Moloch

Considering that our ancestors faced such great selection pressures to belong in groups, to reproduce, to survive and seek status and step over whoever they needed to, why is it that there are so many people these days who do not choose to bow down to the greeat Moloch for the sake of group cohesion? (I use Moloch in the broad sense of an all-seeing malevolent Judeo-Chistian-Islamic God. By the way, if you clicked the link, did you see the "God is love" ad right next to an article about baby sacrifice?) I sure don't feel like feeding babies to the statue. Is it because I'm rich? Well, in absolute sense, maybe, but there are many richer people who are willing to gladly prostrate themselves on altars and sacrifice their first-borns just to see the sun rise tomorrow, plenty of people who are all too happy to ship their parents off to retirement homes where they are pacified with drugs (not the exciting psychotropic ones, either), then cross themselves and confess ther sins in a little box. Then the little berobed salesman speaks comforting words, and everyone leaves in Moloch's grace, back to the offices to turn out more little sacrifices to Moloch, or miles of polyethylene to crown the skyscrapers of His glory.

Aside: Aldous Huxley (I think) had his wife inject him with LSD on his deathbed. He died seeing beautiful visions while she spoek sweetly and comfortingly and reassuringly in his ear. No mention of Moloch, no mention of afterlife. Just a pleasant, visionary end to a life well lived.

Consider: "this happy creature."