[thechat] the litmus test for any religion

[Martin Burns]

On Tue, 17 Sep 2002, Kevin Stevens wrote:

> > the "organized" religions -- specifically, those people at the top of the
> > pyramid of authority -- don't actually want you to get closer to god,
> > because that would expose them as shams and con artists, and the
> > reason they want you to be a good sheep is that they get an ego boost,
> > a kick, and in many cases financial gain, from your oppression
>
> This is an age old argument. There was a mass outcry when it was first
> suggested that the Bible should be translated from Latin to English
> therefore giving the ordinary folk  a chance to interpret its messages for
> themselves.

Not sure about the 'mass', Kev. I'd also be very careful about who claims
to be talking on behalf of a faith, and not to equate that with the faith
itself.

> Similarly when education, previously only available to the upper
> classes, was offered to the middle & lower classes.

Can't speak for England too much, but certainly in Scotland and Ireland,
that would have been the church that extended the reach of education, and
not *just* to be able to read the Bible (although that was an important
benefit for them).

I'd also refer you to the Covenant of Scotland, where the Crown (based in
some wee village called London) tried to insist that it had the right to
impose management on the Church of Scotland, at which most of Scotland -
and certainly *all* of the Church of Scotland - responded 'screw you' (in
18th Century language of course). The Kirk is *very* clear that their head
is Jesus, not the Queen (as per the Church of England).

Cheers
Martin

---------------------------
"Names, once they are in common use, quickly
 become mere sounds, their etymology being
 buried, like so many of the earth's marvels,
 beneath the dust of habit." - Salman Rushdie