[Musings] This week's City Pages Horoscope
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The New York Times' Deborah Solomon interviewed Peter Watson, author of Ideas: A History of Thought and Invention, from Fire to Freud. "What is the single worst idea in history?" she asked him. "Without question, ethical monotheism," he replied. "The idea of one true god. The idea that our life and ethical conduct on earth determines how we will go in the next world. This has been responsible for most of the wars and bigotry in history." Personally, I disagree with his curious assessment. I think history's most terrible idea is the theory that some groups of people are smarter and better and deserve more rights than others. The coming week is a good time for you to meditate on these themes, Virgo. Which ideas do you consider bad ones, both those on a global scale and those that have at one time or another infected your belief system? (P.S. It's also a perfect moment to fight those bad ideas.)
I have been pondering this very thing this week. Strange. Just this morning in between picking up a coffee and checking my email I had thought about 'God', how I am not Christian and how my spirituality is very personal and my own. I disagree with the evangelical christian movment that is gaining even more momentum in this country and I don't mean the Baptists, I mean the non-denomination ultra-hyper-mega churches. I have read and pondered many parts of the bible. One conclusion I came to of my own is that, as my horoscope says, no one is better than anyone else. From what I have seen of these evangelical groups scare me. They are preaching teachings that do not appear in the bible. No where have I found the sentiments of 'Pray to God and he will reward you with material wealth.' 'Pray to God and everyone you don't like (read gays) will go away.' 'Vote republican because they are the only ones who are spiritual and understand you.' Seems all very self-centered to me, not selfless, like what much of the bible, especially new testament, talks about.
Religions are ideas, not bludgeons, they should not be used against others.
Those of us who are not christian and/or do not agree with them must also be careful not to fall into their trap by thinking all christians are bad. We must not use our ideas as bludgeons against other people. 'Eye for an eye and we all go blind.' Ignorance for ignorance and we all go stupid.
3 comments:
>Personally, I disagree with his curious
>assessment. I think history's most terrible
>idea is the theory that some groups of
>people are smarter and better and deserve
>more rights than others. The coming week is >a good time for you to meditate on these
>themes, Virgo.
I disagree. Anyone who writes horoscopes for a living is dumber, worse, and less deserving of rights than the average person.
They are preaching teachings that do not appear in the bible. No where have I found the sentiments of 'Pray to God and he will reward you with material wealth.'
*Yeah, "God helps those who help themselves." is not in the bible.
'Pray to God and everyone you don't like (read gays) will go away.'
*Actually, the bible is REPLETE with stuff like this. The idea that those who have faith will live and those that don't should die, should be killed, burned, stoned to death, will burn in damnation, etc.
'Vote republican because they are the only ones who are spiritual and understand you.' Seems all very self-centered to me, not selfless, like what much of the bible, especially new testament, talks about.
*Oh, lets be fair: much of the new testament is pretty selfish and contains lots of nasty ideas. Sure, a huge improvement over the old test., but not exactly great either.
Religions are ideas, not bludgeons, they should not be used against others.
*I believe history shows that to rarely be the case.
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