Focus on the banana, not on the shell

I hear.
Lots of criticisms...
religion vs atheism.
"Religion harms", they scream to the others.
Even laughing at them.
And they in turn, get even mad at them.
At the defensive.
As it is natural.

I disagree: religion is not the problem.
It is just the shell.
The issue is the banana inside, i.e., dogmatism.
That is the regime of the unexamined,
unchallenged, untested beliefs.
That is what it leads to individual,
-and even worse- mass delusion.
To Leiden's Munster, Heaven's Gate, Waco, 
to pogroms, atheists' gulags, totalitarianism.
And even to social narci-networks
and keeping-up-with-the-Joneses.

The question at hand is how to evolve
from dogmatism.
As species.
With Respect (capital R) to our background, 
to our reptilian brain. 
In a call to grow together, 
not to scorn the others
(i.e., not to un-grow ourselves).

A call for the growth mentality,
a respectful depart from the fixed mentality.
The growth mentality of the critical thinker,
the humble life-long learner.

However, a big challenge hinders that call:
Inquiry requires the person to be at ease
with her "inquiry instrumental". 
And the majority feel as at ease
with their mental infrastructure,
as ectomorphs with their physical ones.
Inquiry requires them to build muscle.
Day in, day out. 
That is very risky for their self-esteems.
That is why they prefer to avoid
building (mental) muscle. 
"Just give me faith, myths, traditions,
delusions, unsupported beliefs. 
Superstition. At least I am not exposed,
as I am when I build (mental) muscle", they say.

In spite of the challenge,
it is worthwhile the effort:
A species that will evolve 
from conquerors to explorers,
from deliverers to learners,
from left- and right-wingers to common sense-wingers,
from status-seekers to wisdom-seekers.
From ignorant, angry, and greedy,
to wise, compassionate and generous.
From fear bearers to love sharers.
Because the ultimate logical behavior,
inquiry-based insight,
is to love.