Most of us have been in this position before. You’re in a
discussion with someone and it’s about a matter that is very important to you.
You argue one side, she argues the other. At some point, it dawns on you that
your argument is actually flawed, and that she is right. You have two choices;
you can stop and admit you were wrong. Ha! Might happen if you’re arguing over
which brand of cream cheese to buy, but if it’s a topic that you are passionate
about, that is deeply embedded in who you are as a person, you will most likely
press ahead, getting more heated as the clash continues and your position
crumbles like a matchstick house in an earthquake.
If you expand this situation to a much larger scenario, like
say, the world, you have a glimpse at what is going on around our planet of
people. Throughout the history of humanity, new societies have evolved out of
old ones. It’s never been easy, it is often met with obstructionism and
sometimes violence, but we manage to move forward despite the obstacles. The
Enlightenment didn’t emerge fully formed in a few days, it grew over decades
and centuries, with many fighting against it, like the Catholic Church, yet it
blossomed and grew stronger despite (and partly because of) the resistance.
Humanity is in a constant battle for the future with itself.
Today’s battle is actually a continuation of the Enlightenment in my opinion.
History books will tell you that this period ended in the late 18th
century, but today, well over three centuries since it’s dawn, the battle
between reason and superstition goes on. As advanced in some areas as we’ve
become, this basic struggle is still at the heart of our worldview, and still
being fought.
What is the war on terror? At its essence, it is a battle
between religious fundamentalists and a world growing increasingly secular and
reliant on science for answers. That same war, although less violent, is being
played out in in the West as well. To be taken seriously by their party, American
Republicans running for national office must espouse beliefs that are in
alignment with Christian fundamentalists values and clearly at odds with
science and reason. Just a few days ago, probable Republican presidential
candidate Scott Walker said he would have to punt on whether he believed in
evolution or not.
What makes me both hopeful and fearful is that the battle
between superstition and reason seems to be entering a final stage. Violence
throughout the Middle East and Eastern Europe is escalating. Fundamentalist
Christians in Western countries are trying desperately to retain power and influence
as they watch their numbers dwindle. Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic
Church, is continuously doing a tap dance between supporting scientific
findings and sticking to orthodoxy on many issues. He’s no radical reformer, and
only slightly less doctrinaire than many of his predecessors.
The argument between reason and science is without question
heating up around the globe, and religious fundamentalists are behaving like
the guy in the middle of an argument who just realized his position is weak.
They will not concede without a fight, and so they do.
