[MD] to dmb

[gav]

okay dave,
i would like to get things straight cos i think you feel that i have treated you unjustly....maybe i have.
i don't want my passion get the better of my respect for you and endanger our friendship. 
by way of explanation....

i think that mysticism is a form of religion. i think the moq is a mystical metaphysics. i think you would agree.

fundamentalism is a response to something, a response to a lack...science has not or cannot provide meaning. as gerald rosen says western culture has science and shopping as its religions - their inability to give a sense of identity/belonging leaves us with a situation where many go backwards and embrace the fundamentalism of the pre-enlightenment. this is obviously not the best solution but it is a symptom of some problem at large in western culture that we should look at, for it is this that is ontologically prior to the fundamentalism that we are all agreed is a dangerous turn.

the moq is a friend of authentic religion and spirituality. god can be a mystical term (as i said just look at spinoza). the very fundamentalism we can get upset about can also be viewed as a positive - an indication that people are looking for meaning, desirous of something new, different; ripe for cultural and personal evolution. we are, i think, too oft unjustly condescending towards those who embrace religion (i know i have prejudged many times)

i feel the danger in our society comes from those promoting an essentially nihilistic science *against* religion as a whole. this is very dangerous i feel - it is populist and lends itself well to fascism. i perhaps reacted so emotively because i perceived a support for this position in your and others views. i may well have been mistaken - trigger happy. (i wasn't stoned though!)

the media has been demonising islam for years now; and it is true that some on this list seem to have swallowed that demonisation hook line and sinker (you know who you are :-)). we need to be aware of what the media does - what its social function is: it is there to keep order, maintain the status quo, maintain docility; it promotes narcissism, addiction and pumps fear into us every day - fear of the 'other': islam is being used as a scapegoat. in truth, the koran and the bible are books of great wisdom - reading is good! learning is good! tolerance is good! understanding is good! if we jump on board with the demonisation of wisdom traditions - we will only have ourselves to blame if fascism resurges.

i hope i have helped you to understand my strident words...i am only beginning to feel thid strongly about it now...my eyes (i think) have been opened a bit to my own prior prejudices against religion.

it is strange that we look to the east as wise religion yet ignore our own traditions - funny thing is the same goes on in korea and china from what i have heard and experienced.

i am sorry if i have offended you dave. i appreciate your work, its quality, humour and candour, and have done so for many years now. you know what they say - we hurt those closest to us sometimes....

faithfully
gav