Restrictions on Religion

Under Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has an innate right to practice his or her religion and to change his or her religion whenever one wishes, or to practice no religion at all.  In practice, however, fully three-quarters of the world's population live in nations that severely restrict religious expression.  The reason for this is clear:  the State has an established religion and to be a good citizen of the State, one practices the State religion.  In effect, the State itself is the religion. The State expects its residents to sacrifice their individual beliefs for the benefit of the State. Those who don't, or who can't conform, are punished by the State.  These practices are intended to ensure the survival of the State.  One pledges allegiance to the State by the active practice of the State's religion.  Patriotism, in all its obscene flag-waving forms, is a ritual practice.  When a State's religion is in conflict with another State's religion, the result is often war. The Middle East is a prime example of this principle; Iran and Israel, Afghanistan and Iraq, as of right now, in particular.  To outsiders, such as we are as Old Believers, this all appears to be incredibly stupid.  And, in fact, it is!  What people believe in and what they practice is their own concern; but their concerns, if and when dumb, don't deserve others' respect.  Ignorance often can't be avoided because it is so plentiful and wide-spread, but it ought never at all engender our empathy.  Let the fools fight amongst themselves, if it's what they feel compelled to do.  For it's their religions that's exactly what's made them why and what they are: obsessive-compulsive schizophrenics.  We have far better things to do than to interfere in the battles of morons, or to argue with them concerning the morality of their conflicts:  No war can ever be just.  Ignorance can never ever be at peace.  Don't fight with or for fools.