How the Religious Mind Works

I’m absolutely horrified at some of the reaction to the stampede which left over 300 people dead at the Muslim Hajj. The AP reports these quotes.

An Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki said "This was fate destined by God. Some of the pilgrims were undisciplined and hasty to finish the ritual as soon as possible."

You’re a TURKEY alright. Sure, blame the victims AND God at the same time. This makes a lot of sense. At least it keeps the Interior Ministry from having to worry about whether there’s something it should be doing to prevent this kind of thing in the future. Heaven forbid that we should take responsibility for anything.

That AP also reported that Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdel Aziz told reporters the state had "spared no effort" to prevent such disasters but added, "it cannot stop what God has preordained. It is impossible."

Here we go with blaming God again. Let me clue you in on something Aziz old boy, everything is NOT under the control of Sky Daddy. Sometimes things happen because people screw up and sometimes they happen due to a combination of circumstances that no one could have foreseen or prevented. Call it Fate, call it Karma or call it Bad Luck, it represents that degree of uncertainty that all of us have to face everyday. In other words, stuff happens, live with it.

I don’t mean to pick on Islam; Christians can be just as bad. I see that Pat Robertson, may his eyebrows fall out and his tummy grow ulcers, has sent a letter of apology for saying that Ariel Sharon’s stroke was punishment from God for Sharon pulling out of Gaza.

It seems that evangelical Christians opposed the move because they believe it goes against a necessary condition spoken about in the Bible for the beginning of the end times.

Now let me make sure I understand this properly. The Lord and Master of Creation, the Almighty and All powerful Lord of the Universe has a plan BUT the prime minister of a little country, on an insignificant planet, in a backwater solar system of a mediocre galaxy is screwing that plan up?

God’s will is being thwarted? Excuse me while I go bang my head up against the wall for an hour or two. The lack of thought inherent in the mind of this brand of conservative evangelical Christian makes me shudder. These people are really dangerous. If it was up to me I’d put them all on a reservation somewhere in the middle of Kansas and let them slowly de-evolve back to the Stone Age.