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A major threat to man's survival is the adherence of most contemporary national leaders and of large sections of the peoples of many contemporary nations to militaristic and nationalistic religious systems. Many patriots look upon their particular brand of nationalism as deriving from the Ultimate, as beyond empirical demonstration, and as of supreme importance; similarly with democracy, capitalism, communism, and militarism. The strong motivations inherent in religiousness and the tenacity with which they are held increase this threat. Religiousness is not inherently good. On any scale of values which is held consistently some religiousness would be evil. The important thing is that we should understand well the reasons and consequences of our own and each others' definitions. We should become critically aware of the advantages and the limitations for inquiry that different definitions yield, and should be disposed to incorporate into our own preferred organization of ideas whatever we can of the discoveries of others.