Have you ever wondered why some of us are so anti-organized religion? I know a number of people (am, in fact, related to a number of them) who cannot fathom the disdain I have for their churches. It is not, as they are prone to believe, that I am an atheist, or a God-hater. It is not that I worship Satan and am reveling in the prospect of joining him in hell after leading my sin-filled life. I am a highly spiritual person. I do believe in God and the goodness of the universe. I simply express my spirituality in a slightly different way than they do. That seems to me to be the cause of most of the misery mankind has thrust upon itself over the centuries.
It really boils down to this. The purpose of religion should be to make people feel good about themselves, and about each other. It should be something that brings people together and unites them in a common cause. Getting everybody into heaven is an admirable goal. Another way in which religion is supposed to aid mankind is to make each of us behave better towards society and individuals. Instead, religion divides people into camps of "us" and "them". Members of almost every religious sect I have encountered think that everyone must not only believe in their God, but also believe in Him exactly the way they do. If you don't you are an infidel, a sinner, and a hell bound heathen.
On a small, individual basis, religion can be helpful. It indeed has changed many lives for the better. I have seen countless cases of people who saved their marriage or managed to quit drinking and gambling. Its the bigger picture that I worry about. In that sense I can see that religion has done far more harm than good. Look at the Muslim's and Jew's for instance. They both believe in basically the same God. Sure, their holy texts and rituals are somewhat different, but they both are supposed to be seeking the same ends of peace, love, and a one-way ticket to heaven. What is the big chasm between the two religions? One calls Him Yahweh and the other Allah? I could understand how the ancient Greeks or Romans might fight wars over loyalty to any one of their many gods, but these good folks are worshipping the same God in just a slightly different way. No, we have no use for any organized religion.
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5 comments:
Religion. Hmmmm.... Is there anything really spiritual about it? I'm not so sure.
We've already seen when certain people consider themselves to be a person of religion that their actions often dictate the opposite. But there are those people out there who highly regard someone who says they're a person of God. Until their skeletons start marching out of their closets. Then the REAL fun begins!
Well, as the saying goes: Actions speak louder than words.
Yes, exactly Jacq! I notice that the one's who scream out their religion the loudest are usually the one's who turn out to be the worst adulterers, pedophiles, and generally rotten people.
In the same sense as being a person of faith doesnt necessarily make one truly a good person, I also believe that being a soldier or a cop doesn't automatically make you one either. Or that being a prostitute, for example, necessarily makes someone "bad".
as cheesy as it sounds, lately I've become very attracted to paganism. really, it is a more organic form of the new age religion I grew up with. still, tragically, it is full of fanatics who are just as dangerous as those of any other religion--christians included.
When I took the religious style quiz at beliefnet.com I turned out to be a "hedonistic, new-age, neo-pagan, seeker" I like that.
how about this? is it organized religion that is the problem or militant religious fanatics--christian or otherwise?
you know I've met some wonderful catholics who don't wear their judgement on their sleeve. well, maybe one. I've met some baptists wh--er, no I haven't.
well, anyhow, does the idea of organize religion belong only to the holy trinity of the Abrahamic religions? are there any militant Buddhists? um, burning yourself in protest of the Vietnam war isn't exactly my idea of balance. how about Hindu's? um, have things been settled down in India yet between them and the muslims? I know, maybe it is the Shintos who aren't militant. I'm not sure, though.
Okay, I know, only agnostics aren't militant. come on, they only have a problem with organized religion. of course, fundamentalists really piss them off.
frankly, there is a small possibility that we are all asshole on this one.
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