At 11:34 AM 2003-10-31 +1300 I wrote {in: (2) re: religion (via LessIsMore):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LessIsMore/message/12342 after signing-in} :-

At 10:55 AM 2003-10-31 +1300, I wrote:
> ...
>ˇ While I'm not defending what Krugman says, I think he's saying that Bush and his cronies have "elevated", "focussed-on" religion (the version of Christianity which he regards as the only true one), to a point where it takes the place of ordinary judgement in foreign policy matters.
>ˇ [In] a political struggle, [using] the religious ideas like *evil* and *Christians standing up for what's right* [turns] a normal conflict into a religious war."
> ...
>ˇ I'll say more about my views on reliance on religion, [below].
>
ˇ I'm élitist: I regard the way "the man in the street" thinks, as stupid.

ˇ Almost everyone, from the time of homo erectus (millions of years ago), 
has believed-in not only the existence of powerful unknown forces (spirits, gods) but also that these forces are concerned with him/her. Sometimes benevolently, often malevolently. (Keeping on the right side of one's god (propitiating the spirits) is inherent in humans.)

ˇ This solipsism ("I'm valuable or important, in the scheme of things") is IMO the origin of religion. As an effective way of keeping people going through dark times, it's quite good.

ˇ I have nothing against religion, for the individual.

ˇ But when someone goes beyond using their religion to guide _their_own_ thoughts and actions, into using it to categorise _others'_ actions (and even thoughts) as bad or *evil*, I say _that_ is using religion beyond its proper sphere. It is often done anyway, but this is tolerable while the person doing the labelling ("evil!") is incapable of doing more than shouting and trying to persuade others to think similarly.

ˇ The framers of the US constitution saw this danger (I'm an "early adopter"
not an "innovator"), so tried their best to keep religion away from politics

ˇ Obviously their method wasn't fool-proof. (The fool is the proof of this.)

ˇ Summarising: the belief that "I know what is right" (and if you disagree you're not only intrinsically wrong, but quite likely bad or even *evil*) is IMO the major danger of religion, at least of the intolerant (sometimes called "fundamentalist") sort of religion.

David (nailing his colours to the mast).