Resisting religious indoctrination

To be considered, an ideology, whether religious or not, must meet at least the following three conditions: it must be consistent with established facts, it must be coherent and it must respect human rights. Although the present text is based on Christianity, it extends, with some adaptations, to all religions of the one God. 1. Revelation is contrary to the facts Whether it is the history of the universe, the earth, life and man, Genesis is in clear contradiction with the facts. But it gets worse. God is said to have sent us a Saviour 2000 years ago. Yet man, specifically Homo sapiens, has been around for about 300,000 years. Why did God allow mankind to macerate in ignorance and error for 298,000 years? Waiting so long before launching a rescue operation does not correspond to our idea of a Saviour, which makes the redemption story dubious and not very credible. Today, one third of the world's population is attached to Christianity in varying degrees. For such a major divine inte

I feel concerned by any testimony about intensive indoctrination accompanied by the exploitation of feelings of guilt. In my personal experience, I have been plagued from within by moral conflicts in which I felt trapped. I had to find a way out. I started by developing my critical mind, which resulted in a multitude of thoughts that I put down in writing, often a simple sentence whose themes, inspired by daily life, jump from one subject to another. The solution was within me - it was to be coherent with oneself - but it still had to be freed from the social straitjacket by resisting traditional ways of thinking about life. Much later, I grouped these "thoughts" by theme, and I realised that they formed a fairly coherent whole, provided I filled in the gaps and composed linking texts. And there I felt the immense satisfaction of having been able to express myself, of having left the zone of obscure and confused feelings, of having resolved my inner conflicts and of finally f

practising religion, baptising children, getting married in the Church, having a religious funeral ceremony, etc. The state has greatly reduced the social control it used to exert so that individuals are subject to religion, especially in education. Nowadays, it is the family and relatives who are in the front line, using their influence and, at times, exerting pressure in a shameless manner. Guideline In an adult relationship, you should not accept an asymmetrical relationship in which a third party imposes conduct on you. Demand a dialogue between equals, as well as balanced relationships that respect the other's freedom. Mail, extract made anonymous Can one "hide" one's exit from the Church from one's relatives, for example one's parents? Answer It is necessary to inform any person who might - if necessary - be called upon to organise your funeral. Depending on your family situation, this may be your parents, spouse, siblings, children or other close relati

Subsidising the lobbies of religious communities? There are alternatives. A few years ago, the Faculty of Theology, associated with the bishopric and the conservative party, reigned over Fribourg society. It was the golden age of true values: children went to Mass in columns in pairs under the guidance of the teacher, and women knew how to stay in their place. Society has evolved by distancing itself from religions. No longer do all citizens campaign for religious truth. We have finally begun to follow the message brought by the Enlightenment. But believers persist: in order to solve society's problems, the state needs to strengthen the role of religious communities: a stronger Faculty of Theology, more religious ideologues, more imams, and so on. The danger: young people are becoming radicalised on the internet. The remedy: the creation of a "Swiss Centre for Islam and Society" within the Catholic Faculty of Theology, partly financed by public funds. There is no connecti

Religion in search of power How can power and authority be established on an unshakeable foundation? The following parable explains how this can be achieved. A decision without certainty One of our distant ancestors, the chief of a hunter-gatherer clan, is thinking about tomorrow. In order for his people to have food, he must take effective action. What to do? Go hunting on the western plain? Go fishing in the southern river? Go picking in the northern forest. Whatever his choice, there is no guarantee of results. He cannot rely on any certainty, but he is forced to make a decision. This decision is informed by reason, since each option has a good chance of being profitable for him. His experience will help him to make, if not "the right" choice, at least a sensible and defensible choice in front of his clan. The magic pact He also knows that he is taking an unavoidable risk for which he bears a heavy responsibility. If he comes home empty-handed, his authority will be challe