Fallacy of Principles verses Actions

Bust of Aristotle. Marble, Roman copy after a Greek bronze original by Lysippos from 330 BC; the alabaster mantle is a modern addition. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fallacy of Principles verses Actions

There is a logical fallacy within people who condemn all religion and religious affiliations because of immoral actions committed by a minority within that religious tenant. This is the equivalent of hating all Muslims because one hates Mohammed Gondi or believing that all Jews are evil because some killed Christ. A person of reasonable cognitive powers should be able to reason that the principles of a faith and not the action of believer should be the first steps of judging a religion.

Headlines around the world are filled with disturbing actions of priests and cult leaders alike that perform many immoral acts against their fellow man and their community. In Ireland, a scandal is currently affecting the Catholic Church that is rocking its foundations. Multiple priests have been accused of committing sexual assaults on children (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2012) and having gay porn on their removable storage device while teaching on Holy Communion (CNN World, 2012).

This blight is not only a mark on the Catholic Church but also on non-denominational protestant churches as well (Ann Rodgers-Melnick, 2003).

By no means are these immoral acts that were performed by members of various denominations a reflection of the entire organization. It is unreasonable for anyone to judge a religious organization on the actions of some corrupt members of the organization.  Corrupt members of such organizations should and must be punished by the letter of the law. However the religion must be examined through the microscope of its doctrine.

Anyone who would apply such logic to their lives must also exclude their children from daycare centers because one center 500 miles away had a pedophile on staff or exclude them from the boy scouts because of their scandals and must never attend political protest because one ended in the murder of a police officer.

What the American society is facing right now is a plague that feeds on the rational minds of Americans. Society fails to use the rational mind that is given to them by the Creator and accepts as facts major dichotomies of thought. For example, many consider themselves Christian but also believe that when we die our ghost can haunt our home for years afterward. Or another example is the feel-good hipster Christian that believes that just accepting Jesus into my heart is enough without the actual lifestyle changes that Christ spoke of.

Works Cited

Ann Rodgers-Melnick, P.-G. S. (2003, May 31). Father of girl feels 'betrayed' by church . Retrieved May 3, 2012, from Pittsburgh Post Gazette: http://old.post-gazette.com/localnews/20030531valenciareg4p4.asp

Australian Broadcasting Corporation. (2012, May 3). 1. Retrieved May 3, 2012, from Ireland's top Catholic rejects abuse cover-up claims: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-03/ireland27s-top-catholic-rejects-new-abuse-cover-up-claims/3986416

CNN World. (2012, April 29). Priest in gay porn probe leaves parish. Retrieved May 03, 2012, from CNN World: http://articles.cnn.com/2012-04-29/world/world_europe_ireland-priest-gay-porn_1_cardinal-sean-brady-church-investigation-priest?_s=PM:EUROPE