[Rhodes22-list] Religion and Morality - a gentle admonition

[Robert Skinner]

Tootle wrote:
> ...
> Addendum:  "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political
> prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.... And let us
> with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without
> religion." - George Washington

Ed (and George, rather after the fact),

While we may easily agree that some moral structure 
should be inoculated into the child at an early age 
and be reinforced regularly thereafter, calling that 
institutionalized process "religion" is neither 
necessary nor in many cases desirable.  

The appellation carries negative as well as positive 
connotations, and I note that some very widespread, 
successful, and positive moral structures do not 
depend on a personalized deity.

One man's religion is another man's road to Hell -
or warfare.  Some care is required in handling our
reactions to and way of dealing with differences 
between ways to morality - whatever that is...

/Robert