The Nappy Cat Chronicles

I’ve come to the conclusion that religion is essentially a survival mechanism designed by humans to ensure the continued existence of a species cohort. Go me! I think my notion is best exemplified by the current efforts of Christian fundamentalists in America to lock homosexuality (and, incidentally, homosexuals) in the closet for eternity. Although these people are willing to lie their asses off, I’m going to focus on the argument of theirs that is premised upon a rigid natural/unnatural, graceful/sinful dichotomy.

On the surface, the argument makes sense: That which is natural is God-given; therefore, natural acts are preferred by God. Those acts that are not preferred by God are sinful acts; therefore, unnatural acts, such as non-procreative sex acts, are sinful. Because sex between a man and a woman is the natural procedure by which humans procreate, sex between two men is the ultimate perversion of nature and God’s will.

(Have you ever noticed that sex between two females is never spoken of? When you hear the word “gay sex,” what do you try to not think of? If you’re unconvinced, consider the following catch phrase that I’ve seen on a few bumpers and heard a few Christians proclaim: “It’s Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve!” Or, consider the words of Muslim cleric Sheik Yusuf al-Qaradawi: “Lesbianism is not as bad as homosexuality, in practical terms.”)

Because I’m relatively educated and mostly sensible, I’m going to refer to my world as the “real world.” In the real world, sex is an incredibly dynamic thing. For most adults, including adult fundamentalists, sex is not merely the intersection of pleasure and procreation. It’s a binding of mind, body, and soul. Physical pleasure and pregnancy are consequences of sex, consequences that, incidentally, seem to elude those who seek them.

Christian fundamentalists also believe that induced abortion should be outlawed. If the sperm cell and the egg are God’s design and if that which happens when they are united is God’s will, in no uncertain terms, pregnancy is not a choice. Instead, pregnancy is the fruition of God’s will through the implementation of God’s design. Creating life and furthering their doctrine is a Christian fundamentalist’s ultimate purpose. Anything that merely appears to oppose this lifestyle is part of the secular realm, which is, of course, ruled by Satan.

For Christian fundamentalists and those with whom they are associated, they’re not lying when they say that the Democratic party is “the party of death.” Democratic politicians, the standard political-bearers of contraception and access to induced abortion, are often stereotyped as simply not taking seriously those practices that ensure the survival of the American cohort.

This is where I think fundamentalism begins to appear contradictory while remaining internally consistent. All life is sacred; however, others must die so that we may live. This killing must be done within the framework of God’s word, upon God’s command. The story of Abraham’s near-sacrifice of his son exemplifies this. Importantly, successful killing indicates God’s favor, and God’s favor reinforces this paragon of dominance through destruction.

Of course, the notion that long-term violence ensures long-term survival is not limited to religious fundamentalism. Romantic militarism an important component of nationalism. However, while states rise and fall, deity worship remains the single most important panacea for the cognitive dissonance perpetuated by the inevitable failures of the survival-through-violence myth:

In 1902 the Russian anarchist Petr Kropotkin published a rebuttal to Huxley and Spencer in his book Mutual Aid. Calling out Spencer by phrase, Kropotkin observed: “If we… ask Nature: ‘who are the fittest: those who are continually at war with each other, or those who support one another?’ we at once see that those animals which acquire habits of mutual aid are undoubtedly the fittest.” Since that time science has revealed that species practice both mutual struggle and mutual aid. Darwinism, properly understood, gives us a dual disposition of selfishness and selflessness, competitiveness and cooperativeness.