Metaphysic Storm

Theocrat Theodore Beale recently published a comment about a Sam Leiths article on the recent Buddhist monk protest in the Union of Myanmar. Sam concluded that, “What’s happening in Burma is an object demonstration of courage and faith; and of the enduring power of a gentle, infinitely suffering thing.” Sams conclusion that the monks demonstration was the soul product of faith is unfounded. Sam quoted Patti Smith with the true force behind the protest, “get ‘em like Gandhi; get ‘em with the numbers” That’s not classified information and the reason why every self selecting group always encourages the mass reproduction of the adherents regardless if it’s religion, race or ideology. After all, if it wasn’t for hot Asian sex, the monks wouldn’t last more than one generation. Only those humans who know that earths biggest problem is human population are driven to control their multiples. Unfortunately the answer must be a collective solution, something Team Human hasn’t been able to pull together. Will we be stuck in a catch 22 until every last animal suffers from our population? I hope not.

I don’t know what the situation in Myanmar is and I’m not going to voice my opinion about what ought to be there. But images of monks dressed in warm colored robs herding throughout the secular sections of the city carrying sticks instantly conjures up the “life blood” metaphor in the acute observer. Without doubt, having a common mind and a system designed to propagate the common mind, is the most powerful tool democracy has ever known. It comes as little surprise that State leaders have used religion and the media to propel their personally driven ends. I’m baffled as to why so many people feel the need to be part of the common mind. It makes sense with swarming insects who aren’t capable of independent thought. But why we would desire such a thing is almost incomprehensible to me. The mob and religion do not foster “courage” in the individual, they produce xenophobic fear that overpowers rationality.

Theodore said, “The reason that religious faith and totalitarianism will always be at odds is because the entire point of totalitarianism is its demand that there is nothing greater than the State.” It’s easy to jump to the conclusion that we either have a Secularist State whom promotes Free Religion or one that promotes Atheistic Communism, when we examine our resent history. But Theodore postulates a false dichotomy. Religion is inherently a totalitarian system because of what all religions stand upon: obsolete unfounded truisms, the grand pun of the ages. Certainly totalitarianism is no better than theocracy; the only real difference is that totalitarianisms rules are usually dictated by a single secular individual and religion from an antiquated book or self selecting committee.

The belief that, “God and even the supernatural are things beyond the inherently material State, at least in the absence of a god-king” is a commonality between even in the most foreign of religions or communist regimes, where the “Great Leader” replaces Dalai Lamas, Jesus or George the Nth. Thus if, God-king, God, or King are essentially the same thing in the mind of a desperate and scared flock, what is the opposite? The Truth: that the only thing to fear are things that cause unjustified fear and that it’s impossible for someone else to do our thinking for us. I’m frightened for a reason. People who say there is nothing beyond the State are doing so in reference to law and order. It’s obvious that justice is dependent on a just government, but those who trust in God to check and balance the State, instead of The people who recognize the principle of individuality and equality, are a monster who’s tyranny surpasses even most vicious of dictators. The most troubling element of Theocracy, when compared to that of deluded great leader, is that god-prophets can only die once, and their words seem to grow in strength with time.

The “great leaders” are destined to look ever more silly with a refinement of truth. When the totalitarian State fails it’s blamed on the leader, when the Theocracy fails it’s blamed on the heretics. I hope that Humankind will make it to the point when our descendents can look back and perceive the silliness that is Religion and GodKing.

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