in my previous post I commented that he had arranged an interview with Francisco Aguilar Pinal, Doctor of Philosophy and Letters, to discuss his magnificent book THE CHIMERA OF THE GODS (Vision Books, 2010). Well, then transcribe the interview in its entirety. I hope it is of interest.
- "Do not be surprised. Fifty years is quite enough. Especially if it makes work a way of life, friendly and accepted because it has been imposed. Awards and honors are the consequence, if the job was done well. My dedication to history and literature of the eighteenth century was a university decision. I began my PhD and I was hooked so that I rarely come out of that path. The de Olavide Sevilla won me the award "City of Seville 'in 1965 and then be the only living author included in the' Sevillanos Classics Collection." The authors continued reading of eighteenth convinced me not only that this was the beginning of our modernity, but the change of mindset needed to reach the truth, buried for so many interested in keeping alive a history distorted by interest politicians. Upon my death, I will think I've made good use of the time allowed between one and nothing else. "
- Let's focus now on the occasion of this interview, which is talking about his extraordinary book THE CHIMERA OF THE GODS. The truth is that I enjoyed and learned a lot from reading it. It is a well documented work. Why consider it necessary to write a lengthy critical essay about religion? "It took a long time its development? I ask because I has attracted attention to the amount of scientific, historical, philosophical and theological includes, in addition to numerous references literature. That makes the chimera of the Gods a work especially enjoyable and rewarding for readers interested in general knowledge, apart from the line clearly rational and dignified demystifying the book even more content.
- "The French encyclopedists, especially the Baron d'Holbach, whose maximum head the chapters of my book, were the real battering rams of the search for truth in the thinking of the eighteenth century Europe. Rousseau's not cynical, nor Voltaire frivolous, as many think, whose anticlericalism is already outdated. With them, those who deny a church, but admit the existence of a Creator Being, stay on the surface the problem. After my library was enriched with scientific books, rather than philosophical, which opened my eyes to the falsity of all religions, a subject on which I decided to write when I retired from my historical research. That's what I've done in the past ten years. The fruit is the chimera of the Gods, Book I am particularly pleased that, with some irony, may be advised to be used as a textbook in seminaries. ES0 be the beginning of the 'bloodless revolution' that would change the mentality of humans ... something unthinkable, but encouraged to spread the "contagion" of TRUTH to those who have open eyes and ears of consciousness. My luck, like yours, has been living in a moment of history that dominates our society, freedom of expression. At other times our destination had been the fire. "
- In the preface he confesses he has found the 'light of truth' diametrically opposed to religious belief, adding that seeks to escape the oppressive 'cobwebs' church which prevented him until his last years living off the yoke of superstition. "oppressive and coercive Tan was in his youth the Catholic faith? Have not had another panoramic view that makes the religion?
- "What English educated in a Christian family has not felt these 'cobwebs' overwhelming and blinding? That's why my book with the subtitle saying quixotic' eyes do not see the heart does not break." It's so important and so little education and freedom! The key word is EDUCATION, which so obsessed the 'enlightened'. If the age of reason begins at age seven, as the psychologists say, in my case was much more later. Because there can not be right until the brain is shaken those damn 'fabrics spider ', so overwhelming to think, but as comfortable for those who do not want to think. Ignorance, if consensual, is the cause of mental retardation in humans prefer to go after the pastor, without considering whether they are on the right path. By contrast, curiosity is at the origin of any move towards truth and towards the encounter with happiness. Curious to find the truth of life, even demolishing sandcastles 'invented'. My awakening was painful, as I assume it will be to anyone who wants to get out of this viscous irrational attachment to teaching, preached from the naivety and ignorance (because I prefer not to attribute evil preachers, sheep fans without malice, living faith, an 'invention' to not go alone to the sky dream). "
-" A As I recall, my first big question was called resurrection, far more delusional if it is bodies that come to life. The doubts were multiplying as I read books 'banned' by those who are afraid of the letter printed. Philosophy books, but I was abandoning scientific books. I know, from Epicurus and Lucretius, the best philosophers have denied the existence of God, but it was pure intuition or logical deduction, but none could claim to be supported by scientific arguments. Or Kant, so well studied that reason, he wanted to deny God, neither Marx nor so many other atheists felt supported by science. However, since Darwin and Einstein, things changed, as have changed and will continue changing in the future, because Science is providing the necessary arguments to make something of divinity 'unnecessary', says Hawking. Scientists today continue daily neurological findings have no excuse anymore to believe in any god, is seen as one wants. There are no spirits. Neither God nor soul. It's a shame to reach these conclusions, which many will suffer, as I said, "but the truth must be scientific above all for happiness."
- You and I agree in that faith and reason can never go together. They are diametrically opposed worlds. What about those who, like Ratzinger, aim to combine science and religion or faith and reason? Is not foolhardy and a huge mistake?
- "Theologians are interested in this confusion. Seek to make religion something 'reasonable' when in reality the faith and reason are on opposite paths. For the triumph of faith in the brain, as Luther, we must destroy reason. By contrast, where reason prevails, the faith is unnecessary. Are two elements that can never be mixed, such as water, oil, and better, repel, as the electrons of the same sign. Those who claim otherwise do so for convenience, not conviction, much to brag of wisdom. It is so obvious I do not understand that someone may confess and defend intelligent otherwise live in error so happy! Something similar happens between faith and morals. It can be perfectly moral without being subjected to a faith that is no guarantee of virtuous living. Do you know the maximum fortiter Pecca Protestant, sed crede fortiter ? (Err much, but he believes a lot). The confession, where you can 'wash' the greatest crimes, is a perfect excuse for a believer without morals. "
SCIENCE AND RELIGION ARE INCONSISTENT
- Tell us about animistic fallacy, that both X-ray in his book. From the ancient idea of \u200b\u200bthe soul on which the building is constructed of religions, philosophies idealistic spiritualism ... Has the biggest lie of mankind? What is invented 'sacred'?
- "The religious ideas of humanity form a chain which began the same day that a hominid ancestor of ours, trembled in terror from the incomprehensible to his surroundings, the hostile nature was sick and go to their loved ones that raged with fire, with winds and storms raged, he did die of hunger or cold, and recorded in his mind the maxim of survival: "You have to kill to live." Fear of the unknown made him imagine ' someone "who was responsible for much misery, who should pray to avoid all evils. 'Sacred', ie God, had their cause in fear. At the same time, man imagined that his mind must be something inside, other than his body, to which the first philosophers, Greek and Latin, called encourages (soul). These two spirits, the result of the brain evolved from primates, as invisible as imagined, that is, 'invented' almost simultaneously, are to blame for all religious errors of mankind. Then came other spirits 'invented', as the angels and demons, which have fed the human imagination, indelibly, but wrong. No spirit can exist outside of matter. That's what science tells me. "
- Can we justify in the XXI century, and a science so advanced cosmological issues, neurological and biological, belief in a Supreme Being we call God? No is really absurd to think of a supernatural world with the knowledge we've gained about life and the physical world, as evidenced in his work?
- "No scientist worth his salt can ignore the scientific breakthroughs that have occurred in the last half century, especially in the biological and neurological sciences, which are the most affecting religious ideas. No one doubts that the soul and conscience "are" (not "are" in) the brain. The man himself is, essentially, a brain whose functions are becoming better known, but dependent on a physical genes, inherited, and about cultural memes are learned during childhood and encouraged by the company interested in religion. Talk of a supernatural world is simply away of scientific knowledge and live in the realm of fantasy. "
- Freud said " Religion is a defense mechanism against the anxiety of death . So is it the fear that man's death continues what makes memes religious remain fully active? Never fails to remove the religious fantasies sound mature and take our inevitable finitude?
- "There will be full human being until they bend to the demands of reason, you to surrender everything that is not 'reasonable'. It is precisely the reason, winner of the imagination, the faculty that distinguishes us from animals, which we base all our actions. I'm human because I have the ability to reason. Until you get my order right and lead my life, I will be one more animal, sensitive, emotional slave to my genes and my memes, with feelings of love and hatred, irrational and uncontrollable. Precisely because I have no reason to fear death, because I know that after "nothing." Neither rewards nor punishments, neither heaven nor hell, doctrine, as invented as the gods, which has conditioned the life of man in the last four or five thousand years. Does not it seem a little odd that those very religious, believing in "another world" of happiness, are so afraid of death? "
HAVE CAUSED MANY RELIGIONS DEATHS ALONG THE HISTORY
- Our admired Richard Dawkins says he never left the Bible available to a child because a book is potentially dangerous. And you, in his book, talks about the blood shed in the name of God. Do you think that the sacred books were used to encourage and justify violence, division, bigotry and intolerance of men?
- "Books of the Bible is not to be dangerous is that they are (it is true that some more than others) a 'horror', as the God presented to the worship of their 'children' is a pit of evil, ordering his followers a crime after another, always spilling blood, "conquer" the land to its rightful owners killing. Is not is a story often repeated? The most incomprehensible is how this magic word "GOD" has penetrated the minds of humans and settled in it as the 'most damaging meme', that can not be eradicated without a superhuman effort, when we know that this assumption is Creator, as the 'invention' Bible, a Being greedy, fallible, vindictive, sadistic, insensitive, most people do not know that the 'own choice', ignoring all other peoples, but has gotten into the depths of conscience. It is a mystery to me incomprehensible that billions of humans worship a god of these characteristics. If it were worthy of admiration and love! I do not know other books, but of course, the Bible and the Koran are the spring that from the twelfth century, the Crusades, until today with Islamic Jihad, has bloodied the soil of our planet. The fanaticism of one and the other is so obvious that it is necessary to stress this fact, unworthy of God to preach. "
- A question that we are atheists now is whether or not Spain is secular and non-denominational, and defend our Constitution. How do you feel when observing the dominant role in our society still remains the Catholic Church is even getting enough money from the State? This can be call secular state?
- "The current English Constitution is secular, but 'not religious', as everyone knows. I defend ideological secularism (without the violence of the radicals), which claims to be neutral toward all religions, respectful all beliefs. Whoever attacks a practitioner of another religion can not be called secular. Because religion is individual, not collective (though the Bible always speaks of the salvation of a 'people', which shows that there is a political rather than religious book). Do not you preach that 'salvation' is individual, mine and mine alone and why, therefore, involve others? So in my book is not the subject of religion from a social point of view, but personal. Practice total secularism, based on respect for the dignity of others, would be the solution for coexistence and peace. "
- You say in your book: " ... the thousands of religions that are fighting the helpless heart ( forgiveness, mind) the poor homo sapiens sapiens, so insecure, impressionable and gullible, to which the adjective sapiens comes a bit wide ". Why does the man on the street lacks scientific culture and continues to act credulous and superstitious How could change this situation so that at last man is interested strongly by the scientific and behave more rationally ?
- "To get to secularism seems to me that there is no way that science. Not just a 'feeling' more or less profound rejection of the church. Anticlericalism is something stale, like atheism 'sentimental '. You have to spin finer and deeper into the discoveries of science, we are saying what are the solutions to the mystery of life. The first step, however, is the desire to know the truth. But an act is required will, as to leave a dangerous addiction. should be encouraged among scientists the need to publicize the new findings, especially in neurology. Still, most people do not want to know anything for advances, preferring the doctrine learned lip compact 'with authority', because they recognize no authority from the God that they themselves created. If only you could separate the credulity of violence! "
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FRANCISCO AGUILAR PINAL presented a paper
- As you know, I have been interested since my youth in the study and investigation of paranormal topics, UFO and other mysteries. What about those issues surrounding knowledge? Do you think that there are phenomena still elude scientific understanding or thought rather than everything is the fruit of the imagination, hallucinations and fraud?
- "A bit of everything. The imagination, then as now, makes us see things impossible. There involuntary hallucinations, but also very volunteers fraud. You have to know the difference. I think over time it will clarify the mysteries that still move us today. Of course, no UFOs or aliens (if any) have to do with any god or any spirit. The possible existence has nothing to do with religion. Many times, however, I thought that the magic that amazes me so much, would explain many miracles. But not all. Life, from its origin, is a collection of mysteries, which form the basis for the believers in a deity. I myself am confused with two 'mysteries' that science has not yet managed to explain. The first is the oui-ja . As I do not believe in spirits, or living or dead, I consider it a fraud, especially when talking about 'mocking spirits. " But an experience I witnessed many years ago, I was shocked. The vessel ran on the table, looking for letters to give meaning to the phrase, answering seriously and sense to regard was wondering ... A impact, he came to impress when it came time to ask questions whose answer I did not know any of those present. After a few days to verify the accuracy of responses. Since then I have not wanted to repeat the experience, and I have to admit that someone's brain is present to move the vessel. The second of the mysteries that puzzle me is that of the 'circles' of wheat and maize crops in many lands and places. It is impossible to human fraud. The pins are not bent by any being at ground level. Or from above or below. That is, either by works of strange creatures on this planet, or a magnetic effect of the interior. The unexplained is the perfection of the drawings, all geometric and different, which means no one knows, that the stems bend but not break, no witnesses and made in the blink of an eye. I have collected hundreds of these drawings of 'grain shot' and each day seems more strange. I hope that one day science discovers it, and his explanation makes you laugh to humans who touch such luck.
- Although an atheist by conviction, does not seem an appropriate term from a philosophical view. In your book you ideologically defined as a rationalist, but also declaring religious nonbeliever. Can you tell us what exactly that oxymoron?
- "The oxymoron is undone as soon as you clarify that for me, religion is not belief, but an interest in the academic implications of spirituality. Some people, the vast majority who are not questions that can not know how to respond, nor care to explain their feelings about other possible life, but follow the doctrines learned without becoming more questions. or are indifferent to religion, but manifest themselves as believers. To be religious, to me, is keenly interested in the possible existence of a god, the sense of life and death, the possibility to continue living after death. In my case, moreover, is demonstrated by an extensive library on religious themes. I can therefore say that I am religious scholar in religion, but also non-believer I do not believe in anything I say positive religions. Not to lie, but 'Fabulous' on traditional doctrines, again without any apparent rational approach. I do not like the word atheist because it limits the possibilities of accepting a 'god', born of some other belief. For example, if science tells me that the 'energy' is eternal, "considering it would be wrong that divinity that we are looking for? This issue give a lot to talk and is not the time to do it, but should continue to deepen the subject (with scientists, not philosophers or theologians, who have been spending their time). "
- I can not conclude the interview without referring to your living, who was kind enough to send me at the time. I agree with every one of its paragraphs. Today, I identify fully with his rational view of the world with his love of science and Enlightenment philosophy, with his defense of secular humanism ... Why did you write and who do you feel that something has been done in life or will leave fully satisfied? What questions would you like to be resolved before leaving this world?
- "I did my 'Living Will' for myself first, but also for my daughters and grandchildren. Because it is the best way to get to know their loved ones. It is true that no one knows anyone There are approximations that may satisfy the curiosity by 'enter' in the brain of the elderly. How can I really know without knowing anything about my ancestors? "I myself have delved into my family tree and I stopped writing the biographies of family names, far as I can (of course, I have come to the eighteenth century). As to the questions that I would clear, and I pointed to two of them, but I know I'll have to leave lugging the largest uncertainties of life. However, what I can import when you make the reverse trip to my arrival, which was nothing to life? I do not know if at the time of my death I will be lucid enough to know if I'm satisfied or not. At least, I've completed almost all my projects. The family, of course. After professionals, almost everyone. Now I'm writing a new book entitled eighteenth Madrid Mayor times better, but as will be the last before leaving, I'm stalling ... "
Thank you, Don Francisco, for his kindness in answer my questions. I am also very grateful for all the knowledge that has contributed through his exceptional book THE CHIMERA OF THE GODS, which will occupy a prominent place in my personal library.
