Belief Systems

As I post these lectures, I will use italics to suggest blog post or paper ideas.

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Since Wicca is a religion, we must first establish what a belief system is.

And since people are persecuted for being "Witches," in opposition to a dominant religious order, we must understand the power of belief systems.

A belief system represents belief without evidence, or faith.

I can believe in ghosts, but I can't prove they exist.

Faith can be a comforting thing, but it can also be a scapegoat used to excuse unethical behavior.

For example, if I believe that I must kill infidels, then I will murder 3000 innocent Americans.

Below are some examples of the power of belief to commit heinous acts.  There are many, many more examples.  Please post more examples with a comment.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/oct/04/westgate-mall-attacks-kenya-terror

http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/article/forced-exodus-christians-middle-east

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/justice-story/justice-story-honor-killing-article-1.1510125

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/barbara-wade-rose/papua-new-guinea-witchcraft-burned-stake_b_2688403.html?just_reloaded=1

http://youtu.be/LACyLTsH4ac
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If I believe that a Witch is among us, I can use that to kill her or him with "impunity."

Here's something happening right now that expresses the danger of a belief system over reason:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/15/world/africa/sudan-christian-woman-apostasy/


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What if there is no God?   What would make killing wrong?

To start, I could say that if there is no afterlife, then taking another's life would be the worst abomination, as the life I take would be the entirety of the being.  Or, raping someone and ruining her or his soul would be the worst abomination.

The reason evidence is so important is that without it, I can inflict punishment or death on another just by having a belief about that person:

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/salem.htm

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In today's Western World, we have inverted victim and perpetrator.  We say that 911 was America's fault for its wrongs in the Middle East .  Now wait just a minute: isn't that exactly like blaming the woman who wore a miniskirt for getting raped?