Pious Fraud and Necessary Falsehoods
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 4:03 am
“Killing enemy soldiers is easy.”
“We don’t target civilians.”
“If you don’t like the military you can always quit.”
“Navy Issue shark repellant effectively repels sharks.”
“Your chances of being sent into a combat are slim to none.”
“Drill Instructors are super nice to recruits in basic training.”
“The M4A1 Sherman is the best tank in the world.”
“The M-16 rifle is an effective weapon that does not jam repeatedly in combat.”
“Japanese marksmanship is poor, due to the poor eyesight of the average Japanese soldier.”
“The new M1A1 Recoilless Rocket Anti-tank System (‘Bazooka’) can kill any German tank on the battlefield.”
“Heavy bombers do not require fighter escort over Germany because they can effectively defend themselves against enemy fighters.”
“The Norden Bombsight can land a bomb in a pickle barrel from an attitude of twenty thousand feet.”
“Daytime precision bombardment of Germany’s industrial districts will bring the war to an end within the year.”
“Nighttime area bombardment of German civilians will bring the war to an end within the year.”
“An aggressive offensive in southern Italy will bring the war to an end within the year.”
“The Germans can’t read our codes because our codes are unbreakable.”
“The Japanese can’t read our codes because our codes are unbreakable.”
“The Russians can’t read our codes because our codes are unbreakable.”
“The British can’t read our codes because our codes are unbreakable.”
“Remember your training. It will keep you alive.”
“Pat Tillman was not killed by friendly fire.”
These are examples of pious fraud as it occurs in the military.
I support the military and have a great deal of empathy for individual soldiers, but at the same time I realize that pious fraud is an inescapable component of the military’s mission. It’s one of the ways the military maintains order and discipline, particularly during difficult wartime conditions. Pious fraud is--on rare occasions--a vital necessity. There are times when the military simply can’t do its job without engaging in a degree of pious fraud.
Is the same true for religious faith?
Is pious fraud an integral and inescapable element of religion?
“We don’t target civilians.”
“If you don’t like the military you can always quit.”
“Navy Issue shark repellant effectively repels sharks.”
“Your chances of being sent into a combat are slim to none.”
“Drill Instructors are super nice to recruits in basic training.”
“The M4A1 Sherman is the best tank in the world.”
“The M-16 rifle is an effective weapon that does not jam repeatedly in combat.”
“Japanese marksmanship is poor, due to the poor eyesight of the average Japanese soldier.”
“The new M1A1 Recoilless Rocket Anti-tank System (‘Bazooka’) can kill any German tank on the battlefield.”
“Heavy bombers do not require fighter escort over Germany because they can effectively defend themselves against enemy fighters.”
“The Norden Bombsight can land a bomb in a pickle barrel from an attitude of twenty thousand feet.”
“Daytime precision bombardment of Germany’s industrial districts will bring the war to an end within the year.”
“Nighttime area bombardment of German civilians will bring the war to an end within the year.”
“An aggressive offensive in southern Italy will bring the war to an end within the year.”
“The Germans can’t read our codes because our codes are unbreakable.”
“The Japanese can’t read our codes because our codes are unbreakable.”
“The Russians can’t read our codes because our codes are unbreakable.”
“The British can’t read our codes because our codes are unbreakable.”
“Remember your training. It will keep you alive.”
“Pat Tillman was not killed by friendly fire.”
These are examples of pious fraud as it occurs in the military.
I support the military and have a great deal of empathy for individual soldiers, but at the same time I realize that pious fraud is an inescapable component of the military’s mission. It’s one of the ways the military maintains order and discipline, particularly during difficult wartime conditions. Pious fraud is--on rare occasions--a vital necessity. There are times when the military simply can’t do its job without engaging in a degree of pious fraud.
Is the same true for religious faith?
Is pious fraud an integral and inescapable element of religion?
