Klarinet Archive - Posting 000394.txt from 2001/09

From: Gary Truesdail <gir@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Terrorism and religion
Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2001 00:49:13 -0400

Since when does killing others when you are not being attacked have
anything to do with religion? I have never heard of any religious
directive (and I have studied a few different religions) to fly an
airplane into a modern skyscraper to kill people.

GaryT

Dave Spiegelthal wrote:
>
> I realize this is a clarinet forum, but I must digress, and I realize that I'm
> going to deeply offend some people. Right now, I really don't care if I do. I
> agree wholeheartedly with those list members who have asked that we keep all
> references to religion out of our wishes for the health and safety of our fellow
> clarinetists, especially those in New York City. A good argument can be made
> that, to a large extent, religion created this tragedy, and today's events
> reinforce (my humble) opinion that religion is, and has been historically, as
> powerful a force for evil as for good. It is unfortunate that two of the side
> effects of religious belief seem to be (a) the subjugation of rational thought
> processes by the acceptance, without evidence or proof, of concepts and beliefs
> passed down to us by people who are either misinformed or have ulterior motives,
> and (b) intolerance for people who believe differently than we do. So by all
> means, let us send all our hope and best wishes to the victims and their loved
> ones, but please, keep religion out of it!
> Flame away if you must. This tragedy is bigger than all of us, and unless we
> want this religion- and nationalism-based hatred to continue, we had better all
> start thinking outside our own belief systems and prejudices.
> David Spiegelthal
> Calverton, VA
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------

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