tive science in this area and reinforces the egotism of the natu-
ral world view, people holding this conviction are unaware of
the fact that they are no longer acting in good faith.
No major religion indicates the nature of the macrosocial
pathological phenomenon; therefore we cannot consider relig-
ious dictates as a specific basis for overcoming this great his-
torical disease. Religion is neither a specific serum nor an ae-
tiotropically active antibiotic with regard to the phenomenon of
pathocracy. Although it constitutes a regenerative factor for the
spiritual strength of individuals and societies, religious truth
does not contain the specific naturalistic knowledge which is
essential for understanding the pathology of the phenomenon,
and which is simultaneously a curative and a resistance gener-
ating factor for human personalities. Rather, religious faith and
the phenomenon of pathocracy are in fact at different levels of
reality, the latter being more earthy. That also explains why
there can be no true collision between religion and the pone-
rological knowledge about the macrosocial pathological phe-
nomenon.
If we based our societal defense and treatment with regard
to destructive influences of pathocracy only upon the truest
religious values, this would be reminiscent of curing an insuffi-
ciently comprehended disease exclusively by measures which
strengthen body and soul. Such general therapy may furnish
satisfactory results in many cases, but it will prove insufficient
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PATHOCRACY AND RELIGION
in others. This macrosocial disease belongs to the latter cate-
gory.
The fact that this pathocratic phenomenon, which has
spread to the most wide-ranging scale in human history, dem-
onstrates hostility to any and all religion does not imply the
conclusion that it is the opposite of religion. This dependence
would be structured differently under other historical and con-
temporary conditions. In the light of historical data, it appears
obvious that religious systems have also succumbed to ponero-
genic processes and manifested the symptoms of a similar dis-
ease.117
The specific basis for healing our sick world, which is also a
curative factor for restoring full reasoning capabilities to the
human personality, must therefore be the kind of science which
renders the essence of the phenomenon evident and describes it
in sufficiently objective language. Resistance to the acceptance
of such knowledge is often justified by religious motivation; it
is largely caused by the egotism of the natural world view in its
traditional overrating of its values and fear of disintegration,
and it must be constructively overcome.
~~~
The pathocratic phenomenon has appeared many times in
history, feeding parasitically upon various social movements,
deforming their structures and ideologies in a characteristic
fashion. It must therefore have met with various religious sys-
tems and with a variety of historical and cultural backgrounds.
Two basic possibilities for a relationship between this phe-
nomenon and a religious system can thus be adduced. The first
occurs when the religious association itself succumbs to infec-
tion and the ponerogenic process, which leads to development
of the above-mentioned phenomena within it. The second pos-
sibility emerges if a pathocracy develops as a parasite upon
some social movement whose character is secular and political,
which must inevitably lead to collision with religious organiza-
tions.
117 Not to mention the fact that currently, the neocon-Bush administration is
using Christianity as the ideology by which they mask pathocracy. [Editor’s
note.]
POLITICAL PONEROLOGY
271
In the first case, the religious association succumbs to de-
struction from within, its organism becomes subordinated to
goals completely different from the original idea, and its the-
osophic and moral values fall prey to characteristic deforma-
tion, thereupon serving as a disguise for domination by patho-
logical individuals. The religious idea then becomes both a
justification for using force and sadism against nonbelievers,
heretics, and sorcerers, and a conscience drug for people who
put such inspirations into effect.118
Anyone criticizing such a state of affairs is condemned with
paramoral indignation, allegedly in the name of the original
idea and faith in God, but actually because he feels and thinks
within the categories of normal people. Such a system retains
the name of the original religion and many other specific
names, swearing on the prophet’s beard while using this for its
doubletalk. Something which was to be originally an aid in the
comprehension of God’s truth now scourges nations with the
sword of imperialism.
When such phenomena are long-lasting, those people who
have retained their faith in religious values will condemn such
a state of affairs, thereby indicating that it diverges widely from
the truth. They will unfortunately do so without understanding
the nature and causes of the pathological phenomenon, i.e. in
moral categories, thus committing the malignant error with
which we are already familiar. They shall take advantage of
some amenable geopolitical situation in protesting such a state
of affairs, breaking away from the original system and creating
various sects and denominations.
This kind of breakdown can be considered a characteristic
consequence of any movement’s infection by this disease, be it
religious or secular. Religious conflict thereupon assumes the
character of political partitions, giving rise to warfare among
various believers in the same God.
As we know, this state evolves into the dissimulative phase
once human rancor starts to become exhausted; however, this
form will be much more long-lasting than a pathocracy feeding
on a secular movement. Human individuals cannot easily con-
tain the entire process within their frame of reference, since
118 As is the case in the United States and Israel today. [Editor’s note.]
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PATHOCRACY AND RELIGION
such a state spans many generations; their criticism will thus be
limited to the questions they are immediately familiar with.
However, this gives rise to a gradual but uncoordinated pres-
sure front of reasonable people, thereby instigating some kind
of evolution within any group thus engendered. Such evolution
will aim at reactivating the original religious values or at
overcoming the deformations.
Whether this process achieves its definitive goals depends
upon two conditions: If the original idea was contaminated by