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European Journal of Applied Sciences – Vol. 12, No. 5

Publication Date: October 25, 2024

DOI:10.14738/aivp.125.17670.

Gurevitz, M. (2024). Nullification of Radical Religious and National Aspirations is Critical for Survival of Humanity. European

Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol - 12(5). 274-276.

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

Nullification of Radical Religious and National Aspirations is

Critical for Survival of Humanity

Michael Gurevitz

Department of Plant Molecular Biology and Ecology

George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University

Ramat Aviv 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel

Human development was accompanied by two contradictory aspects: On the one hand,

unprecedented achievements of technological and brain capabilities that differentiated man- kind from all other animals, enabling establishment of flourishing societies over the entire

globe. On the other hand, a negative facet of competitive aggression as well as hatred, envy,

and cruelty in an over-populated planet, derived probably from primitive traits important for

survival. Sadly, the negative facet has seemingly won in that humanity is stepping nowadays

on a dangerous track of malicious conflicts that may readily deteriorate into military mass- destructive clashes. It seems that besides long-lasting disputes over territories and

competition over resources, two nuisances raise risks that may expedite our extinction:

Radical religious claims and exaggerated national aspirations. Although both issues may seem

irrational to an outsider, rather than dissipating with the cultural and technological

advancements, they have actually intensified reaching an unbearable reality (refs. 1-4).

RADICAL RELIGIOUS CLAIMS

The limited cognitive ability of humans to grasp the event of world formation, or explain the

dominance of mankind on Earth, as well as fears of death and the unknown elicited a mythic

belief in an invisible galactic super-being (God) responsible for the entire creation (ref. 5).

This was the basis to the establishment of the three monotheistic religions, each with its

specific prayers, ceremonies, rituals, and write-ups (Jewish Bible, Christian Bible, Islamic

Qur׳an), while all aiming at praising God’s greatness (refs. 6, 7). The main advantage of the

religious belief was in picturing an abstractive super-power to satisfy the increasing curiosity

of mankind, as well as offering relaxing feelings of a heavenly support through life and

particularly during hard times. Yet, the differences in principles and sanctified messengers of

the various beliefs as well as in worship frameworks at various societies provoked disputes,

intolerance, hatred, aggression, and loss of life. Notably, the history of religious development

all over the world was always associated with violence and massive killing. For example,

several religion-rooted wars in Europe (e.g., the ‘Schmalkaldic War’ - 1546-1547, the ‘Eighty

Years War’ - 1568-1648, the eight ‘French Waars’ - 1562-1598, the ‘Thirty Years War’ - 1618-

1648), and in the Middle East on the control of the holy land (e.g., the ‘Crusade Wars’ of

Christians against the Muslims for several centuries since the 11th), or the present intensifying

Islamic Jihad against the Western civilization, all illustrating the evil side of religions.

Evidently and quite surprising, despite the progress in many aspects of human cognition and

daily life, religious violence is still a common behavioral trend among people, as well as

between nations. Not only that such behavior contradicts the original intentions of the

religion founders, the horrible consequences of religious conflicts and World Wars I and II,

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Gurevitz, M. (2024). Nullification of Radical Religious and National Aspirations is Critical for Survival of Humanity. European Journal of Applied

Sciences, Vol - 12(5). 274-276.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/aivp.125.17670

have proven the dark side of humanity, while attempts to solve international disputes by

establishment the United Nations remained unsuccessful, thus suggesting that the

evolutionary segregation of the human species from the other mammals has not been

completed.

EXAGGERATED NATIONAL ASPIRATIONS

Affiliation to a particular society or nation is usually based on a common ethnicity such as

historic background, joint territories, customs, language, common interests as well as

religious belief. However, extreme national feelings may sharpen the differences between

populations and lead to intricate relations. While competitive relations may advance human

development and lore (e.g., in science, sports, and various cultural issues), they may also be

associated with envy, hatred, cruelty, and disputes leading to violence. Destructive relations

may also arise from exaggerated national aspirations, accompanied by the idea that

everything is achievable by force. Colonialism is a typical example of inconsiderate aggressive

act of seizing goods and territories of other populations. Numerous examples of such an

approach were exemplified in the past by nations exploiting their relative military advantage

to occupy foreign territories (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Great

Britain, Holland, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, United States, Uruguay),

or even nowadays as shown in the Russian invasion to Ukraine, or Chinese claims over Nepal

and Taiwan, or Iran’s military involvement over the entire Middle East. The present

aggressive colonial aspirations directed by leaders like Vladimir Putin of Russia, Jing-ping Xi

of China, and Ali Khamenei of Iran, demonstrate opacity to a putative demolition of the world

order, while jeopardizing humanity. They are ready to sacrifice millions (citizens and

enemies) to achieve their political and personal aspirations, and so their removal from chair is

essential (ref. 8).

TAKE-HOME MESSAGE

In today’s reality the dangers to humanity of a possible cosmic catastrophe (heat by a large

asteroid or detrimental irradiation arriving from deep space) and hazardous alterations in

climax, sea level, volcanic activity, and solar eruption, are sufficient reasons to encourage

unification of humanity in an attempt to at least prevent man-born disasters, especially self- extermination when using mass destructive means like nuclear weapons, or detrimental

biological microorganisms. To our disappointment, humanity reached technological abilities

of mass-destruction, but did not guarantee prevention of their use (ref. 9). This problem along

the willingness to sacrifice many lives for realization of extreme aspirations along the

Shaheed phenomenon, intensifies the global risk. The end result of another World-War might

be a tremendous devastation accompanied by a substantial decrease in world population, but

in addition may also enable new territorial division. For example, Russia, a country greater in

size from the entire European continent, would better be divided to several states according

to the national affiliation of its various populations. Such a change may eliminate the

exaggerated, overblown national aspirations of the Russian regime (ref. 10). It is likely that

the demand to unite humanity for eradication of religious and national exaggerated

aspirations may require reorganization of the entire world under a rational leadership and

appropriate division of world resources to support human survival (e.g., food, water, energy,

territory). Among all joint efforts, elimination of aggressive scientifically-ignorant leaders,

who endanger humanity, is particularly urgent (ref. 8). Since reduction of tension by

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European Journal of Applied Sciences (EJAS) Vol. 12, Issue 5, October-2024

diplomacy is usually temporary, while exposing the weakness of world populations that live

in comfort (mostly of the Western countries), the required new world order is achievable

unfortunately only by force.

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