h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have heard that 92% of all wars should have been caused by religion. But I don´t know what the source for these numbers is.

I suppose, logically thinking (very strange for me!), it's a case of looking at all the wars ever fought and how they began!! Not a job for me though!

92% is some percentage though, if accurate, isn't it? Doesn't mankind make you sick to the stomach sometimes.

That is how it would have to be done yes. But who actually did it? And how did they manage to find out when was it actual religion and when was it abuse of religion. That is why it would be necessary to find the source.

Being caused by religion is different from being excused or justified by interpretations of religion, or later blamed on religion.
Then there's the matter of wars being *exclusively* caused by anything. I'd suggest that the majority of wars are partially caused by the pursuit of power or wealth, as well as by the exploitation of ignorance or hatred.
In times when religion was a major political power, and a source of exploitable (albeit small) differences within or between countries, it was unlikely that any war could be completely unconnected with religion.

Aha, you've hit the nail on the head!

Religion should never have got mixed up with politics, should never have sought to be powerful, nor wealthy. It should have stayed to administrate to the mind of man in a, dare I say it, spiritual way.

I agree with what you say about the connection between war & religion, but the fact is there: that religion was/is mixed up with war and should not have been.

I saw a scary documentary about Scientology recently. The scariest thing was that the Scientologists appointed one spokeswoman who answered all criticism with the standard line. Various ex-scientologists gave their opinions, but no practising scientologist appeared except for this one person. Are they scared of what the members might say?

Some of the practices of the Scientologists are very peculiar. One of them involves "training" children by asking them simple questions and monitoring their responses with some sort of a brain wave meter. The same question is asked over and over again. Sounds suspiciously like brain-washing to me.

Was it a brain-wave meter, or a modern version of the 50 year old 'electropsychometer', a technical sounding prop from the early days of Dianetics, which was, of course, the precursor of $cientology, from the days before the great LRH realised the full benefits of tax-exempt status, and decided to be visited by the spirit of Mammon and become inspired to invent his own "religion")

For a quick insight into Dianetics, I recommend the chapter in Martin Gardner's 1952 book 'Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science'

A few things I'd like to say on the Catholic Church. I don't know how the situation REALLY is in England, but over here in Belgium, quite a part of our taxes goes directly to the Catholics. For me, not really willing to devote anything to such an organisation, that's a real pain the *ss! (as you can probably imagine) I'm not talking about the Christian values like charity, goodness, forgiving etc.etc., I am talking about the 'institution' Church, that still wants to make people believe they'll get punished for not going to church on sundays, and other crap like that...
The only thing about the Catholic believe I like is their buildings, which are often a place of marvel and architectural wonder.

About Henry : I really thought that he rejected the catholic church because he wanted to divorce but couldn't... Or is this just some kid-story?

That is true. Henry wanted a divorce and the church would not let him. He declared himself to be the head of the church, thereby forming the Church of England. The only difference between it and the Church of Rome was the leader. All the beliefs were the same. Then he granted himself a divorce.

Later he decided to close down the monasteries and confiscate all their goods.

Apart from all, if any direct situeations where war is caused by religion, there is always the situeations such as in te middle east, and the like, where constant fighting occurs between peoples for what seems to be religious reasons, I wonder if these type things would be included in the 92% Perhaps almost as worrying as religion causing war, what about all teh problems caused by people traveling to forign lands in the past to spread their religion, but accidentially killing all the locals of the places to where they went by giving them infections to which natives had not been exposed to before?

"Religion should never have got mixed up with politics, should never have sought to be powerful, nor wealthy"

This is like when people start to talk about how a perfect religion would be all about love. Nobody´s ever seen a perfect religion so how would we know. I´d say a religious war would be one that is caused merely by a religious doctrine, and where the religion isn´t simply used as an excuse. Something like Jihad would qualify, but not the Northern Ireland conflict. That also has politics in it.

The maintenance of artificial division between otherwise similar people is often fuel for conflict, and religion (along with politics and nationalism) can be a powerful force for ill in that arena.

Religious Relics.

I remember back in the sixties, the Times Colour Supplement carried an article on the subject of religious relics. From their investigations they concluded that there were enough pieces of JHC's cross to build the Spanish Armada and enough pieces of his foreskin to make the sails.

Here's a great piece of investigative journalism by Mark Ebner on the Church of Scientology:
http://www.drasticmedia.com/Scientology.html

Ste

Great article! Now I maybe understand why Tom Cruise thinks that the way to cure post-natal depression is "with vitamins".

Unfortunately, the article is no longer available - the domain seems to have expired.

If I remember the article correctly (and it wasn't some other thing I read), the following link leads to the same piece:

http://www.holysmoke.org/cos/buy-a-bridge.htm

Yeah, that's the right one. Thanks dude

Ste

The Church of Scientology also has a lot of good lawyers who will stamp on any true revealing statements. A great way keep the cult mysterious.
There is plenty on the interweb by people have been in the cult.

Hubbard said in the early '50's, the only way to make money is to invent a religion. Of course, the Scientologists dispute this but thee are witnesses to the comment.

It is actually a really good example of how religions are created and grow. On the face of it is is quite obvious that it is all a fictional set-up by A SCIENCE FICTION WRITER. But people in the short period of time since it was created believe it is true. Now, go back 2000years when we did not have the internet or other explanations, little education and a population with a general lack of rational thought past knowing that to survive you have to eat and not get killed by what you want to eat. It shows how easily it is for stories purported to be truth to spread and actually BECOME fact.

The CofE is a registered charity and does ask for 'donations' from its congregation and has details of how to do this straight from ones salary(I knwo a few people who do this).

I also find it hilarious when going into cathedrals the 'suggestion' that a £3 donation is welcome and to take photographs inside a further £3 'donation' is required. I have yet to go to my nearest one and take photos with paying...sorry donating the required amount to see if I get challenged...but when I get round to it should be fun.