Question # 3
In this paper, Harris writes about moderation in religion. In this writing, he questions the truthfulness of representation of the infallible word of God in various religions. He claims that there is no distinct religion which follows the word of God fully. In his arguments, he explains that the knowledge of existence of divinity is fundamental in the unraveling of the world mysteries. I think that Harris decided to write about moderation in religion because he observed a lot of pretense and struggle for holiness in the religious realms. According to him, it is impossible to be extremists in terms of religion. One is not required to follow everything that is written in the word of God. This is because, the bible which states that we should not let offenders to go without being brought to justice also tells us not to revenge. According to him, the bible therefore lacks a basic set of rules which a common believer should follow. It is also impossible to rule out the existence of God. This is explained through the orderliness of things in this world through many intricate trends of life. For one to be a religious moderate in the twenty first century there should be some elements of compromise of the religious standards and a deviation from the old time religion. The reason why he hoped to accomplish this paper was to bring out his point on religious moderation. Instead of making the lives of people difficult by forcing them to observe stringent religious practices, the burden should be eased through moderation. This shall make the pagans know a few religious practices while the religious people are not overburdened. The article aims at achieving religious freedom. Striking a balance between reason and religion brings a desirable form of knowledge that is acceptable to all stakeholders in society. In summary, Harris brings out the concept of balance between fundamentalism, literalism and religion.
