Sam Harris: The End Of Faith

Is there a god? This is a question that all types of people regardless of their religion have been asking for hundreds of years. If there is, why did the holocaust happen? Why is North Korea in the totalitarian state they are in now? These hypothetical questions can not be answered 100% correctly, however people from different religions have different explanations as to why god/god’s let bad things happen. This begs the question, is religion a worthwhile and beneficial practice for humans? The answer to that question is yes, religion is a worthwhile and beneficial practce for humans.

Through out our lives we will all at some point seek for answers of the questions we have about life itself, but no one has ever got the true answer. No one knows why they were really put on the earth or what the point of life is or why there is good and evil. Religion try to answer some of these questions. A common question is who or what is god. Religion sets lifestyles for people to follow, it makes path ways in attempts to try answer these questions and these are what people live by.

To understand the philosophy of this piece, and of the time, you need to look at the “principle author of the Declaration”, Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson, despite what others may say, was the most active political figure in the fight against slavery (Jayne xii). There is a decent percentage of Americans today who seek to judge Jefferson on his “character as a man and by twentieth-century standards”, but this is simple irresponsible (Jayne xii). It is easy to judge someone comfortably after the fact. When people are able to see how everything played out, but that is not how history is supposed to be judged. Despite what these people say, Jefferson continuously fought for the abolition of slavery (Jayne xii). He also fought to keep religion and the state completely separate (xii). There are major interpretations of the philosophy Jefferson was trying to promote the Declaration. One being that the philosophy being promoted is about “subordinating individual rights and interests to the overall well-being of the community” (Jayne 2). The other interpretation is that in “which government is formed to protect the natural rights of the individual” (Jayne 1). It is odd that these interpretations are essential opposites. One side promoting collectivism and the other individualism. Both of these interpretations are understandable, but the latter seems more likely when looking at both

Lincoln as he had never before been aroused. It was at this time that he fully comprehended the fact that there was to be no peace on the slavery question until either freedom or slavery should triumph.” Lincoln was strongly opposed to popular sovereignty on the issue and believed that it would only help slavery endure for even longer. "when the Judge reminds me that I have often said to him that the institution of slavery has existed for eighty years in some States, and yet it does not exist in some others, I agree to the fact, and I account for it by looking at the position in which our fathers originally placed it-restricting it from the new Territories where it had not gone, and legislating to cut off its source by the abrogation of the slave-trade thus putting the seal of legislation against its spread. The public mind did rest in the belief that it was in the course of ultimate extinction. But lately, I think-and in this I charge nothing on the Judge's motives-lately, I think, that he, and those acting with him, have placed that institution on a new basis, which looks to the perpetuity and nationalization of slavery. And while it is placed upon this new basis, I say, and I have said, that I believe we shall not have peace upon the question until the opponents of slavery arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or, on the other hand,

In the year 1776, the principal values of the United States of America were stated in the Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson declaring, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal….” However, these words coming from Jefferson become hypocritical due to one reason: Jefferson was a slaveholder. The question surrounding the Founding Fathers is was it possible for them to end slavery; the answer to the long pondered question is very simple, no. Examining the views and actions of Jefferson, prove that he never wanted to end the instruction of slavery. He never made a decisive plan to end slavery, and held slaves for the remainder of his life.

Religion forms as a method for dealing with life and the world it makes up. It answers the questions that are beyond science and logic. It eliminates the question of "Why?", and brings the fellow believers together to cope with the community and personal problems. People come to religion to find stability, a sense of understanding, and help from other believers. These are the needs that religion fulfills.

In his view it serves psychological functions for individuals helping them cope with emotional stress that would undermine social solidarity. He argues that death is the main reason for religious beliefs and identifies two types of situations: where the outcome is important but uncontrollable and thus uncertain and at times of life crises events such as birth, death etc. religion helps to minimise disruption.

“Slavery is founded in the selfishness of man 's nature -- opposition to it is in his love of justice. These principles are an eternal antagonism; and when brought into collision so fiercely, as slavery extension brings them, shocks, and throes, and convulsions must ceaselessly follow. Repeal the Missouri Compromise -- repeal all compromises -- repeal the declaration of independence -- repeal all past history, you still can not repeal human nature. It still will be the abundance of man 's heart, that slavery extension is wrong; and out of the abundance of his heart, his mouth will continue to speak.”

In the last chapter of "The End of Faith," Sam Harris is most certainly fair in his judgment of Western religions because he is not claiming that there are no fundamental truths to them. Rather, he says that there is a cloud of "fairy tales" that surround those truths that make certain faiths irrational. Basically religious faith blinds us and sends on a wrong path. This is evident when he says that there is a problem with Western religions such us "venom of unreason." I think he means that things are added on to the truth that make the idea of reaching these truth unrealistic because of misrepresented values. While in Eastern religions it is somewhat in reach to get in touch with the Self and there is no separation from the undying goal.

Freud illuminates with slight sarcasm how convenient religion is in it's ability to rectify all the trials and tribulations of life for us. "Everything that happens in this world is an expression of the intentions of an intelligence superior to us, which in the end, though its ways and byways are difficult to follow, orders everything for the best." (Freud, 23) The existence of this divine creature who creates justice for us ensures that the masses will not stray from the laws and beliefs of religion and society for fear of being judged by this entity. Religion is also valuable to civilization for it's ability to explain death. Thanks to religion, death became something other than simply the termination of a life. Death stopped being the end and was recasted into the role of a doorway to another existence. As though knowing that the continuation of life were not enough, religion furthers it's own appeal by promising that the afterlife will be better than life on Earth. The afterlife itself also serves a function as well. A desire to gain entry into this afterlife will cause many of the masses to renounce their instincts.

          Ever since man has chosen to write down his history, organized religion has been a prominent topic and has influenced and shaped all people’s lives. There have always been believers and non-believers. Since the beginning, non-believers have been persecuted by inquisitions, prosecuted by witch trials, and murdered by stoning and crucifying for even questioning the “truth” about a supreme being and supposed crimes against that being. Religion had a purpose in earlier times to explain life, but today science provides more concrete answers. Religious beliefs are old and outdated and people should trust the scientific facts that have been proven, not what has been

Since the dawn of human life, people have eternally been searching for the purpose of existence. Humans are innately curious beings, and are blessed to have the capabilities of higher thought processes. Humans use these thought processes to ponder the question of existence. Unfortunately, the evolution of man has not brought the human race any closer to actualizing its purpose on earth. In fact, this issue is such that the more one feels he or she understands it, the more questions concerning it arise. This problem perpetuates itself by the confusion of religion and spirituality, and the roles they hold in society. As the human race evolves, it feels the need to designate structure to its world. As

It is only through socialization where any individual is integrated to the meaning of societal structure. As argued by Berger (2011), there is a need for a life to have a meaning. As an initiation process into the society, religion is an absolute hinge of socialization. For this instance,

Religion has been a powerful force in human history. Mankind has longed and searched for the answers to its purpose, the reason for being and the possibility of life after physical death. They reasoned that an afterlife would be a place of accounting and reckoning for the life they lived on earth. Religious belief systems seemed to give the answers as to how to prepare for the afterlife. Religion became the means of giving answers to those basic yet deep-seated questions of both life and death. Religion provided a format of rules and laws for conduct and treatment toward others based on the desires and wishes of a god or gods that people envisioned, imagined or invented. Religious belief systems have been a powerful force for good and bad...good in the sense that it provided a measure of individual behavior and order in society for the wellbeing of the whole, but bad in the sense that men of ambition who craved power and control over others would often use religion as a tool of manipulation and fear. A casual glance of history tells us that complete civilizations have been built, grown and maintained around elaborate religious systems, ancient Egypt being a prime example.

· Provides meaning: Religion provides meaning to life and makes sense of our experiences. It justifies suffering in terms of testing faith, punishment or rewarding afterlife. It answers fundamental questions and helps us understand why things happen. Malinowski ---------- Malinowski sees religion as reinforcing social norms and values and promoting social solidarity.