murphy@hou2a.UUCP (11/11/83)
It appears to me that religion (in particular, the
organized sort) has always served those in power as
a very reliable method of manipulating large populations
(mainly through fear/hatred) towards largely sinister
and destructive ends. Historical examples of this are legion.
Religion seems to offer a conceptual framework (some
would call it a "crutch") to help the bewildered cope
with a vast and incomprehensible universe. Many people
apparently have a genuine need for the emotional and moral
support of religion.
Some of us prefer naked facts.
Wasn't it Voltaire who said "There will be no peace on
earth until the last King strangles on the entrails of the
last priest" ?
Those interested in the anti-religious viewpoint might
like to read "Why I Am Not A Christian" by Bertrand Russell,
and "The True Believer" by Eric Hoffer.
Rich Ganns
hou2a!murphy