Concerning Religion

 On Religion

Recently, I had a great idea to sort out the world’s problems. When a Government or National leader starts a war or commits serious crimes, every one on the planet should use the power of the internet to tell them exactly what they think of them and their appalling actions. Under such global pressure, they would be forced to change their ways, thus making the world a better place for all.

This idea could be a bit naïve, but it’s never been tried before and didn’t Apartheid South Africa  eventually change after sustained global pressure? Well, for the prize of world peace, I think it’s worth a go. But who will listen to a nobody from Sheffield? So in order to get some high profile backing, I wrote to UK heads of the Church of England, Roman Catholic Church, Islam and Judaism.

No response was forthcoming from last two, but I did get an email back from the Good Cardinal. He thought the matter was best left to Governments. He does have a point, but it all smacked of buck passing to me, and what have Governments achieved in the last 20 years anyway?

However, the most thoughtful response came from a very kind lady working for the Archbishop of  Canterbury, who, not knowing the state of my mental health, let me down gently, explaining that the Archbishop was a very busy man and she would not be passing on my idea to save the world  for his attention.

Oh dear. The Archbishop is too busy for world peace!. You couldn’t make it up, could you?


And that’s the problem with Religion. When you start asking questions of it, it all gets disappointing.

Take the current panic over Covid. Why did God create the virus and other diseases  that kill people? Murder is against Gods will isn’t it? And if it’s all part of his plan, why does he allow humans to create vaccines and treatments that thwart his will? Are humans as clever as God? How is that possible?

And if the all powerful, intelligent, creator Gods exists, is he sitting up in heaven wondering  how he was created? Does he worship his creator god and if he does, why don’t we worship Gods God? And what about Gods, Gods God………?

As for heaven and life after death, it’s the ultimate con trick. “Do this, don’t do that, give us some money and we promise entry to paradise when you can’t come back and complain“. And how does anyone know that something happens after your biochemistry has packed up anyway?. There is no proof, only blind faith.
If you think I’m a lost soul damned for eternity, please don’t bother praying for me. Prayer may make you feel  better as you think you have done something constructive, but that will be all that you will have achieved. Thousands of years of prayer by billions of people and the world  has not been improved one jot as far as I can see.  

However, Religions and Gods are present in all cultures and have been worshiped as long as our records allow us to know, so what is it about religion that makes it universal? Why do humans appear to need it? I have several possible explanations..

Firstly, we all like to know what’s going on and why. We don’t like a lack of knowledge and also love a good story.. Why are we here? Well if you make up a good story to answer this question, and you  tell it round the fire side you can earn your evening meal entertaining the tribe. Better still, scare the bear skin  off them, but then convince them everything will be all right if they look after you in the right way and you have it made. You can then, providing they give you the bulk of the takings,  begin training underlings to do the same and you can have a life of luxury and status. So religion starts. And believing in a life after death, is a great story, and very comforting.

The other reason is that Religion gives humans an evolutionary advantage in times of stress, because humans function better when they are less scared or worried about death. Take times of famine. Rather than worry all day about were your next meal is coming from, why not put your faith in your god, relax and get on with your daily routine without expending energy on wasteful fretting. Chances are, that you will come across some food which is of course all down to God looking after you, not that you fully focused on the task in hand.  Or when in danger, pray for Gods safe keeping, so its his responsibility not yours. This will take the pressure off, reduce your fear levels and allow you to fight more effectively rather than stand there jibbering. Because you will be less stressed you will probably perform better and indeed survive to sing Gods praises . If you don‘t, you will more likely die and not be around to moan about what a rotten concept God is. So the after danger sample is highly bias in favour of God and so religion persists.

Finally,  religion does contain masses of wisdom which if embraced will give everyone a much happier and enjoyable life. Promoting the benefits of  co operation, peace, harmony , altruism, community and mutual support are essential, we all know this, it’s obvious and some of the kindest, selfless people I have met and read about have been deeply religious. There’s also  all  the good work done by religious charities that  do much to help others and make the world a better place for everyone.

So after 2000 years or so,  isn’t it time for a review of the worlds religions, so we can keep the wisdom and ditch the fabricated superstitious nonsense? Because the joyous reality is, we are all stuck on this planet alone and no one is here to help us. There is no after life. It’s up to us while we are alive. We have to learn how to make it work, together, right now.

And we need all the wisdom we can get.

The importance of International Travel

 The Importance of International Travel

Because of Covid, we currently can’t go abroad and with the subsequent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions this is viewed by many as good thing. However, having been lucky enough to have lived at a time when for the first time in history it was cheap and easy to travel to all parts of the globe when ever I wanted, I think it is important that international travel be resumed as soon as possible. The principal reason is that it opens your mind to new ideas and perspectives, that when experienced personally, become unshakably embedded into your character and world view.

The first personal experience to tell of, is an encounter with a young Dutchman, who I got chatting to when we were both backpacking the Cornish Coastal path. Talking of his experiences in England he said he had tried fish and chips and found the meal to be disgusting. “A soggy, greasy mess” was his description! I was taken aback, offended even, that our national dish had not been eaten with relish and delight, followed only by the eager anticipation of a future portion to be eaten on the next seafront with the wind, waves and hungry seagulls for company. Well, perhaps he had been to the wrong chippy and got a bad meal, or perhaps, on reflection he has a point. It not exactly a healthy meal is it? Maybe I should eat more salads……

The second tale takes place whilst back packing in one of the drier parts of the world during a period of drought. I had run out of water but my next watering point was due that day so I wasn’t concerned. However when I arrived at what was supposed to be a  spring, I found only a damp patch and the odd drip. Not having drunk that day, I set up my cup to catch the valuable drops. After 3 hours of waiting in the sun, I had enough for one swallow, but I’d probably sweated out more than that waiting. I had to press on. The next day I awoke to sky full of dark clouds. Great it was going to rain, so my water bottle would soon be full.

Well it did rain, it poured down in sheets. The thunder roared and the lightning cracked closer than I would have liked. There was water, too much water actually and just opening my mouth skywards gave relief to my thirst and immediate concerns. My map showed a stream ahead, one that flowed off the nearby mountain. I imaged it to be in full flow now, gushing with clear, cool pure water. Ah heaven. I pressed on.

Well it was in full flow, and gushing and cool,  but it wasn’t clear. It was a brown, thick with muddy sediment and broken vegetation and who knows what else. Despite my thirst, there was no way I was going to drink that and so I pushed on. It was the only option.

Later that day I diverted off my planned route to a farmstead and at the gate the occupants had left out containers of drinking water for travelers. What nice people. What kind people. I looked for them so I could thank them but no one was about, perhaps they were a bit shy. But now every day I turn on a tap at home I’m thankful and remember that farm that taught me the true value of water to life. Now I avoid flushing the toilet with drinking water, and use bath water, washing up water or rain water when possible.  
 
There are other many other stories I could tell, about being picked up and carried by Sherpa's over a Himalayan pass and being humbled by their effort for me: about being shocked when invited to diner by a man in Kathmandu only to find he and his family of 4 lived in a room the size of my spare bed room; about the young hitch hikers I’d picked up and got me out of a jam with Police in Patagonia. But these would distract from my point. And that is that I think it is very important that others should experience the world and obtain their own stories to tell, so they too wont be fooled when politicians or religious leaders tell that the other people, the foreigners, the non believers, the people across the boarder, the people of different appearance or customs or outlooks are any different, or inferior, or dangerous, from any group of people you may happen to meet in your own country or city.

Because that’s the most important thing I have learnt from international travel. We are all basically the same, kind, trustful and peaceful. We just live in different places with different ideas and we are all working daily to improve our situations for the better.

Hopefully we will soon have a way of traveling carbon free as well as cheaply. Until then “tread lightly on the earth“, but don‘t stop treading entirely. I wonder if the chippy’s open yet?

Time For a Universal Declaration of Human Obligations?

 Part 1 On the “Rights of Man” by Thomas Paine 1791

Just over 200 years ago Thomas Paine’s Rights of Man was published which sets out his views on governments, economics, revolutionary war, natural and civil rights. Upon reading this historic book one paragraph in particular leaped off the page and struck me as highly relevant, but troublesome, in this modern world.

He describes “Natural Rights as those which appertain to man in right of his existence. Of this kind are all the intellectual rights, or rights of the mind, and also all those rights of acting as an individual for his own comfort and happiness, which are not injurious to the natural rights of others”. Fine words indeed, which form the basis of many western constitutions, and they tell us we have a right from birth to be free, to do and think as we choose, as long as it causes no harm to others. But it’s that caveat  “no harm to others” that needs careful though and definition. Who exactly are “others”

Back in the 19th Century “others” was chosen to include only a select few, those of your own tribe, sex, power, wealth and creed. But slowly the definition has expanded. Women, those of different skin, the poor, the less able bodied, those in other countries and  those of different political views, religion or sexual orientation have all now been included by many legal systems around the world. However, with the environmental crisis plainly evident to all, shouldn’t the definition of others be expanded further to also include future others? What right have we to mess up this planet, in one big fossil fuel driven party, if it means future generations wont be able to enjoy it just as we have? With this updated definition of others, that includes future others, we currently have no right at all to drive a car, get on a plane, use our gas boilers, as all of these actions are changing the planet and will cause harm to people in the future by  continuing the process of climate change.  

Should “others” also include animals that also live on this planet? We share most of our genes with primates and If you trace back evolutionary processes all life originates from a single source and so are we not related to all life forms on earth and equally precious? Well nature is cruel and we have to eat something, but I would argue that animals have a right to exist as much as we do, if not as individuals, then at least as a species. We should not do harm to animals or plants and allow them to thrive along side us. We have no right to cause extinctions or wantonly destroy habitat.

You could also use the same argument for Governments to pursue sound economic policy. Governments can and are borrowing money as if there’s no tomorrow, only for others to suffer higher taxes in the future. Is this acceptable? I suppose it depends on what the money is spent on,  but due to my lack of  knowledge of economics, I will have to leave that issue to others.

Having said all this, I’m still not happy with Thomas Paine’s Natural rights. If we live our lives not causing harm to others, future others, animals or the planet is this enough? Well may be, but I think it should be the minimum. It still all seems a bit selfish to me. Couldn’t we do a lot better? Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all pursued our own comfort and happiness, with out harming our newly defined others, but also acted to help all others to increase their comfort and happiness too? If we all acted in this way, wouldn’t this create a viscous, or more correctly, virtuous circle of ever increasing comfort and happiness for everyone?

We can never know the future, we can only choose how to act today. Perhaps if we
acknowledge that we have our Rights of Man, but we also have natural Obligations of Man. then human kind would progress much faster than it is at the moment, and we could leave behind old 20th century modes of thinking. If we all exercise our rights, but also help others and contribute to our global society for the good of all, perhaps then we can all act together to make this world a better place for everyone, now and in the future.


Part 2 Universal Declaration of Human Obligations

Before we go on, lets drop the out of date, sexist, term  “Man” and replace it with “Humans”.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was drafted after the Second world war and sets out the fundamental rights that all should enjoy. But what would a Universal Declaration of Human Obligations contain? Pay taxes and obey the law would be top of the list if Governments were drafting it. However there are unfair taxes and the law is written by those in power and may need to be challenged, so they don’t make it on to my list. Top of my list of obligations comes from the Natural Right namely the obligation to:-

1) Pursue your own personal comfort and happiness. If we have this natural right we should use it to full effect and benefit by making our own choices and not just following the herd. Happiness and contentment doesn’t come from doing what others tell, persuade or force us to do but by acting freely and working towards our own desired goals. After all ,if we haven’t achieved a reasonable level of comfort and happiness ourselves,  we wont be unable to assist others in their pursuit too.

2) Not to cause harm to others. As discussed above, others should include future others and other life on this planet.

3) Help others to also have a life of comfort and happiness too. Promote the virtuous circle of increasing happiness by not acting selfishly or greedily.

4) Not to waste resources including the resource of our own time on earth and our own body. Food, water, money, materials and time are all limited and of value and so should be used  thoughtfully to maximise over all comfort and happiness. I also include our own bodies and mind as a resource. We should keep them both fit and healthy, so we minimise our demands on healthcare services.

5) To volunteer our time, labour and resources for the good of animals and the planet which are not represented in our democracies. Animals don’t get to vote so they need us to represent and protect them in our societies.

6) To continually seek the truth and to question or correct all possible lies and false hoods.  Edward Heath said “never believe the first version of a breaking story“, it will usually be distorted by  those who are most disadvantaged by its likely effects. Socrates questioned everything, assuming he knew nothing. A bit extreme perhaps but I don’t think Trump would have got into power if people remembered these wise principles.

7) To continually endeavour to learn and self improve, help others to do the same and to always correct ignorance and prejudice in ourselves and others.

8) Endeavour to be creative and practical in thought and action. Never fear failure, or fear to take considered risks. Only then will the world improve and not stagnate.

9) Celebrate the differences of our peoples and cultures, but to always think globally.

10) To participate in democratic processes and debates. “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance”, so we must all be on guard against extremists and those who tell us that they know best. This is achieved by voting, joining political parties, protecting free speech and free press, debating issues of the day, particularly speaking out against injustice and corruption in society.
 
11) Always act in a way that makes the world a better place, for everyone now and in the future.

These are just my ideas. What would you include in your Universal Declaration of Human Obligations?


Trevor Prew
Sheffield UK
January 2021

PS Since writing this essay I discovered that the United Nations and Unesco have already written their Declaration of Human Obligations and also a Declaration of Responsibilities of the Present Generation to future generations, although these have not been made legal in many countries. (Wales has).