SCIENTIFIC HUMANISM -nihil obstat felicitas (IX)

4. Empires and Genocide

History is filled with wars and conquests. First, kingdoms were united as tribes or villages, and later as city-states. When we analyze early historical accounts, we find that moments of peace are the exception in any historical period. There is always some territory that experiences brief moments without war, but they are short-lived. The norm is conflict and war, which have prevailed everywhere for thousands of years.

Despite the development of international trade and the apparent economic interdependence of countries, fragmentation is more prevalent than ever. 

So-called "racism" is an absolute simplification of this phenomenon of violence, confrontation and war. The vast majority of wars have been fought between seemingly identical people: whites against whites, blacks against blacks, yellows against yellows, and so on. 

When it comes to wars and conflicts where there is real ethnic differentiation, let us call it by its name: genocide.

Races, cultures, and even minority ways of life have always been exterminated by those who call themselves "civilized," which is again a sad paradox. 

If we consider ourselves to be rational beings, we must overcome fear, suspicion, and lack of self-esteem and take the step to become the rational beings we claim to be. No pretext, whether religious, ethnic, territorial, economic, or of any other nature, is sufficient to justify the hatred, humiliation, torture, and murder of other human beings, even when carried out by regular armies.

For us, this part of history, often presented in epic, noble or even heroic tones by the victors, is part of what we call the "black history" of humanity. The horrors, atrocities and murders committed in any war, whether by the victor or the vanquished, should not be seen as a matter of state, but as mass murders. It does not matter whether they are well organized and structured in the form of armies, or whether they are civil society organizations such as guerrilla, resistance, sabotage, or terrorism. Nor does it matter if they are justified by patriotism, nationalism, or any other excuse of an ethnic or religious nature. 

For us, the so-called "conquests" are genocides and mass murders of indigenous peoples perpetrated by other human beings who use violence and force to seize their lands and resources.

Unfortunately, fear, hatred, and irrational emotions have led humanity down this path of suffering again and again. For us, this whole part of human history should be rewritten to explain it correctly: whether you are victor or vanquished, as a species we are all losers.

For Scientific Humanism, a future without wars, without obsolete and absurd patriotisms, and of course without violence, is possible. 

The path to follow is aftonomy, an economy based on abundance. To achieve this, a path of social unification around planetary goals is necessary: a global civilization. 

As long as the world remains divided into territories, countries, religions, races, and even families, and continues to clash in all areas, whether military (armies), commercial, or social, we will be in imminent danger of extinction. 

No matter how many of us there are. When an internal or external catastrophe occurs, we will be unprepared and will disappear. 

Our species will have had a short lifespan compared to many other species that have inhabited the planet.

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Quote:

"Humanism is a moral philosophy that focuses on human beings and their values, interests, and well-being. It is an attempt to determine human purposes and the meaning of life through rational and scientific methods, independent of belief in the supernatural." - American Humanist Association

"Scientific humanism is an ethical and philosophical response to the challenges of the 21st century. It promotes reason, science, and humanistic values as guides for making decisions and building a just and peaceful society. - Steven Pinker, psychologist and author of "The Angels Within: The Decline of Violence and Its Implications.

"True peace is not simply the absence of war; it is the presence of justice."-Martin Luther King Jr, civil rights leader and advocate of nonviolence.

"Peace cannot be maintained by force; it can only be achieved through understanding."-Albert Einstein, physicist and pacifist.

"Nonviolence is not an article of clothing to be put on and taken off at will. It must be a way of life" - Mahatma Gandhi, pacifist leader and advocate of nonviolent resistance.

"War determines not who is right, but who is left" - Bertrand Russell, philosopher and pacifist.