe and peaceful communities.
- >>>95% who earned less than $2000 pa47% who earned more than $25,000 per annumFrom this map, it is evident that there is much more religious activity in the developing world and I will attempt to relate it to other factors later on. We will come back to this map later when comparing regions of peace and strife in the world today.But for now let us move on to the other key words of the topic at hand.
- This is exemplified by the Scandanavian countries of Denmark, Belgium, Sweden and the Netherlands which rate the highest Quality of Life index while also having the lowest religiosity.North America, western Europe and Australia also scored high but many of the religious and/or superstitious countries of North Africa, the Middle and South East Asia scored average to poorly. This correlated with income disparity in poor as well as rich countries. The Scandanavian countries have one of the lowest spread between the rich and the poor and this was demonstrated in another study.
- This graph is taken from the book, The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger, According to Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson income inequalities in a society are a source of a variety of social problems in that society, almost without regard to the absolute level of income in the society. Their basic measure of inequality across countries is the ratio of income from the top to bottom plotted against an Index of Health and Social Problems for each country. The index incorporates --Level of trustMental illness & addictionsLife expectancy and infant mortalityObesityChildren's educational performanceTeenage birthsHomicidesImprisonment ratesSocial mobilityTheir argument is not that material deprivation causes social harms, it is rather that the degree of inequality is itself an important cause of social harms. Further, they maintain that these relationships persist in affluent, but unequal societies.
- Another important mechanism of social harm is the erosion of trust that modern societies have experienced which reduces with income inequality. Majorequalizing mechanisms in a democratic society are welfare programs and wealth redistribution via appropriate tax schemes. Extreme inequality leads to a set of psychological conditions that in turn produce the harm regardless of the overall affluence of the community.Status differences and friendship are powerful determinants of social well-being.Inequalities are toxic because they undermine the strands of social relationships and community among individuals; they produce a deteriorating situation of societal norms and increases the separation among individuals in society. Societies with lower inequalities allow higher levels of trust and community to persist and this gives rise to fewer social problems.Other factors that undermine social trust are racism, ethnic hatred, sexism, and religious intolerance in so-called secular countries.
- In a 2004 study on Welfare spending and Church Attendance, Gill and Lundsgaarde, documented a strong correlation revealing that >>> countries that were least religious spent more on welfare. >>>In the past, religious institutions used their tithe to provide those social services but in our secular world, with the government providing much of those same services, most religious donations are directed towards proselytizing.
- Notice the countries that have surpassed the goal of contributing 0.7% of their earnings to International Aid.Others, mainly in Europe are giving more than $0.50 for every $100 earnde and have a plan to get to $0.70 in the near future.But….
- I’m ashamed to say that North America is lagging behind with NO SCHEDULE YET to reach any goal, let alone 0.7% of earnings.
- >>>A DOVE holding an olive branch is considered a universal sign of peace and is made up of both Christian (the dove) and pagan (the olive branch) symbols for peace. >>>Today that peace dove is as endangered as the Passenger Pigeon of North America which was decimated by hunting and habitat loss in the 19th century and went extinct in the early 20th century.By stretching the limits of our resources due to overpopulation, over consumption and climate change, we are heading into an uncertain future, one that will require more than prayers to help us get through.
- This is no time for finger-pointing. We cannot afford to throw our hands up in despair.We may have almost painted ourselves into a religious corner but as more people understand that the key to our peaceful co-existence doesn’t lie in competing ideologies but in our co-operative diligence in working together, there will be a mass exodus out of the Churches, Mosques and Temples around the world.The religious Humanists will join hands with the secular Humanists in this effort to slow down and maybe even avert catastrophic climate change and reduce ecosystem damage and biodiversity loss. It would be our proud of the legacy we leave to our children a world where resources are not plundered to exhaustion and where population controls reduce suffering caused by resource scarcity. Where wealth redistribution allow all citizens to enjoy a good quality of life regardless of the luck of their inheritance, social status, entrepreneurial foresight or economic success. A world where the terror of Armageddon predicted by conservative evangelical fundamentalists is replaced by peace fostered by progressive religious moderates like the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. This is my secular prayer and I sincerely thank you for giving me this opportunity to share it with you tonight.
- Yoko Ono, the widow of John Lennon, keeps his memory alive with the IMAGINE PEACE art project and Light Towers