Religion in the Philippines is hijacking our intellectual landscape

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So now we suddenly find ourselves in an interesting position; a Church we were raised to trust and revere that hijacked many concepts right under our noses: the concept of being "pro-life", the idea that they are an authority on what is "right", and the notion that they represent the best interests of the "less fortunate".

This is the essence of religion from the perspective of evolutionary memetics. Religion is like the Borg; assimilating ideas -- memes -- into a portfolio of notions of humanity that it asserts "moral" authority over.

In recent times, religion had also asserted authority over artistic and creative license. This encroachment over the intellectual landscape of a society that aspires to join the ranks of the enlightened is one of the key hindrance to the advancement of Philippine society.

Comments

  1. JuneAugust 24, 2011 at 10:41 PM

    Well said. I couldn't agree more.

    However, if the third paragraph allegedly airs the frustration of that so-called exhibit which was brought to a halt in CCP, (I don't remember the artist, not that I really care.) then I beg to disagree. Enlightenment and advancement can't be achieved by artistically putting a certain belief in ridicule. Artistic Freedom like any other, also has it's limit.

    In retrospect, the priest acted like scribes by rallying outside the complex. Removing the preposterous exhibit was enough. Making a spectacle outside the complex by the priests and their blind followers was unnecessary.

    ReplyDelete
  2. benign0August 24, 2011 at 11:50 PM

    Thanks. However, I don't think the exhibit was meant to ridicule anything, anyone, or any belief. That some people felt they or their belief was being ridiculed is a subjective opinion at best and debatable.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousAugust 25, 2011 at 12:21 AM

    Hmm. Your basis for evaluating (of the "rightness"/"wrongness") an act is the *intention* by the agent?

    ReplyDelete

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