Comments on: Ken MacLeod explains new novel The Night Sessions

By: evil religion

evil religion — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:02:36 +0000

The difference between religion and politics, education and law is that the last three are based upon reason and can be debated freely without causing “offense”. In this way we refine and adapt our political, educational and legal systems. This is why religion has no place in any of these rational systems. It is inherently irrational and hence needs to be a private matter, a private opinion akin to ones preference for white or red wine. Unfortunately religion, through a quirk of history, seems to poke its irrational nose where is does not belong. This is what messes things up and these are the issues addressed in this rather good book.

By: Algonquin De Finestre

Algonquin De Finestre — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 03:14:29 +0000

The problem is that religion is indistinguishable from politics, education, and law as they are practised. The dichotomy is false, as any student of human cognition would realise.

By: Tom Marcinko

Tom Marcinko — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:27:34 +0000

Precisely…

By: Paul Raven

Paul Raven — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:29:47 +0000

… what kind of democratic process we could have if we just let people worship (or not) as they chose, minded our own business, and debated policies on their own merits?

I confess it’s a document that I’m not as familiar with as I should be, but isn’t that exactly what your constitution suggests?

By: Tom Marcinko

Tom Marcinko — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 22:13:21 +0000

That said, Paul, religious hot-buttons, code-words, and thinly veiled prejudices are helping to make the current U.S. presidential campaign a delight, an absolute delight. I wonder what kind of democratic process we could have if we just let people worship (or not) as they chose, minded our own business, and debated policies on their own merits?

File under “fantasy,” I guess.