Tuesday, May 13, 2008

On Faith and Fanatics

In morals what begins in fear usually ends in wickedness; in religion what begins in fear usually ends in fanaticism. Fear, either as a principle or a motive, is the beginning of all evil. - Anna Jameson

I happened to visit Batjay’s Kuwentong Tambay a few days ago. His post, written in his usual irreverent funny way, was about life after death,. While reading, I run into another visitor who kept harassing anybody whose view runs counter to his. All in the pretext of caring and saving us from sin. Hypocricy aside, I don't know how somebody can "care and save" some faceless total strangers. He annoyed me enough that I tossed some nasty words of my own. I don’t regret what I did. The way he conducts himself, he had it coming. Things cooled down when Jet (Batjay’s wife) stepped in. Her diplomatic skill and choice of metaphor deserves commendation.

You see, I don’t mind what you believed in or what your beliefs are. I’d be more interested to know why you believed in it. It upset me if one criticizes another ones opinion without proof and shove his idea down everybody’s throat without provocation. It’s quite alarming to imagine when one judges his belief as the only truth, his faith the only salvation and the rest are hogwash. A lot of men suffered and countless lives lost because of this myopic way of thinking.

In our modern world, where information and knowledge are retrieved with a click of a finger, men of such disposition still hold influence on other men and even countries. Some possesses charismatic personality. They have uncanny ability to sway people to his will even to their death without question. With such men abound, like in the middle ages, we’ll wakeup one day to witness history repeating itself. If it's not already happening.

6 comments:

  1. I saw this one. While I was not really annoyed, amused rather, I know how it can annoy one easily. He or she had a word or two for everyone like as if he/she held the truth in his/her hands. If there is anything I would not argue with, it will be about religion first, politics second. I know how some people can be passionate about these things.

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  2. a blog entry is like a rorschach test. you'll know a person by what part of your entry they focus on and how they respond to it.

    it's fascinating if you like to people watch.

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  3. Ka Rolly, kaya yung political views ko dinadaan ko nalang sa drawing. Para hindi stressful.

    BTW, welcome back. Pasalubong ko?

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  4. batjay, gawain ko dati yan. Trying to figure out somebody by just observing.

    Thanks for the visit.

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  5. Blogusvox,alam mo ba na maraming bloggers ay nangpipikon lang kung napikon ka talo ka...he he he ,tama si mrs cool lang....

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  6. ed v., Oo nga ano. Inis talo. Sa totoo lang, kaya ako rumesbak dahil hindi ko mapalampas yang ganyang klaseng hungkag na pag-iisip. Sa uulitin mag-iisip nalang ako nang magagandang tanawin. Find a happy place eka nga.

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