The Rational Dictatorship Manifesto

In light of the recent Massachusetts legislative decision to ban gay marriage but allow for same sex civil unions...
Thanks, humanity, for giving me another reason to slaughter you all. Or at the very least, attempt to rule over all of you.

Sarto, a friend of mine has brought up a lot of good points in his latest post on the marriage issue, the best of which I think are:

(on the issue of civil unions): On one hand, the law is telling gay couples they are inferior and don't deserve the same rights, verbatum, as those given to every other citizen, and then on the other it's saying "but we realize we're being discriminatory so here are your rights anyway". It's semantics really. If it smells like chicken, and looks like chicken, and tastes like chicken, and has all the legal rights and benefits of chicken, ...just call it chicken. ... The point is that creating a civil union that has all of the same rights and privileges as marriage is not only semantics, it is creating something separate. Sure, they have equal rights, but by not calling it the same thing, they're only encouraging discrimination to persist against gay couples simply because they disguise their bigotry under the veil of equality.

(on religion): I know it must be hard for people that truly do believe in religion to support gay marriages. If they could take a step back, for one moment, and read a history book, I think matters would be greatly resolved. Religion has been used as an argument in the name of biggotry more often than any other creed in history. This is not the first, nor the last time, that someone else's religious beliefs will cloud the judgment of men. What legal reaon is there to prevent two loving people, no matter what they're sexes, from getting married? None,..none whatsoever. Why is it so difficult to understand that not everybody believes in Christianity, or Judaism, or Hindu, or Muslim, etc. We are not all of the same creed, therefore it is wrong to make laws that limit rights of citiznes based solely on religious beliefs.

Of course, it's easier to blame nature and say that gay people are an abomination of nature than it is to blame it on God and say "God screwed up". No, it is only ever "God's plan" or "God's will". If that's so true, how can religious zealots argue that gays are sinful or unholy. It's obviously part of "God's plan", just like everything has to be. Oh wait, I forgot, it's only part of God's plan when it's convenient to say so, when it doesn't support a group of people the church doesn't agree with. It's been 2000 years since the Bible was written. That's a long time. Even assuming the men that wrote it got God's message right the first time, who's to say God hasn't changed his mind in 2000 frickin' years. GRRRR RELIGION!!! WE HATES YOU, TRICKSY BIBLESES!! If there is any truth to be had in this nature debate, it is that nature doesn't make mistakes, except for the platypus.

Amen Sarto. :3 (and now a moment aside for me to say...WHY IS IT SNOWING OUTSIDE?!)

And now, with religion, bigotry, and upcoming 2004 US Presidental Elections coming up, Skuld releases a very rough draft of her Rational Dictatorship Manifesto. (Very Machiavellian.)

I'll just say outright right now that I am, in principle, against organized religion. Nothing worse has happened to humanity than the beginnings of organized religion. Religion is an oppressive institution in which people are brainwashed, often from birth, their rational thought shut down, and made to believe in rewards which will not ever be delivered.

Religion is and has always been mired in bigotry and power struggles, and is used as the scapegoat for mindless discrimination of an oppressed minority. Religion unfortunately, under the right circumstances can do good things, namely teaching people a set of morality and values thereby saving humanity from the State of Nature.

If you should ever find yourself in control of a nation, the most valuable tool for you will be religion. In order to have full control of your situation, you must do two things: 1) create a religion, and 2) do not believe in this religion (but by all means, pretend you do).

In this Religion, you will set up yourself, as Grand High Dictator/Monarch/Overlord as God. Your word is law. Your word is divine. Your word is to be worshipped by the people. Your word, and the word of your sons and daughters. But most of all, you must not believe you that you are God. Your word is not divine, but having it worshipped and having it law is quite nice, no? In order to avoid massive oversights and personal failures, you must recognize that you will fuck up at some point in your life and accept your shortcomings. Do not believe in your own religion. Remember at all times that the only purpose for which you have created your own religion is to keep control of the people. You may assume, however, that you know best. That is the other reason you have this religion after all, because you know best.

In this State, which I will call the Rational Dictatorship, belief in this religion and practice in all these religious rituals and services will be compulsory. Should any dissent surface, do not hesitate to invoke your right as Dictator/Monarch/Overlord to eliminate them and make an example of them. This will ensure that large uprisings do not occur, for if people fear anything, they fear death. Teach them that sacrifice is not something looked highly upon, and that sacrifical martyrdom is not the pathway to a happy afterlife (should your religion contain anything about the afterlife). That should quell most religious zealots who want to sacrifice themselves to take you out.

Your religion should be based around the principles of equality, community, and happiness. Teach them that conflict is to be resolved, but as quickly as possible in a way that maximizes harmony and happiness within the community. Remember that if people are treated equally, they have nothing you complain about. Certainly, you their God, is an exception. Also teach them that it's okay to be gay. ^_^

Your religion must contain a strict moral code of behavior governing such things as theft, murder, and assault, but make sure your moral code does not impinge upon consensual sexual expression. Make sure your religion contains allegories for which the common man can allude, and any depictions of violence and inequality are to be handed down with the message that this is very, very bad. Make sure they remember that death is the worst thing that can happen to them, and that you have control over their fate.

Above all, you as the governing entity of this state must occasionally deal with the marginalized person who commits a crime. What is a crime? A crime is anything that violates the Social Contract that you have created with your people. By violating the Social Contract, you no longer have obligation to care for that person. Depending on the degree of the crime, anything from rehabilitation to public execution should be good a idea.

And in your Rational Dictatorship course, should read a lot of philosphy books. In addition to this short manifesto, read Machiavelli, Locke, Hobbes, Kant, Nietzsche, Satre, Heidegger, Hegel, Plato/Socrates, Mills, Rawls, and Nozick.

If I missed anything let me know. :P Feel free to suggest addendums to my Manifesto.