It is too strong to suggest that religion is the cause of all these worldly ills although it unquestionably has been in some instances, such as the Crusades, the IRA’s activities, Islamic terrorism and the Religious Right. At least it can be said that religion in general has been just as irrelevant in preventing evil as anything else. 

Whatever theoretical health benefits individuals may receive from believing seem offset when considered on the level of society.

     This brings me back to the conclusion we get from all these studies and counter-studies:

How someone believes something, and expresses that belief in society and government, is just as important  as what they believe. It isn’t so much religion or atheism that needs be  feared, but dogmatic adherence to either.

     Unfortunately, by emphasizing  faith over evidence, and relying on authorities either scriptural and/or  clerical, religion is particularly vulnerable to being abused by people  convinced of their own infallibility.

     But it is also possible to be dogmatic in the pursuit of secularism. France, for example, is admirable for its commitment to secularity, but not so admirable for a heavy-handed approach that would deny individual expression, such as laws banning religious apparel  (e.g. Muslim headscarves) in public schools.

          

     Dogmatism and politics are, of course, ill-suited bedfellows, particularly when it involves enshrining beliefs into laws and  punishing dissenters. But it isn’t far-fetched to modify Mr. Paul’s thesis to  suggest that the dogmatism to which religion is prone can create a number of problems in the way people interact with one another.

     Dogmatism is a spiritually and  intellectually corrupting state of mind that counteracts freedom of thought. It denies the individual the freedom to learn, to grow, to become better.  When individuals deny themselves (or are denied by others) that most fundamental of freedoms, unfortunate consequences are inevitable.

People  tend to rebel against blind obedience to authority. Regrettably, they do not always do so wisely.

     

           

     As 2006 rolls in, let’s take a moment to appreciate how, in trying to make sense of this little thing called life, we‚re all in this together. We may not agree on the details, but we can at least agree that we share the hope for a better future.

     Dogmatism, which seems to be on the rise these days, should be greeted with skepticism and suspicion, when it comes from political leaders who would abuse religion for their own ends, but also from people who may not share our own views.

     I know plenty of religious and non-religious people who aren’t fanatical in expressing their beliefs. So I hold the hope that it is possible for all of us to get along, somehow.        

     There’s been far too much animosity in public discussions. Let the New Year provide relief from that.