By Agnes Gnome
Over the centuries and down to our own times, the phenomenon of differences in religious belief has been a principal cause for conflict, even deadly wars, between rival sets of religionists. While several such conflicts have been rooted in economic, political, cultural and other such factors, in many other such cases, the primary factor has been the mere phenomenon of religious difference—that is, the fact that the parties to such conflict hold different, and, in many cases, mutually contradictory, religious beliefs which they consider to be absolute, non-negotiable truths, so much so that they are ready and willing to go to war to defend them or to seek to impose them on others through force. The fact that other people hold religious beliefs that differ from theirs has been the cause for fomenting suspicion, hate and disdain for the religious ‘other’ on a massive scale, this sometimes becoming so acute as to take the form of full-fledged war. Some such conflicts have assumed such deadly proportions today that they threaten the very existence of humankind (and the rest of the creation on Earth) itself.
In other words, while several conflicts between rival sets of religionists are rooted in ‘worldly’ factors, in the case of many other such conflicts, the primary factor has been mutually-contradictory religious beliefs.
*
An intriguing fact about the mutually-contradictory religious beliefs that set religious groups apart from and against each other and that have historically been a major cause for fomenting suspicion, hate and even war between them is that, as even a mere cursory glance will reveal, none of these beliefs have been proven, and nor can they be proven (If they had been proven or if they could be proven, there would likely be no question of people fighting over them, for then they would be established facts which every sensible person would presumably willingly accept). There is simply no way that these religious beliefs over which so much hate, strife and violence has been generated down the centuries and into our own times can be shown to be true.
*
In order to substantiate this point, consider some key issues regarding which different religious groups have widely divergent religious beliefs over which they have been quarreling for centuries (even, in some cases, to the point of going to war with each other), but none of which can be empirically proven:
· The Cause of the Universe: While one religion believes that the Universe has been created by a God who is utterly separate from His creation, another religion believes that the Universe is a manifestation of God and is thus, in a sense, God Himself. A third religion believes that the Universe has always existed and that, therefore, there is no question of it having been caused to come into existence at some point, whether by God or by some other force or being.
Clearly, none of these divergent and mutually-contradictory beliefs can be proven (or disproven).
· The Nature of the Divine: Some religions believe in the Creator God, while others dismiss the idea of the Creator completely, probably regarding it as a false belief. Among those religions that are based on the idea of God, there are clear differences about who, how and what God is. While one religion regards God as a person, in another religion, God is considered to be a power or a form of energy. While one religion posits God as a being who is utterly transcendent to the Universe, another religion regards God as being immanent in the Universe and at the same time also transcendent to it. One religion regards God as one while another religion regards God as several persons who, though distinct, are at the same time one, and a third religion believes in a multiplicity of gods.
Clearly, none of these divergent and mutually-contradictory beliefs can be proven (or disproven).
· The Nature of Human Beings: One religion regards human beings as slaves of God. A second religion considers those people who believe in this religion as Children of God (its position on those who do not believe in this religion is possibly contested). A third religion regards human beings (and, indeed, all other beings) as forms of God.
Clearly, none of these divergent and mutually-contradictory beliefs can be proven (or disproven).
· The Status of Key Figures in a Religious Tradition: Each religion posits a special status for its founder or key figures, regarding them as exalted above all other human beings and even, in many cases, considering faith in, and devotion to, them as indispensable for a person’s salvation. One religion regards its key figure as the only human manifestation of God to have ever appeared on Earth and claims faith in him to be the sole, and also absolutely necessary, passport to Heaven. A second religion regards a number of human beings as forms of God and as worthy of devotion. A third religion completely denies that God can manifest Himself in human form and insists that its key figure is God’s final spokesperson and that faith in him is required to enjoy eternal felicity in the life that is said to come after death.
Clearly, none of these divergent and mutually-contradictory beliefs can be proven (or disproven).
· The Supposed Holiness of Certain Things: Different religions attribute holiness or a special status to many different things. For instance, all of them regard their own scriptures as particularly sacred, and, in many cases, as the literal or inspired Word of God, as the last and final revelation from God and so, as the highest repository of truth, belief in which is said to be absolutely essential to win God’s favour and be ‘saved’ in the Hereafter. Different religions also regard different beings, objects and places as particularly worthy of veneration, as a special locale of the Divine, as it were (There have been numerous cases of rival groups of religionists fighting, even waging war, over such beings, objects and places that at least one group regards as being specially holy).
Clearly, none of these divergent and mutually-contradictory beliefs can be proven (or disproven).
· Religious Practices: Many, if not all, religions claim that the performance of certain religious practices that are unique to it, which are rooted in certain religious beliefs that are specific to it, is necessary and, indeed, normative. Some religions deem these practices to be a means to please or win the favour of God/the gods. Some even insist that performance of these practices is essential for ‘salvation’ after death and that deliberate non-performance of these practices will cause a person to be punished in Hell.
Clearly, none of these divergent and mutually-contradictory beliefs can be proven (or disproven).
· Life After Death: While all religions posit the existence of life after death, they each have their own particular theory about it which distinguishes it from all other religions. Some religions claim that we live but once and then, after death and following the Day of Judgment, we will be sent to Hell or Heaven. On the other hand, some other religions believe in rebirth and multiple lives. Some religions claim that only those who believe and follow them can be ‘saved’ after death or go to Heaven and that everyone else will go to Hell.
Clearly, none of these divergent and mutually-contradictory beliefs can be proven (or disproven).
*
We have not here covered all the points on which the religions of the world differ from each other, but the examples given above should suffice to show that what divides religions from each other (so much so that, historically, and even today, many of their votaries have been ready to foment hate and strife and even to wage war against each other) are essentially different beliefs, none of which can be empirically established. Utterly absurd though this might seem, what this basically means is that much of the hate, strife and war that the world has witnessed, and continues to witness, between rival sets of religionists has been over issues that simply cannot be proven.
In other words, we are confronted with the bizarre situation of human beings detesting and fighting each other over beliefs which they just do not, and also cannot, know to be valid. Now, isn’t this really pathetic—all that hate and bloodshed, with millions of precious lives lost so far and with no sign of it stopping, over things that no one is, or can be, sure are really true? One can scarcely think of anything more tragic (and also, foolish).
Comentarii