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> What you find at the heart of any political fanaticism is mysticism: an
irrational belief in a "higher power" (the state (fascism), a god (Islam,
among others), "the working class" (communism), race (Nazism, among others),
etc.) Every barbarism in history has been justified by reference to some
mystical higher power. The current barbarism is no different.
>
> As long as any value is placed above the value of free life itself, as
long as belief in mystical "higher powers" exists, there will be those
willing to give and take the lesser value (life) in order to obtain, or
achieve the success of, the "higher" (mystical) value. And as long as that
is the case, there will be "terrorism".
>
> Pull the weed of terrorism up by the roots? Turn "the offending
countries" into parking lots? Do you honestly believe that this will stop
"terrorism"?
>
> Let us be clear: what we are discussing now does not have much to do with
obtaining justice. The 18 or so perpetrators of the terrible acts in New
York and Washington are all dead. There is no more justice to be obtained
from them. Everything being done now is either justice at the margins
(punishing accomplices and the like) or it is about preventing future
similar acts. So the important question is: how are such future acts to be
prevented? I submit the following: you may kill as many people as you
wish, but you will not stop terrorism as long as mystical beliefs in "higher
powers" exist anywhere.
>
> To those of you who believe that terrorism can be eradicated by a military
campaign I ask: How do you plan to find every person who is willing to give
his life (and take yours) for some "higher power"? Are you able to read the
minds of everyone on earth? Are you under the illusion that such people
live only in "foreign" countries? Do you believe that Islam is the only
mystical fanaticism that exists?
>
> So what is the answer? Increased security at airports? Will increased
security prevent the boarding of martial artists who kill without weapons?
More prayer vigils and remembrance services (fighting mysticism with
mysticism)? Singing patriotic or religious songs? Perhaps we should light
some more candles? Who's for bringing back the yellow ribbons from the
Carter years?
>
> No, the answer does not lie in Proverbs or in any of the above empty
gestures. The answer lies in reason. When reason trounces mysticism, when
ALL mysticism is seen for what it is, anti-life, only then will we have the
real weed by its roots.
>
>
> The Omega Man
If you study the Founding Fathers of the USA.....they were very religious
and highly educated men. You write:
"No, the answer does not lie in Proverbs or in any of the above
empty gestures. The answer lies in reason. When reason trounces mysticism,
when
ALL mysticism is seen for what it is, anti-life, only then
will we have the real weed by its roots."
Such statements would have been against everything James Madison spent his
life for! James Madison is called the "Father of our Constitution" and the
US Bill of Rights guarantees these individual liberties. If you are implying
that those who believe in God are unwise...then do your homework, history
will prove that the agnostic view is foolish. When you say that Terrorism
can be eradicated by the elimination of what you term as "mysticism", then
you fail to understand what true evil is. The humanistic view has been
tried.....it always fails. If you think the eradication of religion is the
answer.....again, I say look at the history books.
Sounds like you and Bob have been watching Spock together?
Adam Hefner
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