God's law or private law?

[The Grand Nudger]

I remember twenty years ago. People cared very much about both india and brazil. Those two specifically...even? I suppose some people didn't, or even made it part of their identity to performatively -not- care. That continues. Won't find many from that demo here on these boards, though.

I found this bit interesting;

But I think, even in the past. What we call religion had to be a matter of individual choice. Otherwise why would monotheistic prophets always be greatly challenged by the already existing order. I think that those rulers did not like the sense of personal choice and autonomy that were brought by these new religions. But that my point of view.

It seems to me that "monotheistic prophets" being greatly challenged by rulers or the pre-existing status quo is a good demonstration that religion has never been a matter of individual choice. We often note that the religion a person holds is mostly determined by the religion of their parents. We could extend that observation. Many of the parents in lands conquered by abrahamist warlords would be some other religion today if not for that fact of history. Pockets of internal resistence alongside continuous tradition just outside of political borders demonstrates that..for better and for worse, which of two groups of men did more killing than the other..on a single day, have determined the religions of untold millions of people who might have never thought of making any individual choice..or, indeed..who think of making one every day and are suppressed by the heirs to those "monotheistic prophets" authority.

Ultimately, I think you're right. That you have to be right, even - with the proper understanding of religion. We all privately know whether or not we agree or disagree with a given religious assertion - and, truth be told, the accuracy of their (allegedly)supporting superstitions is irrelevant to that. Gods laws, mans laws, they can both be shit...apparently.