16th March, 04
The calamitous bombing in Madrid has highlighted the urgent need for the heads of all societies to cease promoting religions as having ‘moral’ value. It is obvious that giving a sacrosanct status to ‘faith’ based ideologies, thereby removing them from critical scrutiny, has a history of disaster for ordinary people.
It is not the role of governments to support any religion, either verbally or financially. This is especially true when that support is used to indoctrinate the immature minds of children who have no defence against it.
The Madrid tragedy is yet another example of the disregard that religious leaders and heads of state have for the mental health of their constituents.
Keith S Cornish, President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc, said: “We have to cease referring to the perpetrators simply as ‘terrorists’ and use the correct terminology of ‘religious terrorists.’ The real or perceived injustices provide the reason for their hostility and a god provides the justification to kill and maim indiscriminately. Another god urges retaliation and we obediently oblige.”
He added: “If an educated and affluent country such as Australia cannot break the government-supported religious indoctrination cycle, then how can we expect to eliminate such tragedies?”
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