Internet moguls call for religious harmony/unification

I always find it amusing when experts in one field (i.e. computers and internet) decide to apply their expertise to another field (i.e. religion and mass psychology) and think that the simplest of all solutions is the way to go. Consider this report which reports a plan to create a "universal charter" for religious harmony based on the Golden Rule.

Armstrong's wish is to combine universal principles of respect and compassion into a charter based on a "golden rule" she believes is at the core of every major religion.

The Golden Rule essentially calls on people to do unto others as they would have done unto them.

"The chief task of our time is to build a global society where people of all persuasions can live together in peace and harmony," Armstrong said.

While the goal is laudable - a more peaceful world with less religious conflict - it simply ignores thousands of years of history. In general, peace between religious groups has not come about by smoothing over differences. In fact, that tends to exacerbate problems by allowing each religious group to see the others in overly-simplistic terms that tend to exaggerate the strangest differences between them.

Rather, historically, engagement between individuals - usually thru trade - has been the way to defuse religious rivalries. If Bob only knows Achmed by vague reputation, he can hate him because of religion, nationalism, or vague historical notions of wrong. But if Bob deals with Achmed daily for mutual benefit, then irrational hatred becomes far more difficult.