Michael Perelman wrote: > > The one strength that I see in religion is that it does have a potential to > create a > sense of community. But shouldn't we be looking to build community without > having to > construct it on a religious foundation?
This misstates the issue. _Of course_ we build community on other grounds than religion. So do builders of religious communities. Religion never has been, is not, and never will be the "foundation" of any community, and it is not religion but the actuality of community that generates a "sense of community." Community emerges not from an "ism," religious or socialist or fascist or any other ism but from shared practice. The error of marxists too dogmatic in their atheism has been a failure properly to allow for the fact that a community of shared practice (even revolutionary practice) need not require shared theory (religious or otherwise). Marxist theory is supposed to be a guide to practice, and aid to understanding, not a catechism to which all must swear in order to be 'part' of a process. Carrol
