*Human Integration* The reason for War, Religion, Art and Oppression.

[chronictoker]

So...I had this long post written up for a thread that got closed, but I'll start a new one here. Originally, I was thinking in the context of race relations, but my thoughts apply to all areas of life.

I was thinking...it's nature and the competition for resources that pits us against each other as a human race.

We align with whichever group will benefit us the most at the time, ya know?

It's not just black/white, but it's close friends that turn against each other, wars between nations...oppression...

...and I think out of these moments of crisis...the worst of times...comes beauty, hope, peace, and unity (the cycle of life, I guess?). War, competition, and oppression are what strive us to create religion because we feel guilty about the ever present competition in our daily lives and our mischievious behavior. It's why we create art. We do these things to come together around common values. It's really beautiful to behold when a truely integrative moment occurs.

Unfortunately, these moments are few and far between.

We possess an awe inspiring, magnanimous consciousness, and the inability to use it.

*sigh* But, that doesn't mean we can't try and make it work...

[Totah Sam]

According to Cultural Anthropology and Anthropology of Religion it was the mystery of death that brought about religion and spirituality.

[HighGrowMan]

I believe we can make it work; We are having this discussion right now.

That means that the human consciousness has evolved far enough that we know what your talking about.