On Mon, 25 Sep 2000 17:13:44 -0400, Brad Cooley
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>As ardeith says, modern religions are a result of "totalitarian
>agriculture".  Their mantra is "everyone must follow our way of life",
>"convert the heathen HGs to christianity [or whatever] and make them grow
>food and herd animals".  The religion then reinforces to the "have-nots"
>that they should do what the "haves" want.  "Don't commit adultery"
>although polygamy and "free sex" is a typical HG practice, "do not steal"
>although possessions are essentially meaningless in HG society, "do what We
>want because you will burn in hell if you don't" although HGs never had any
>concept of hell, sin, God, or the Devil before.

If you have a problem with Christianity, you should say that, but, for
the
245098235045th time, "Christianity" and "modern religions" are NOT
equivalent.

Hinduism, the religion of over 1 billion people, does not:

- convert people
- have a Devil
- promote Victorian morality (many Hindu temples are covered with
erotic
sculptures, and Krishna had 10,000 wives at the same time.)

All the messages today in this thread seem to start with an idea, and
then try
to crowbar the facts into that idea, even when the facts don't really
fit the
idea....

PS It does not help those who are dismayed at any religious discussion
to add a
"food connection", because no one seems to be willing to spend enough
time
researching religion to be able to make a true statement (instead of
characterizing "religion" as what is said by the Bible Thumper down
the street).


--
Cheers,

Ken
[log in to unmask]