Fear is one of the greatest enemies of human civilization

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Fear is one of the greatest
enemies of human civilization.

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Perhaps it was necessary

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initially when we developed as
human beings in order to survive.

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But I think we reached a point

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where fear is not our
friend any longer.

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It will not save us any longer.

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It will work the other way
around: fear to the diversity,

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fear to different really
good religious group,

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fear to people of different
sexual orientation,

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fear to people of color and fear
of people of different races.

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It is all there.

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And therefore if religion
has any purpose left,

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this is to fight fears.

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And if you carefully
read the Gospels

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they say something that is very

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very conspicuous in the life
of Jesus.

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He always speaks, "Fear not."

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And when he encounters with his
disciples after the resurrection,

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the first thing he says
to them is fear not.

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And I think it is very important
to be aware of dangers of fear

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and fight it by encountering
people who we are afraid of,

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by showing love
and compassion to them,

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have an encounter with them,
have a talk with them,

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have a chance to listen to them
and have them listen to you.

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This is the best remedy
of the fear.

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I think this is the only
way to deal with fear.

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The prayer will not help
you to go to a cell

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in a monastery or somewhere pray
to get rid of it. It does not help.

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And I should admit
I can well remember

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my journey from Tbilisi
to the refugee camp

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where Chechens were located.

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I had all sorts of phobias
about Chechens.

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I can still remember
this strong feeling

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and even when we got almost
there I was ready to come back

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without meeting them.

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But it took just a few seconds.

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When we met people who had
just come through the mountains

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who had seen the death
with their own eyes

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when we saw their tears

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and I think it was enough
to realize that

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we are all human beings
and we need to get rid of fears

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that have been implanted into
our minds by our cultures

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by our traditions

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by historical circumstances

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or I am very afraid, I am very
sorry to say by religion.

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Very often the religion has been
an instrument

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of imposing fears on the faithful

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which is a betrayal in my view
of the whole concept of religion

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because religion is meant to
help people to get rid of fear.

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But often time we see
religion does not do the job.

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It implants fear in the faithful
who come to listen to them

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in the name of God.

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But what we give to them very
often is not the message from God.

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It's not a message about acceptance.

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It's not a message about
love or peace.

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It's a message of fear.

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And I'm afraid

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in a religious setting it
works very well because you can

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get better organized if you
impose fear above the faithful

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or the congregation the people.

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And it is easy to control them

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once you have managed to

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impose fear in their minds
and in their hearts.