This is probably not quite strictly on-topic, but I feel this thread is as relevant as any other:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1409393,00.html
For those to lazy to read / don't want to soil their mouse finger by clicking on the "right-wing" Times link, its basically an article about the new Education Minister in the UK, Ruth Kelly. Apparently, she has been promoted to this position ahead of colleagues with more experience, and this is causing some friction amongst her erstwhile colleagues.
In addition, there are allegations that she is a member of a secretive Catholic group,
Opus Dei. Now, leaving aside for a moment the usual plethora of "why do you nasty people all pick on us poor Catholics all the time", I'd just like to make one or two observations of my own:-
1. I believe it is
wholly inappropriate for the goverment Education Minister to be an adherent of
any religion, far less a possible member of a "cult" offshoot of a major religion, which has its own, objectionable agenda.
2. Do I detect the hand of Cherie Blair, herself a Catholic, in this promotion?
3. Anyone else noticed how many Catholics are quietly assuming positions of power in this government?
If anyone wishes to construe these observations I have made as anti-catholic, then please feel free. However, I am making them from the point of view of being, as I am, anti-religion in general. I am
utterly opposed to any member of government wielding public power in a secular western democracy being an adherent of religion, and especially not a member of secretive religious societies. I would be making exactly the same comments if I saw Islamic, Judaic, Protestant Christian, Wiccan, Pagan, Satanist, Budhist, Sikh or any other flavour of religious person or group assuming control in or of the organs of a democratic state.
To clarify my views for everyone:
I am in no way opposed to people believing in what they want to, and will defend their right to do so.
However, I am firmly of the opinion that religion should be something for the individual. It should not be for them to try and force it on others, and I am firmly opposed to organised religion assuming or obtaining any form of public power.
Why? Power is like a drug to those who have it. It becomes an end in itself. I consider that much of the new wave of (especially Christian & Islamic) religious militancy is the direct result of the increasing secularity of the modern world. The main religions are seeing a fall-off in numbers, believers and converts. This means those in the higher echelons of the religious heirarchy are seeing their power-base dissipate, their assets and influence decrease. Naturally, they are doing all in their power to try and stop this. Witness for example the new wave of Islamic militancy, the evangelical christian "Alpha Course" and many other things.
Organised religion has, in my view, no part in the running or structure of the state. Government of a state should be by secular non-believers. The world's worst atrocities have been, in my opinion, committed when the major, organised religion of a country goaded the leaders into unwise courses of action. The Christian Crusades, the Burning Times, the Islamic invasion of southern Europe and so on and on.
On a small, local scale, religion can be a force for good. On a large scale, it becomes like any large group - concerned more with accumulating and maintaining wealth and power, and wielding influence over the lives of people.
I think it is no coincidence that the worst times of religious oppression, low levels of literacy, low levels of learning and advancement have all coincided (and are all coinciding) with high levels of religious belief and membership of organised religions.
Organised religion has a vested interest, in my opinion, of keeping as many people as poor and uneducated as possible. With education comes knowledge, the possibility of personal advancement and improval, and a realisation that those in positions of power should be questioned and criticised like everyone else.
In my view, the mainstream monotheistic religions (Islam, Christianity (both protestant and catholic) and Judaism) have become more concerned with observance of ritual than adherence to and practice of the common supposed tenets of their beliefs - helping the poor, loving the neighbour and abjuring the accumulation of power and wealth.
some people make themselves explode with other people.
