[MD] New Model Army, Mystic(DQ) Experience, and Religion (SQ) as Power

[Ant McWatt]

Ant McWatt stated August 2nd:

To cut to the chase, I think the issue of religion (and especially the 
exploitation of Fundamentalist Christians by neo-cons) is just one of those 
smokescreens often used by unscrupulous politicians to ensure their 
materially comfortable lifestyle continues.  The “War on Terror” is another 
myth designed to scare the US and UK population into being more submissive 
and pliable for the same end.  More detail for these points is provided by 
the “Power of Nightmares” TV documentary that Khaled and Arlo recently 
highlighted; the entire scripts for the documentary being at:

http://www.archive.org/details/ThePowerOfNightmares

Finally, I still think that most everyday people calling themselves 
Christians or Muslims are sincere about their beliefs but, to return to a 
point I made a couple of days ago, if you rely on the static baggage of 
someone else (whether that’s a parent or the Catholic Church) when dealing 
with the Divine (rather than approach it directly), you’re going to leave 
yourself open to political and financial exploitation.  This type of 
exploitation is also why writers such as Mark Twain implied that anyone who 
_wants_ to hold high office should be carefully scrutinised for their 
motivations in doing so!

Steve H commented to Ant August 2nd:

And your solution is to get rid of all [institutionalised] religion?  I see 
the problem
being the vacuum of leadership at the top.  In other posts I have
shown my disgust with President Bush, I believe he and his cronies are
more of a problem than all of organized religion.  It is them who
encourage the continued ignorance of the population and feed on the
population's lust for instant gratification.

Ant McWatt comments:

Steve,

I think Bush and his cronies are happy to use organised religion in as far 
as it secures them power.  So yes, I agree with you in that such politicians 
are more of a problem than organized religion.  As such, my solution is not 
to get rid of all institutionalised religion but to change the system/s that 
gives power to dubious politicians such as those presently “leading” the US 
and the UK.

Regarding institutionalised religion, I was simply saying that if you are 
trusting your spiritual life to other people (as part of an established 
sect), you have to be that more careful about what beliefs you are exactly 
accepting and how the social organizations underlying these beliefs are 
being controlled and influenced.  I suppose there is an element of trust 
there with church authorities analogous with trusting the mass media etc 
that a country I have never visited on the TV news _really_ exists or that 
the ’69 moon landings _really_ did happen.  Most people just can be bothered 
or lack the time to check up on such things properly.

Moreover, if I am a mystic then I just need to be aware of the moral issues 
I come across on my individual path (“to enlightenment”) while if I become a 
member of the Catholic Church, for instance, then what the priest says in 
his weekly sermon or what the financial dealings of the Vatican City are or 
what the Pope’s public comments on AIDS or women or institutionalised child 
abuse also then become my concern and, as a member of that Church, my 
responsibility.  Personally, it’s not the kind of responsibility I’d like to 
be burdened with.

Best wishes,

Anthony.


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