Religion Didn't Create Morality

I've decided to speak out more often, more aggressively about religious nonsense, particularly as such nonsense relates to political posturing.

What tipped the balance was a Sarah Palin utterance, quoted in a Washington Post article by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend titled, "Sarah Palin is wrong about John F. Kennedy, religion and politics."

Since Ms. Palin obviously wants to influence religion in American life, it's appropriate to push back, pointing out how misinformed she is.

Ms. Palin contends: "morality itself cannot be sustained without the support of religious beliefs."

There's convincing evidence today, thanks to evolutionary psychologists such as Steven Pinker, that we're hardwired by evolution to bend toward an instinctive morality. (A New York Times Magazine article by Pinker gives a handy overview of moral instincts.)

Contrary to Ms. Palin's pronouncement, religion didn't create morality. In fact, our human moral instincts significantly contributed to the creation of religion--not just one religion but many religions. And, yes, it's possible to be moral without religion.

Resist Not Fools

As the September 11 anniversary of the terrorist attack on Manhattan’s World Trade Towers approaches, a fringe Florida minister with a miniscule congregation, proposes the public burning of the Muslim holy book, the Koran. He’s gotten far too much attention, including requests from the Secretary of State and the President not to proceed with such a demonstration. The mediasphere loves the story, because it panders to a growing intolerance of Muslims, appealing to base attitudes.

There have been plenty of worthy programs across America since 9/11 to promote tolerance generally and Muslim-awareness specifically. Now and again these efforts get notice, but are soon forgotten. But one fringe Christian minister, with a cockamamie call to burn the Koran, gets days of exposure not just in the United States, but around the world. This isn’t fair, is it?

Ecclesiastes recognizes this unfairness: “Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.” [9:18]

I’ve chosen not to contend with the Florida minister, simply saying “The call to burn the Koran is utter foolishness with self-evident, dangerous consequences; yet I support First Amendment rights, especially freedom of religion and of speech.”

To those upset with the proposed Koran burning I recommend they take a positive posture by learning a little about this Holy Book about which most persons are largely ignorant, perhaps by a reading a good encyclopedia article. This familiarization can extend to reading a few surahs from any one of a number online translations.

For me, Wisdom is proactive. Contend with fools and their foolishness as little as possible. There are f ew rewards to come from arguing with the foolish, who through such arguments gain a certain credibility.