Old Time Religion Fuels America's Climate of Hate

[cbayer]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/clay-naff/old-time-religion-fuels-americas-climate-of-hate_b_1750991.html

Clay Farris NaffScience and religion writer, journalist, author
Posted: 08/07/2012 6:20 pm

Hate is much like climate: just as a single weather event implies nothing about global warming, no one has any business generalizing from a terrible incident like the massacre in a Sikh temple in Wisconsin. The humane thing to do is to send our sympathy, help and, if you are so inclined, prayers to the victims and their families.

That didn't stop televangelist Pat Robertson from taking advantage of the moment to blame atheists for the slaughter.

But here's the thing: All we know for sure about the alleged killer, Wade Page, is that he is a tattoo-certified neo-Nazi loser. So, until we know more, here are my last words on the temple shooting: My heart goes out to the victims and their loved ones, the police officers who nearly lost a brave brother, and to Sikhs all over America.

Now, let us move on to climate change: Just as the average temperature has been going up over the last decade, so religiously motivated hate crimes are on the rise. I reviewed the FBI's hate crime statistics for the years 2004-2010 (the latest year available), and found that religion as the explicit motive for hate has jumped by nearly a quarter from 16.4 percent to 20 percent of all hate crimes.

more at link

[Lint Head]

1. The hate and bigotry that religion can foment is more dangerous than anything mankind has

invented. Even Nazi's and fascists twisted dogma to kill in the name of religion. War machines have come about because people claimed "God" was on their side. When both sides claim "God" is on their side someone has to be wrong and the wrong is usually on both sides.

[struggle4progress]

2. Pat flings monkey-poo like an expert