The Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc condemns the latest horrendous bombings in Bali as the work of induced insanity. It condemns the ‘spiritual’ leaders and the perpetrators and deems them distorted individuals, perverted by the control religion has over their lives. Grievances, either real or imagined, normally do not elicit such barbarity unless justified by conscience salving religion.

Terrorism of this nature will not go away at the chest-beating behest of Western leaders. Reducing civil liberties in democracies will do nothing but bring societies ever closer to tyrannical rule commensurate with a change of our own political/religious circumstances.

The falsehood that Christianity is somehow different to Islam in the terrorism stakes is a matter of chronological timing, supported unequivocally by the evidence. Wars, inquisitions, Crusades, slavery and the subjugation of women, indigenous races and the environment stand as testimony to the dangers to humanity when ‘faith’ rules supreme.

The touted sacred religious ‘absolutes’ have and do not guarantee respect for human life and liberty. The promise for the future is that if we do not learn from this sordid lesson, history will be repeated ad infinitum. Religion is always waiting in the wings, ready and willing to control by force when societies flounder.

David Nicholls President of the AFA said; “It is foolhardy not to critically examine the basis of all ethereal type ‘beliefs.’ Is the immensity of pain worth the continued playing of the pretend god game?”

The Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc is at one in deep sorrow for those killed, injured or scarred mentally or physically for life because of these bombings.

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