One of the sad features of blind faith and in particular of the beliefs of the various fundamentalist sects is the propensity to slaughter. The frequent killing and maiming even of innocent children seems a worrying part of these excesses being committed in the name of organised religion. Recent and contemporary examples include the bloody battles between Serbs, Croats and Muslims in Yugoslavia and the bombing activities of the Irish Republican Army in the United Kingdom. On a smaller scale are the burning of churches and temples by religious fanatics in various countries and the exploding of an incendiary device in a major New York building by Muslim terrorists. The religious leaders in Iran are actively inciting the murder of an internationally acclaimed author by offering a large monetary reward. The battles between Jews and Arabs and between the Iraqi authorities and the Kurdish minority in their own country can give no joy to any rational thinker. In another strange incident in the United States the leader of one of many odd religious cults in that country insisted on prejudicing the lives of his own followers and others in the course of a lengthy siege. Often a curious double standard prevails, as when an enthusiast for the so-called "right to life" of unborn babies sees nothing wrong with himself assassinating an American doctor who supports the termination of his patients' pregnancies within the law. Fortunately Australia has so far been relatively free from such disturbing problems. Some religious zealots have managed to get themselves elected to the Upper House of the biggest State and there are some anti-libertarian political moves in other places, such as the recent pressure to ban x-rated videos. However, by international standards Australia is indeed the lucky country. Notwithstanding this, eternal vigilance by all believers in a scientific attitude is as necessary as ever in this part of the world. |