Friday, April 20, 2012

Atheism, Religion & Ethics

There is a new piece at http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2012/04/17/3478816.htm by Zizek: where he looks at the idea that we need religion in order to be moral people..

I like the bit below, not that I am sure I am totally persuaded by it:


..a quick look at our moral landscape confirms that it is a much more appropriate description of the atheist liberal/hedonist behaviour: they dedicate their life to the pursuit of pleasures, but since there is no external authority which would guarantee them personal space for this pursuit, they get entangled in a thick network of self-imposed "Politically Correct" regulations, as if they are answerable to a superego far more severe than that of the traditional morality. They thus become obsessed with the concern that, in pursuing their pleasures, they may violate the space of others, and so regulate their behaviour by adopting detailed prescriptions about how to avoid "harassing" others, along with the no less complex regime of the care-of-the-self (physical fitness, health food, spiritual relaxation, and so on).

Today, nothing is more oppressive and regulated than being a simple hedonist.
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As always with articles with hundreds and hundreds of comments: BE VERY WARY of reading them.. 

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