Meme is a cultural invention that passes from one mind to another and thrives, or declines, like a gene. Memetics explores the concepts and transmission of memes in a similar fashion to genetics. A meme's success is due to its contribution to the effectiveness of its host. Memeplex, like the genetic code, is a set of ideas that reinforce each other. Religion is a memeplex.

Religions, scams, and hoaxes succeed because they exploit powerful psychological processes. These processes are the very ones that have enabled humans to survive and create art and technology, but also transform Homo Sapiens into Homo Suckers!

Religulous leaders are often taking very expensive junkets, taking advantage of their positions and access to funds to undertake pleasure trips thinly disguised as being of importance. For example, a bishop might travel to Greece, claiming to attend a conference there, but leaving plenty of days to explore the Greek islands and Greek delights at leisure.

Religulous leaders, accompanied by their kith and kin, are going to junkets because they cannot miss a good party at others' expense. The worst thing that could happen in a junket is running out of caviar and hookers. Many junketeers use superlux facilities! Bishops love junkets!

Junketeers from Christian, Muslim and Jewish religions and from the Hindu and Bahai communities from all over Europe meet from time to time here or there. In a frank and open spirit, the leaders discuss intergenerational solidarity and other important demographic challenges for Europe or other part of the world. Religious leaders are encouraged to be engaged in public dialogue and show the specific contributions that churches and religious communities can make to explain the need for solidarity.

Because religions claim divine favor for themselves, over and against other groups, this sense of righteousness leads to violence because conflicting claims to superiority, based on unverifiable appeals to God, cannot be adjudicated objectively. Religions do tremendous harm to society by using violence to promote their goals, in ways that are endorsed and exploited by their leaders. Abrahamic Religions are inherently violent because of an exclusivism that inevitably fosters violence against those that are considered outsiders. Abrahamic legacy is actually genocidal in nature.

Europian leaders today say: To tackle the economic crisis, we are doing a lot to ensure the right balance between solidarity and responsibility among Member States. But we need to devote at least as much attention to solidarity and responsibility among the young and the old. Ultimately, we will only be able to come well out of this crisis and lay the foundations of a prosperous future, if we keep solidarity between people and generations at the heart of our actions. This is the glue that keeps our communities together. The churches and religious communities are well placed to build bridges in our societies.

Spirituality is the search for God, an ultimate reality, a transcendent dimension of the world, an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his being, or the deepest values and meanings by which people live. Spirituality is often experienced as a source of inspiration or orientation in life. It encompasses belief in immaterial realities or experiences of the immanent or transcendent nature of the world. Spirituality is more personalized, less structured, more open to new ideas, and more pluralistic than religion.

Europian leaders repeat: We cannot afford, socially, economically and in the first instance, humanely, a lost generation in Europe. Neither can we afford to have older people side-lined for lesser productivity. The productivity of wisdom and knowledge is for sure not as measurable as the productivity of manufacturing consumer goods, but African wisdom reminds us that when an older man dies, a library disappears. Churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and their NGO's, schools and associations are bringing, at local level, persons together. They can, also therefore, play an important role in improving understanding and mutual learning between generations.

Spirituality is not related to religion. Spirituality and religion lock horns. Many people define themselves as spiritual but not religious. Spirituals believe in the existence of many different spiritual paths, emphasizing the importance of finding one's own individual path to spirituality. Most people identify themselves as spiritual but not religious. Religion is a memeplex organized by churches, whereas spirituality is defined as an internal individual search.

During the junket, participants agreed on the need to raise awareness of the huge societal challenges, to take up responsibilities in important areas like strengthening solidarity between young and old, and fighting discrimination, and to effectively contribute to the Commission's overall growth strategy for Europe, by striving for better education, less poverty, and a fairer society.

 

JOURNEY TO GOD

Faith is retarded thinking

That keeps you away from God

Give up the hoodwinking

Start now your journey to God.

 

Religion is spiritual slavery

It's very stupid very odd

Your soul needs real bravery

Start now your journey to God.

 

Discover God your own way

No priests, but spirit's nod

Don't let yourself astray

Start now your journey to God.

 

Become now pure and faithless

Faith replaced by truth of God

Spirituality is true and ageless

Start now your journey to God.

 

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