Organized Religion is like 1984.

[KebertX]

I was thinking about this for a while after reading 1984 by George Orwell, and I think the concepts in the 1984 society were very similar to the pretext of Organized religion.  There's quite a comparison to be made here.

In 1984 society there is a very defined societal structure. The Outer Party is inside the respected organization and expected to believe anything the Inner Party told them. Above the Inner Party is a nonexistent man named Big Brother who is always watching you and making sure you didn't do or even think anything that's offensive to The Party. The Inner Party rewrote history, and controls everything and everyone. The Inner Party is given this privilege because they regard themselves as higher than everyone else, and closer to Big Brother. Outside the Party are the Proles who were given no respect whatsoever, and not even regarded as human, because they are not embedded with the ideals that the Party demanded everyone subscribe to.

The Party has an obsession with destroying the Orgasm, to deprive people of sexual pleasure, and therefore take away anything other than The Party for one to be loyal to.

In 1984 society the central society is accompanied by two other societies of the exact same structure. These societies support each other in such a way that they exist in a state of perpetual war with each other, fighting over the same patches of land and control of few people who convert one way or another. The Party feeds their people constant propaganda to brainwash the people and make them believe that the other societies were evil and need to be destroyed.

The Party Gained it's power after a betrayed revolution. In the Post Revolution era, they systematically destroyed all information not supporting the ideals of the Party, and all evidence that what they were saying wasn't true. They destroyed countless documents, and killed any and all people smart enough to realize that The Party was lying. Scientific Progress was systematically repressed, and all forms of Human Development were brought to an absolute standstill. Instead, people humbled themselves in fear and reverence of Big Brother, and everything that the Party stood for.

The people in 1984 society are made to employ the concept of Doublethink. The ability to look at two completely contradictory pieces of information from the Party, and still totally believe both of them are true, because they know this information comes from Big Brother, and they love big brother, and fear that they will go to the Ministry of Love if they don't believe the Party.

The cornerstone of manipulating the public in 1984 society is brainwashing children in the educational system. The Party is insistent on making sure the children of the generation are bombarded with official Party Dogma so they can make unquestioning followers of the young people. And no good Party member would dare question this, because they know it's what Big Brother would want, and they don't want to go to the Ministry of Love and be tortured for the rest of their lives.

Big Brother is the creator of the 1984 society, and everything that the Outer Party Members can ever see around them. Even though he killed many people in the early days, he is regarded as infallible. Benevolent. Big Brother is everywhere, he is always watching you, and he can hear your thoughts. Big Brother can do anything, and people are kept in line in 1984 society by constant reminders from the Party Members that BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.

Now read that again, and replace
"1984 society" with "Organized religion."
"Party" with "Church."
"Proles" with "Nonbelievers."
'Big Brother" with "God."
"Ministry of Love" with "Hell."
and "Post Revolution" with "Dark Ages."

I think the resemblance is staggering. So what do you all think of this analogy I just wanted to put this concept out there...

[Thumpalumpacus]

I think it's more directed at the intersection of Stalinism and technology, although it's fair to say that Stalinism had aspects of religious behavior involved in its practice.

[SSY]

I certainly enjoyed your comparison, and think in some ways, it fits even more closely than a comparison with Stalinism.

[KebertX]

I think it's more directed at the intersection of Stalinism and technology, although it's fair to say that Stalinism had aspects of religious behavior involved in its practice.

I don't mean to say 1984 was based on Organized Religion.  Big Brother was an obvious Stalin.  I was simply pointing out that Organized religion follows a similar scheme as 1984.

Granted, Stalin's regime was strictly Atheistic, so I don't know where that leaves the two groups...

[Thumpalumpacus]

Perhaps there is one Most Efficient Structure for tyranny?