The inevitability of religions began in the circumstance of ancient primitive humanity’s ignorance of the natural world. Long ago, Kant suggested that humans invented gods because of their need for them. The notion of gods assisted the invention of explanations for the phenomena of the natural world and also gave meaning to life within ancient primitive concepts of the natural world.

Modern rational minds understand the ancient primitive intellect’s necessity for the phantasmagoria of good and evil gods. Such notions, being the foundations of religions, became high authority over humanity and a psychological control factor. Organised religion with its various psychological ploy levels still maintains this role.

Religion is a major bonding factor of tribalism. On the other side of the religious coin, it causes estrangement and xenophobia because different tribes worship different gods. This led to religious conflicts with prizes of territory, water, food resources and women going to the victors. Religious conflicts occur still.

Recently, on an Australian current affairs program, Hindus and Muslims stated loud and clear that they wanted their religions to be world religions, to take over the world’s population. This is emulating what Christianity has tried to do for over two millenniums and it is now being abrogated.

Whilst Secular Humanists should adopt standards of tolerance, caution is a necessity, particularly when there is a piteous call for tolerance and non-stereotyping of religionists. Their history of violence must be taken into account and not ignored. Remember, fundamentalists rise from the ranks of the ordinary adherents and always will, as long as the present forms of religions exist. When a religion is a predominant belief system, fundamentalists will try to take control supported by millions of ‘peaceful’ rank and file members who want their particular faith to be global.

Religionists will create theocratic States whenever they can. The history of the Australian governments reveals that they are frequently influenced by Christian policies. Thus in practice, they are partially or virtually theocratic-controlled governments (operated or influenced by religious people – and that can lead to theocratic States). Organised religions (private organisations) plunder government treasuries. Federal and State governments issue funds from treasuries on demand by organised religion.

It should be noted that the Roman Catholic Church in Australia refuses to become incorporated. It is doubtful that any other non-incorporated body would receive such favourable treatment from Governments, but RC votes are important to politicians.

Archbishop George Pell would have his Australian Roman Catholic Church play a role not conducive to a stable society. On the 22nd February 2002, the Archbishop of Sydney, George Pell, addressed a Muslim prayer congregation in Sydney. Pell implied that he wanted friendship between the Muslim community and the Roman Catholic community.

In an earlier interview with Geraldine Doogue on ABC TV, Pell said: “I can see that, in the future, Christians (Roman Catholics, as he only speaks for Roman Catholics) and Muslims would join together in resisting secularism.” Was his speech to the Muslim prayer congregation a confirmation of his viewpoint? Religionists’ intolerance of Secularism and promotion of religious policies of male discrimination cannot augur well for a stable long-term peaceful Australia.

Pell promoting resistance to secularism is a significant obstruction to establishing a better and safer Australian society based on Secular Humanist principles and ethics that can be argued are of a higher paradigm than those he holds. Secular Humanists do not call for holy wars, fatwas, invoke antiquated religious blasphemy laws as Pell did and failed, or practice male domination, various discriminations against women or have a fear of a vengeful god, or call for the use of violence to solve problems as many religionists do etc.etc.

Pell’s call for unity with approximately 300,000 Muslims and approximately 4 million plus Roman Catholics appears a little odd. Roman Catholics do not need physical support of Muslims in confrontations with Secularism permeating Australian society. Pell has governments onside. His policies are specifically designed to control minds and bodies. He can if necessary, use psychological terror to coerce acquiescence to them. You will burn etc. These ploys along with barbarous laws should be rescinded and outlawed.

Is Pell politically manoeuvring to ingratiate himself with a potential religious ally on whose behalf he may lobby governments? Does Pell have a hidden agenda, such as manipulating Muslims to act as a spearhead against Secularists? Does Pell realise that the Muslims, by their creed, have to regard all other religionists as infidels, including George Pell? Therefore, infidels cannot be allies of Muslims, although Lawrence of Arabia was for a short period.

Under Australian Secular democracy, law and governance, people are not required to be governed by two separate and often conflicting bodies, the Church and State. Secular Humanist principles do not support, or prohibit supernatural faith belief systems. But belief systems should not be psychologically or physically harmful to anyone and definitely not grounds for inventing and implementing barbarous laws. Australian Secular Law is the highest social justice process that Australians can use. People should not be made to feel guilty by refusing to have anything to do with religion in legal matters.

Clergy try to stem the inexorable shift of Australians accepting scientific views of the natural world and adopting a secular stance. Australians appear to be moving gradually towards a Secular Humanist society based upon accepting and exploiting scientific knowledge, devoid of religious notions.

Secular government and governance and secular laws are relentlessly overtaking the social role of religion throughout the world. Scientific, Secular Humanist principles are usurping religious doctrine and even forcing them to cease enacting their torturous and barbarous laws.

Religion’s psychological role of comforting millions will be around for a long time yet. It is unfortunate that it is a member of the criminal global ‘Unholy Trinity’ of economics, politics and religion, which only has self-interest in mind, when it could probably help solve most of humanity’s problems that are usually economically based.

Humanity’s history reveals that the ‘Unholy Trinity’ usually fixes its self-induced troubles by using violence. Each century more humans are killed in wars than in previous centuries. This century so far is following the murderous pattern of previous centuries. Hence the urgent need for action to unite the forces of good.

By Peter Plane