Religious Belief is a Virus

This is the fifth in a series of fictional discussions with my imaginary friend Al.

To understand the background for this piece, I recommend that you read one or more of the previous ones.

A Question of Faith

Religion and Morality

Diane

God, Pluto and Limburger Cheese

We were starting our second beer, and I had been waiting for this moment. Al is a very smart guy, a trained scientist with advanced degrees in engineering. He is a kind and thoughtful person. He is also a devout Christian. I am a nonbeliever. We have had many spirited discussions about religion, but they have always remained civil. We have never let our differences of opinion on matters of faith threaten our friendship. I was planning to spring a little trap on him.

I mentioned a recent terrorist attack in Iraq that had killed a number of innocent civilians along with several American soldiers.

“How can any religion condone such actions?” I asked. “The whole idea of Islam is crazy, though. Mohammed appoints himself as Allah’s prophet and proceeds to write the Koran, supposedly with Allah dictating. But if you read it, with all its logical and grammatical errors, it was clearly written by a not-too-literate man named Mohammed. He claimed he was the only real prophet. All the rest were fakes. The man was either a charlatan or he was deluded. And then, he flew to Heaven on a horse. I haven’t seen too many flying horses except on gas station signs.”

Al laughed at that, and agreed that Islam was indeed pretty crazy.

And then I dropped the bomb.

“Okay, let me change a few words in what I just said. “Jesus must have been pretty delusional to think he could talk to God. And his claim that he is the only true prophet…ridiculous! But even that isn’t as bad as the whole idea that he was born by immaculate conception, and after he rose from the dead and was lifted up into heaven. That’s even crazier than flying horses!”

Al wasn’t smiling. “Those are historical facts. It’s all in the Bible.”

“And the Bible was written by whom?”

I answered my own question before Al could open his mouth.

“Written by men, but God dictated the words. Gee, that sounds familiar. And judging by the contradictions and inconsistencies, one would have to conclude that God had a lot of human failings. He would have failed a high school English class.”

Al laughed at that. “Yeah, he probably would have failed English class, since it wasn’t invented when the Bible was written.”

“But,” he continued, “If the Bible isn’t fact, then two billion people on the planet are wrong.”

“If the Koran isn’t fact then more than one billion Muslims are wrong,” I countered. “Do we decide who is right by a vote? And if so, we better hurry up and hold the election pretty soon, because the Muslims are gaining on the Christians every day.”

Al shook his head. “Most Muslims are ignorant Arabs who were indoctrinated with that stuff since they were born.”

“And how is that different from what most Christian families do? Are American kids any less brainwashed than Iranian kids? The fact is, most children are taught religious beliefs as soon as they are old enough to understand language, and most of them retain the religion of their parents for their entire life. That’s not surprising. Children are very receptive to anything their parents say, and once the belief system is in place, it’s hard to dislodge. Later in life when they are adults, they could examine those beliefs critically, but most of them don’t. Have you ever really, REALLY thought about it? Questioned it?”

“Of course I have!” Al exclaimed. “But deep down, in the center of my soul, I know that Jesus is my lord.”

I knew better than to question that statement. There is nothing you can say to a devout religious believer, no logic, no reason, to answer such a statement.

“Okay, I know that you believe that, but I just want you to think…to realize…that there are a lot of people on this planet who do not share your convictions…who think all Christians are wrong, and doomed to hellfire and damnation, just as you think they are. Maybe you are all wrong!”

We were both silent for a moment. Then I continued.

“I just read a book called ‘The God Virus’ by Darrel Ray. He makes the case that religious belief afflicts the brain of believers, suspending logic and reason in matters related to their faith-based beliefs, but leaving them fully intact in evaluating competing religious beliefs. I want you to think back to the beginning of this discussion, how you were able to see through the fantasies and deceptions of Islam, but when I presented very similar ideas associated with Christianity, you were completely unable to examine them critically. It’s as if a disease gains control of the minds of religious believers, and it spreads through their preachers and priests and imams. Right now, it seems to me that Islam is winning the battle. Their virus is stronger than the Christian virus, because it doesn’t care about separation of church and state. So the power of the government is enlisted in the coercion of people to become believers. Our secular society is at a disadvantage to that. I know that you have no use for the lunatic fringe fundamentalists who want to take over our government, discard the Constitution and replace it with Biblical laws, but that is probably a natural reaction of the Christian virus to the perceived threat from Islam.”

Al was looking at me in total perplexity. “What are you raving about? Islam will never replace Christianity. Those people are doomed. When Judgment Day comes, they will all burn.”

I decided maybe a third beer was needed, and I wanted to let things cool off a little.

We changed the subject to health care.

That was a really bad idea!