Russell Brand on the Woolwich Murder

[Saffron]

Maybe it's the "unflinching belief" that's the aberration? In which case, it could apply to anything.

[El Pibe]

I think I made the point elsewhere that religion is an conceptual construct, so yes, it can apply to any such construct; most destructively 'nationalism'.

[uncleglen]

(The Political Editor of the Huffington Post, Mehdi Hassan, looked slightly rattled on Question Time when a Jewish audience member questioned his use of the phrase 'the occupation of Palestine'. I would be inclined to think that any Huff reports on this issue are purely deflective.)

And, EP, religion is a conceptual construct, by adults who desire power over others. Unfortunately very young children are subjected to the brainwashing from day 1, to the extent that they may believe- even at age 17, that people who are not religious are 'bad'.

[El Pibe]

It's all very how long is a piece of string though UG.

Traditionally and (pre)historically it has been a conceptual construct to explain the inexplicable and has also doubled up as historical and cultural almanac.

These days it might just as well serve as an atavastic expression of angst in response to Future Shock.

It can be good, bad, indifferent, extinct, raised from the dead (in the image of the raiser more often than not), esoteric, bizarre, a bringer together, a forcer apart. It is as many things as people and motives are different really

Doubtless it is often used to shore up power bases or by individuals to exercise power over others, but that's a side-effect, not a definition.