WHY WE ARE A VIOLENT PEOPLE

WHY WE ARE A VIOLENT PEOPLE

The idea that our conception of God shapes our attitudes towards others is not a new one. In fact, it has been explored by philosophers, theologians, and social scientists for centuries. The notion that if we imagine a God who commits acts of violence and genocide, we will justify and praise such acts in our minds, is a particularly troubling one.

It is easy to see how this could happen. If we believe that God is all-powerful and all-knowing, it is tempting to assume that everything God does must be right and just. If we imagine a God who commands us to commit acts of violence or genocide, we may feel that we have no choice but to obey. And if we believe that God has divided humanity into righteous and unrighteous, or that certain groups of people are inherently superior or inferior based on their ethnicity or group identity, we may adopt these same attitudes towards others.

The consequences of worshipping a monstrous deity are all too clear. Throughout history, people have committed unspeakable atrocities in the name of God. Wars, invasions, executions, genocides, witch-hunts, slavery, and persecutions have all been justified by appeals to a violent and xenophobic deity. The fact that so many different cultures and civilizations have committed these acts in the name of God suggests that something deeper is at work here than mere coincidence or happenstance.

One explanation for this phenomenon is that our conception of God is shaped by our own fears and desires. If we are afraid of those who are different from us, we may imagine a God who shares our fears and desires. If we feel powerless in the face of injustice, we may imagine a God who will come to our rescue and punish our enemies. And if we feel a deep sense of superiority or entitlement, we may imagine a God who justifies and reinforces these feelings.

Another explanation is that our conception of God is shaped by the social and political contexts in which we live. If we live in a society that is deeply divided along ethnic or religious lines, we may imagine a God who reinforces these divisions. If we live in a society that is marked by violence and conflict, we may imagine a God who sanctions or even encourages violence. And if we live in a society that is marked by injustice and inequality, we may imagine a God who is on the side of the powerful and privileged.

Whatever the reasons for it, the fact remains that worshipping a monstrous deity can have terrible consequences. It can turn us into monsters ourselves, justifying and even celebrating acts of violence and oppression that we would otherwise find abhorrent. It can lead us to judge others harshly based on their ethnicity or group identity, or to treat them as enemies rather than fellow human beings. And it can blind us to the humanity of those who are different from us, making it easy to ignore their suffering or even to inflict suffering upon them.

In conclusion, the idea that our conception of God shapes our attitudes towards others is a powerful one. If we imagine a God who commits acts of violence and genocide, or who divides humanity into righteous and unrighteous, we may find ourselves justifying and even celebrating acts of violence and oppression that we would otherwise find abhorrent.