Butchering a sagely woman

 From all that I have studied about religious fundamentalism in general it can only be characterized as a form of schizophrenia in which there is a split between the spiritual content of religion and an uncompromising adherence to correct moral and political behavior.  Said another way, there is a contradiction between the spiritual light which indwells each person and the external practices of religion with its dogmas, rituals, rules, prohibitions, and politics.  

In meeting with fundamentalism first hand, what in the way of the spiritual is sought for by the religionist, who might be a beginner, is often the authoritarian and the doctrinal.  In this context, one's spiritual awakening is to be understood through obedience and submission to a doctrine.  This, I hasten to add, marks also the introduction to spiritual or religious schizophrenia.

Spiritual or religious schizophrenia is never so deep and incurable as when there is a split between mysticism or esotericism, and legalistic or positive religion in which the latter only ends in alienating individual from knowing his true nature.  With such alienation, what follows is the rigid division of one religion from another, including sectarianism.

The historical evidence shows that religious fundamentalists are both deluded and incorrigible—and without question, of a violent nature.  Not even reason can council them hoping to turn their hatred into love.  The typical fundamentalist certainly believes that he is moving closer towards spiritual integration as the tension grows between his 'faith' and everyone else who he despises as a nonbeliever.  Even terrorism is not beneath him.

On the same key, just recently I saw the film, Agora (2009) which is about the life of the woman Platonist Hypatia of Alexandria who was brutally murdered by Christians during the month of March, A.D. 415.  What is striking is the way these Christians killed her; and in such a manner that no Christian apologist since her death has been able to attenuate its brutality.  

Cyril who was the Pope of Alexandria effectively sold the urban mob a false story that Hypatia was a witch, accusing her of sorcery and black magic which in the Christian legal system of that time meant almost certain death.  Instead of the wise compassionate philosopher Hypatia became a messenger from hell.  Everything that befell Alexandria was, in fact, blamed on Hypatia’s witchery. 

Such a mentality that does this we cannot hope to understand, but suffice it to say that those who participated in the horrible death of Hypatia were not mystics as she was; they had no interest in scientific knowledge or esoteric wisdom.  They looked no deeper into themselves where the wellspring of eternal life is hidden, than a drunk might.  

As Hypatia was returning home in her chariot, a gang of Christians (Cyril’s parabolans) pulled her out of her chariot and dragged her to the church of Caesarion.  There they stripped her naked and proceeded to kill her with shards of pottery, ripping her apart.  After this, they took her bloody nude body to a place outside the city called Kinaron and burn it on a pyre of sticks.  In another account, after Hypatia’s body was torn to pieces it was dragged through the streets and afterwards consigned to the flames. To the mind of these Christians, they had only killed a witch not a person of great wisdom; someone like the Buddha.

Presently, the fundamentalists are still with us.  We see them in major religions from Christianity to Islam.  They are more of a danger to this world than we can imagine.

Comments

[solon]

Very nice Kenny boy but let me retort;

"The demon whom tries to wear the pure cloth of sanctity cannot hide the foul smell of his real nature."

...and you smell very bad Kenny boy.

[Krispy Krackers]

I am uncertain how your deranged and hate filled tirade has, as you put it: "..contributes anything of value"

"the fool defecates in the stream and complains later of the foul waters when he attempts to drink from same"- Confucius

insane people, thou art counted among same.

[solon]

Kenny boy, what buffles me more than anything else is not the evil of men doing despicable things towards an ancient sage like Hypathia, but more the fact that you up till this day havent pulled out one of your sig sauer guns from your weapon stash and blown your brains out. Considering your are a pure nut case. unable to contribute with anything of value to anyone this should not take to much time.I am sure one of your greater crack depressions will kick in soon. Bon Voyage.

[Krispy Krackers]

Pardon [...] you have 2 errors here.

1. Hypatia the Platonist was not wise.

2. Hypatia being butchered had NOTHING to do with "religious fundamentalism" but with two women and their typical "woman-hate-woman" smack talk.

Try a better example.