Listen / Read
Why do people fight over their differences, such as religion, for instance? Hmm, shall we look to God for the answer…? No, not today. In answering this question, the Chief Rabbi prefers too look to science for the answer. It’s all about the neurology that people kill each other and themselves over religion. It’s science’s fault!
Really though, it was somewhat ironic that in dealing with the question of religious conflict, Sacks took the uncharacteristic decision not to mention the great bearded sky fairy and looked for a scientific explanation instead.
Whenever he’s talking about the more positive aspects of humanity – coming together despite our differences and whatnot – he always manages to slip in how it’s because of FAITH. FAITH always brings people together, but science explains why they kill each other in the first place.
So while it’s hard to disagree with his basic message (despite it being another unremarkable way for him to profoundly enjoy the sound of his own voice) it pisses me off that the only time he chooses to omit FAITH and GOD is when he’s discussing the fact that we kill each other over FAITH and GOD. What a convenient topic to deliver a non-religious reading on.