Progress in religious tolerance

[Rakuen Growlithe]

So I now finished reading On Liberty which was published in 1859. Near the end, John Stuart Mill moved to a bit of social commentary about then-current, incorrect restrictions on liberty, particularly religious liberty. That's where things got surreal. The same things he was complaining about over 150 years ago are the exact same debates we are having today. I'm not talking about overall principles of liberty, I'm talking about exactly the same topics which haven't progressed an inch.

"The ravings of fanatics or charlatans from the pulpit may be unworthy of notice; but the heads of the Evangelical party have announced as their principle, for the government of Hindoos and Mahomedans, that no schools be supported by public money in which the bible is not taught, and by necessary consequence that no public employment be given to any but real or pretended Christians."

You could switch Geert Wilders with those people and there would be no difference.

"I desire to call attention to the fact, that a man has been deemed fit to fill a high office in the government of this country, under a liberal Ministry, maintains the doctrine that all who do not believe in the divinity of Christ are beyond the pale of toleration. Whom after this imbecile display, can indulge the illusion that religious persecution has passed away, never to return?"

Any of a number of US Republican senators could have fit that description.

We have made some social progress in the last 150 years but it's just ridiculous that in this particular section we are having exactly the same conversations today.

[Leeward]

More people than ever are "converting" to atheism these days though, that says something.

[ShortyPaws]

We did Mills in our philosophy of politics course. I agree with the point that you're making. Although, it's important to take into account the contextual differences. He was very much a Christian, and although his views seem to advance liberality (equal rights, women's votes etc.), they are very much grounded in bias. I agree that we've not progressed much since then, but we can't use him as a measuring stick.

[Rakuen Growlithe]

Of course he had his bias, even he recognised that, but I think the principles he put forward are still solid. We also don't need people to be perfect. It's fine to say he was right about some things and wrong about others. The problem is that so many people seem to think being wrong about one thing means you're wrong about everything.

[Splicer-Fox]

It does not matter if it’s religion as we see it traditionally.
We deify things that have no mythology behind it. (It is our swarming behaviour)
Capitalism and Communism are more modern Ideologies that people will fight and die for.
For America it’s more important for the leaders subscribe to mccarthyism and purge the communist heretics at all costs. (So help me God seems more like a thing you say to be polite in powerful positions)

It is perhaps because religion is receding in the West that more exotic ideas are being changed and turned into ideological movements with leaders, sermons and money.
The Regressive Left and Alt Right is what these movements are grouped under?
And even regions based on strange woo are growing because of the power vacuum left by larger organised religions.
These all seem to oppress one idea or the other. (Some want white straight men dead, others want bio chemists dead. And so forth…)

I had this disagreement with a Theist on Facebook once.
He told me atheists are militant.
He then gave me Richard Dawkins as an example of a militant atheist.
Obviously I disagreed completely.
But how long still before this comes to pass though?
Having not an individual that commits hate crimes against theist but a movement or organisation?
We already have the culture war after all.

Basically the point that I am driving at is we are evolved to have religion.
It is what we use too create super tribes that can span entire continents.
It does not matter if it’s a book, political/economic system, person or nature we draw our spirituality from.
We need to create massive tribes to create a society, And that society needs drones/slaves.
And we will use all the tricks and behaviours to Grow, Evolve and defend the current ideologies that suit our needs. (Or the needs of the people on top of them.)

If oppressing men or woman, white or black people and religions with force or thought is desired then it will be done.
In the near future Atheists and Western Theologies will oppress Islam in one way or another.
While others like feminism will form coalitions with Islam to fight the West.

Is it not weird how opposite groups can join forces to fight a physical and culture war?
Domination and control is what humans do.

[Rakuen Growlithe]

I suppose I might as well just toss this in here since it is related. Apparently the Department of Basic Education is still obsessed with demons taking control of our children.
http://synapses.co.za/basic-education-demonology/
This isn't the first time I've heard about the fear of demons. It's just always crazy that it's from officials. Surely believing in demons should disqualify someone from top positions, especially those responsible for education?

[Contrast]

Oh FFS, they can't even spell "choking" right. -_-

I remember this one time, back in grade 10 or 11, one of our teachers showed us a video "proving" creationism by claiming that all the historical depictions of dragons in old artworks were actually dinosaurs, and therefore the earth was only a few thousand years old.

I raised my hand and said that all those old pictures and stories of dragons likely originated from people discovering dinosaur fossils that were millions of years old, not actual living dinosaurs or dragons.

The look that teacher gave me... It was like he expected me to sprout horns and a tail right there. -_-

[Cape_F0X]

Just because you don't believe in demons doesn't mean they don't exist.

Demon dogs, demon lamas, demon drivers, the list goes on.

[Splicer-Fox]

The threat of violence in religion is an effective tactic.
Especially when indoctrinated at a young age.

Demons, Communists, White men, America, Jews and Gays? (I wanted to find a video of children chanting death to America and Israel but I can’t find it)
Demons does not sound so bad but I guess they are not only being fed fear of the super natural here either.

I vaguely remember in my Primary school we were taught about communism and capitalism.
We all had to do projects on these “styles of government” like the school projects about “drugs”.
One of the things that I can remember is: Communism is bad because it oppresses religious people and starves everybody else.

Oh well… Better grow strong and pure little children. We need more meat for the grinder.