The Problem Isn't God

For decades the Middle East has been full of dedicated warriors of God convinced God wants them to fight non-believers.   That mind-set has now developed to what is perhaps its logical conclusion.  ISIS, the self proclaimed Caliphate of the Levant, essentially kills or enslaves anyone who disagrees with them.

In India millions have been killed since the country achieved Independence as different religious sects wrap themselves in their religious beliefs and attack others with different beliefs.

In the US, for last couple decades politics has been dominated by people who believed God wanted them to punish homosexuals, even though their religion reveres the ultimate man of tolerance and peace.

The transparent injustice of people wrapping themselves in religious belief to judge and punish others causes some folks to reject the whole notion of God.  But the void left by the rejection of God is often replaced by other ideologies that, in the end become logic obsuring naked self interest.  ISIS is oddly reminiscent of the Kymer Rouge in Cambodia a couple decades ago, who slaughtered all those of who did not accept their rule in the name of communism, a doctrine that explicitly rejected God.

The problem isn't God, it is our hubris.  A basic truth is that we cannot know the exact nature of reality, we can only infer from what we can perceive about the world.  Even with Science we regularly see yesterdays truth superseded by a different and more nuanced reality.   But imprecision can spark indecision, so we follow leaders whose personalities reject imprecision by adopting a plan that creates rules for action.  God becomes the logic that fills the void to the personal advantage of the leader (and by association the like minded followers).  God becomes a tool for pushing those who are not us down for the benefit of us.

All the major religions have enjoyed periods of peace and tolerance.  But when times get tough our tendency to frame our view of God in a reflection of our own needs and desires produces persons impatient with inaction who rally others of like mind to political action, or violence.

Ironically, the most dedicated religious folk often reject the notion that Darwin described reality with his theory of evolution.  Then they adopt religious views that are in essence a reflection of Darwin's fundamental tenant, survival of the fittest.  Life is a battle and God is on our side, we are chosen to lord it over others.

If one believes the history of the evolution of human society reflects the influence of God it becomes obvious that whatever force it is that we call God favors, above all else, that we cherish and respect our differences, instead of using them as catalyst for battle.   Societies based in survival of the fittest among competing religious groups tend to foster turmoil and conflict, societies based in respect and cooperation tend to foster peace and prosperity.

Democracy is in one sense fundamentally consistent with the notion God favors respect and tolerance.   A functioning democracy requires a degree of respect and cooperation.  Like the proverbial canary in a coal mine, if democracy is wobbly, or cannot survive it is a reflection of the fact the society is still fragmented into groups in survival of the fittest mode.