> None of this touches on the longer-range relationship between
> patriarchal
> monotheism and capitalism. Even when it opposes policies of some
> capitalists, or even capitalism itself, it tends to do so on the basis
> of
> compassion, a fundamentally retrograde political emotion, however
> admirable
> it may be on an interpersonal level.
I wonder if you could expand on this thought at little. To me, it seems that patriarchal monotheism is not a type of religion that stresses compassion particularly strongly. In fact, adherents to this kind of religion who want to advocate compassion have to strain themselves rather excessively to do so, since the Father On High is basically portrayed as a cruel tyrant. For example, Karen Armstrong, who was recently referred to in these precincts on another thread, was very pleasantly surprised to discover an emphasis on compassion when she got outside the territory of monotheism and began to explore non-theistic religion.
One could even make a case (though this may be stretching it a bit) that a patriarchal monotheistic religion must necessarily be antithetical to compassion, since it models its concept of God on patriarchal human fathers, who can only maintain their position in society by not sparing the rod.
Furthermore, I think there is a place for compassion in politics. Non-compassionate politics basically sees political activity as a constant state of war, both violent and nonviolent. Our side has right on its side; therefore it is justified in doing whatever it feels is necessary to the other side. Hence, "progressive" and "left" forces can commit as many atrocities as "reactionary" ones.
Jon Johanning // jjohanning at igc.org __________________________________ A gentleman haranguing on the perfection of our law, and that it was equally open to the poor and the rich, was answered by another, 'So is the London Tavern.' -- "Tom Paine's Jests..." (1794); also attr. to John Horne Tooke (1736-1812) by Hazlitt