Because walking softly won't cut it anymore:
President of the British Science Association, Lord May, says faith groups could lead policing of social behaviour
...Experiments using what scientists call "game theory" show that groups of people can achieve their goals if cheats and those who fail to pull their weight are punished.
Speaking before the address, May said religion had historically played a major role in policing social behaviour through the notion of a supernatural "enforcer", a system that could help unify communities to tackle environmental challenges. "How better it is if the punisher is an all-powerful, all-seeing deity," he said.
In a related, but fascinating, note
the [World Council of Churches] as part of its current programme work on poverty, wealth and ecology is attempting to articulate a consumption and greed line -- in addition to the more typical poverty line. This would provide practical spiritual guidance on when, in Christian terms, too much is too much.
First it was indulgences, then the inquisition. Now the Crusades? Seems to me those didn't work out so well last time.
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