Dear Editor,
I agree with the views expressed by Swami Aksharananda in his letter “Gandhi’s dedication to non-violence is a vital message today” (October 6, 2007), in which he linked violence with religion. However, in my opinion, religion merely correlates with violence; religion is not a cause of violence.
This is a simplistic observation made by some that religion causes violence. This observation is as true as the fact that kitchen knives, rolling pins, cutlasses, paling staves, electrical cords, broomsticks, bottles, slippers, belts, hot water, cricket bats, fertilizers, diesel, box-cutters, aeroplanes and other utilitarian objects have often been linked with violence. Similarly, religion at its utilitarian best does give structure, meaning and purpose to our otherwise unstructured, meaningless and purposeless lives (non-religious belief systems can do so just as well); but in damaged minds, it is as dangerous as a loaded AK 47 in the hands of a madman. “Nothing has brought to man more blessings than religion, yet at the same time there is nothing that has brought more horror. Religion is the highest plane of human thought and life. The intensest love that humanity has ever known has come from religion, and the most diabolical hatred. Nothing makes us as cruel as religion, and nothing makes us as tender.” (Narendranath Datta/Swami Vivekananda, 1863-1902)
Although religion and violence often occur together, it is not true that the former is the cause of the latter. The majority of religionists are peaceful, decent, hard-working and law-abiding citizens. In fact, the majority of persons, religionists or otherwise, are at peace, not at war. We have to look elsewhere for the causes and irrational beliefs that lead to violence.
There is one thing that all violent and irrational persons (including religious terrorists) have in common: abusive and unhappy childhood experiences. In numerous letters to the press, I have detailed and explained how poor parenting practices lead to children growing up to become violent persons, for example, the foundational irrationality: “I beat you because I love you.” Violent religious fundamentalists use their beliefs as a justification for their violence and irrationality, but a justification is not a cause; it is a rationale given for one’s actions. Child abuse in its myriad forms is humankind’s original sin.
It is a matter of historical record that Islamic and Christian armies unleashed violence across much of Europe and Asia in medieval times. The Cross and the Crescent spread at the point of the sword. It is also a matter of historical record that other armies of the past – Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Hindus, etc – unleashed violence wherever they marched. The Roman Eagle too spread at sword point. It is the purpose of armies, regardless of their religious stripe, to use violence or the threat thereof to enforce the policies of their leaders. Armies are designed for violence. The only army that has never used violence is the Salvation Army – except for violence to the eardrum.
Moreover, those were different times, superstitious times, times when natural phenomena, biological oddities and birth defects were considered acts of gods or devils – times when child-rearing practices were extremely violent, producing damaged minds who were quick to do the bidding of their similarly damaged theocratic rulers. Today, Europe, Asia and most of the world, with the exception of a few hotspots, are at peace. In spite of appearances to the contrary, peace is being waged more than war.
If one takes time to notice, it is those countries that most value their children that are most at peace with themselves and with others. As Gandhi once said, “If we want world peace, we must begin with the children.”
Yours faithfully,
Michael Lester Hackett
