5. Birth control.
The surest way to add
adherents to a religion is through opposing all forms of birth control.
Biological expansion. Many religions oppose birth control. All forms of birth control are sin of the highest degree to Roman
Catholics among other religions. We are to "be fruitful and replenish the
earth." On a starship where the balance between birth and resources must be
maintained at all times for the sake of the whole, what place would there be
for those who claim it is the will of God that a woman will have as many
children as possible? Even if the representatives of these earth religions say
they understand today, how long before the temptation to begin the process of
biological growth to increase their numbers before the other religions out
number them? How could they be stopped?
Conclusion
These are but some of the many reasons why earth born
religions are unsuitable for a colonized interstellar starship any of which
should disabuse of the idea earth religions would be beneficial. Earth bound
religions have a long history of intolerance, violence, anti scientific views,
a powerful desire to rule in the name of their God, and to control every aspect
of life from birth to the grave and even beyond. These religions barley
function on earth and will function more poorly once firmly established in the
starship population.
However, as
spaceflight grows closer to reality the religions of the world will begin to
use their formidable power and wealth to insure their representatives are on
board. It looks like a conundrum of you cannot
take them with you but they will make it impossible to leave them behind.
This program needs funding, political
support and public will and all three of these can be provided by religion, but
at a cost. If this ship allows Christian missionaries, Jewish Rabbi's and
Islamic Imams admission how long before the ship faces its first religious war.
How long before the fist scientist are brought up on charges of heresy? How
long before legitimate authority is overthrown by a vision of God received by a
religious authority? How long before the ship changes course because "God spoke
to the heart" of a reverend? How long before the name of the ship is changed to
reflect the new directive"it began as a research mission and now it is a
missionary ship. The most feared ship on the sea"was the ship that brought the
missionaries, for these ships always brought destruction. Perhaps another
colony ship is heading our way as I speak, bringing their planets religion with
them, it will be very bad for us when they arrive.
It is my
opinion, there is no greater problem facing this project than that presented by
religion. No doubt, religion will use every means possible to either be on
board or to insure it never occurs. What are we to do? What is the answer?
It has
always been thought humans will always need religion. Maybe not. At one time we
needed religion to explain the world around us and perhaps we have outgrown
that need. Perhaps we can have faith without religion. If we bring our toxic earth
religions with us on our starships we will never have the answer to that
question. If we do need religion to survive, then I am sure that just as God
has spoken to us once He is capable of speaking to us again.
I shudder
to think there may a distant planet that has taken to the stars and failed to
leave their religions on their planet. There may be a missionary ship headed
our way. As indigenous people know from around our globe, there was nothing
more fearful that to see the missionary ship appearing on the horizon. When the
missionaries arrived from Europe they stripped the natives of their religion and
culture and forced a new religion upon them. Perhaps"we will find out what that
feels like firsthand.
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