---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 1998 18:21:31 -0800 (PST)
From: Treon Verdery <tverdery@reed.edu>
Reply-To: planaria@u.washington.edu
To: cULT oF tHE mIGHTY pLANARIA <planaria@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: [Pigdog] Eunuchs target commuters (fwd)
There's a cool thing: Abstract: It is argued that the blanket view of
religion as a disease, advocated by Dawkins, is inconsistent with the
principles of parasite ecology. These principles state that vertically
transmitted parasites evolve towards benign, symbiotic states, while
horizontally transmitted parasites increase their virulence. Most of the
world's established religions are transmitted vertically, from parents to
children, and are therefore expected to be benign towards their hosts.
Yet, certain horizontally transmitted cults, such as the Aum Shinrikyo,
seem to effectively exploit their hosts in a way similar to an infectious
disease.
at: http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/Papers/Cullen.html
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