Death by Dumbness

Fanaticism of any kind is dangerous; the religious one is much more so because the belief that one is doing "God's will" is extremely powerful and impervious to reason.

This comes to mind in the case of the Orthodox Jewish family in Brooklyn whose children were killed in a home fire produced by a malfunctioning hotplate left on through the Sabbath because the observance called for not using electricity in that time period. Any time a belief is adhered to regardless of its practical consequences there are bound to be serious, even tragic results.

Religion should not have anything to do with what you eat or how you carry on with the routine, everyday things of life. It's the moral life you lead that is important, and that has nothing to do with putting yourself in danger by applying outdated notions and engaging in irrational practices.

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