Religion and Divisiveness

Several years ago, a large and beautiful expansion to our local Lutheran church building was being erected on a corner near my home. As I watched the stone walls rising gradually, I looked forward to seeing what the building would look like when it was finished. My feelings were a little bit conflicted. On the one hand, I was happy to see a beautiful new edifice adorning our neighborhood. I was also pleased to see that the local congregation was thriving enough to be able to afford such a nice new addition to its building. 


At the same time, I felt like I was being disloyal to my own Church for having positive feelings about another church. I should feel like they were competition. I should feel they were poor misguided souls who needed the Truth. I should feel guilty about not inviting them to Family Home Evening. But I didn't feel those things, and I was glad I didn't. I was struck by the idea that here were a bunch of good people willing to donate their money to build a beautiful building they could meet in. What a pity it was that We were divided from Them over some doctrinal details.


One thing that has struck me about all religions is that, by definition, they divide people. We are sure that We are right because We have prophets and revelations. They are sure They are right because They have the authority of the Bible. We are sure They are wrong and They are sure We are wrong. Multiply this by few dozen churches, add a dash of nice fresh prejudice, stir in two cups of intolerance, and voilà, widespread unfriendliness among people who otherwise would probably get along just fine.


For the spicier version, fold in generous amounts of poverty and ignorance, and an unscrupulous religious leader willing to inflame fanaticism for selfish ends! But be careful, the dish can easily get too hot to handle.


And all this for what? Souls saved? Oh right, but only Our souls, because They don't believe the right stuff. Of course, We can always convert Them, but They are stubborn and don't realize They are wrong. And They are foolish enough to try to convert Us, because They think We are wrong, which of course cannot possibly be.


Many people are capable of stepping back and seeing what belief hath wrought. But most of them just up the ante and say: "Yes, it is sad how much strife there is. All those poor souls are deceived. Fortunately, We actually ARE right." And so it continues, both day and night.

Good and Evil

Most organizations of significant size usually specify many policies and controls which prohibit certain behaviors and encourage others in the members of that organization. Churches do similarly, sometimes invoking "doctrine". Though, instead of simply saying that this or that thing is allowed or not allowed, they frequently employ a much more powerful tool: labeling the various activities or behaviors as "good" or "evil." By adding this extra layer of judgment, of divine approbation or censure, I think that churches obtain several important benefits:

1. Guilt from sin and fear for eternal salvation become potent motivators for guiding or controlling behaviors.
2. The "good" and "evil" labels can be applied to whatever things are needed without regard to truth, reason, or fairness.
3. It gives defenders license to use any means at all to defend the "good" and attack the "evil" without regard to truth, reason, or fairness (and frequently despite those things).

In saying this, I think I have become what I decried for much of my life: a relativist. For the first several decades of my life, I was a staunch and loud believer in Absolute Truth. If you were a Mormon (and a republican, of course), you were right and good. If you were not a Mormon, you were wrong. If you were a democrat, you were wrong and evil. Mormon Democrats: inexplicably misguided. Now when I type that, I can't decide whether to blush, laugh, or just be glad that my mind opened up one day and let in a little daylight. Probably all three.

Edward Gibbon, he of "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" renown, famously wrote:

The various modes of worship, which prevailed in the Roman world, were all considered by the people, as equally true; by the philosopher, as equally false; and by the magistrate, as equally useful.

This about sums up my thoughts on the misuse of Good and Evil.