Sunday 26 August 2007

Today's commandment from above: Obey or be damned

Once again we look into the book from whence believers supposedly receive their moral guidance. According to that book, the virtue of obedience is greater than the virtue of independence.

According to that book, obedience to civil authorities is a form of obedience to God himself ("anyone who resists authority opposes what God has ordained") ; and obedience to God is mandatory -- in fact, "they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation." See 1 Peter, 13-17 and Romans, 13:2, if you can stomach it.

Sounds to me like a recipe for statism and inquisitions and jihad, and just another reason to look in better places than this barbaric book for your moral guidance. Here's some much better guidance:

"An individualist is a man who says: ‘I will not run anyone’s life--nor let anyone run mine. I will not rule nor be ruled. I will not be a master nor a slave. I will not sacrifice myself to anyone--nor anyone to myself." - Ayn Rand
And this:

. . . The man
Of virtuous soul commands not, nor obeys:
Power, like a desolating pestilence,
Pollutes whate'er it touches, and obedience,
Bane of all genius, virtue, freedom, truth,
Makes slaves of men, and, of the human frame,
A mechanised automaton.
............................-- Percy Bysshe Shelley, Queen Mab

4 comments:

Berend de Boer said...

Already forgotten your review of "Amazing grace"?

Anonymous said...

"Already forgotten your review of "Amazing grace"?"

Have you forgotten to post something with substance?

Anonymous said...

Meanwhile, in a hundred spots around the world, hundreds of thousands of US troops, who are 98% religious, stand ready to fight and die so that Atheists can mock them in safety.

JC

Anonymous said...

Mate, if you and others are ready to die for the stupidity of blind religious belief go right ahead and die.

Laughin' at ya'll!

Cleetus