Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Religion & Politics

Okay, kiddos, now's the time to just get it all out in the open. Since we're family, I feel I can talk to you about my true views on the important things of life that we all spend so much effort trying to avoid talking about in public.

First off, religion. I don't believe there is a god. I don't have anything against people who do; I think we all tell ourselves things that aren't true every day just to get through it. Denial is possibly human's true best friend. (Sorry, canines, you're a close second). If you become a better person by believing in a book and joining your community in prayer, more power to you.

I believe in Good and Evil in the same way I believe in matter and antimatter; there will always be both, and they'll always be fighting against each other. I believe in the forces of nature and human nature. I believe in humor. I believe in evolution. I believe evolution, ironically enough, created god. People that believe in god have hope and an appreciation for life; it would make sense that these people would have a greater chance of surviving and pass their beliefs on.

If we look throughout history, the stories really haven't changed that much. Some of the stories of the bible are stories that have been adapted from the time that we were sacrificing virgins to the sun. Some of the same stories, and a lot of the same ideas, are shared across the different religions. It's obvious that the authors of these stories truly had knowledge about human nature, and we would be foolish not to embrace the lessons they have left for us, whilst navigating the highs and lows of life.

But I just have a hard time buying that people were chosen by an all-powerful being to have an afterlife, and to be taught lessons through horrible experiences that are all really just tests to see if we truly are worthy. It doesn't make sense. If a horrible person raises a child in an unspeakable environment, where the child has no chance of being a decent person, does that child go to hell? Do the parents? Or is it their parents' faults?

I won't even get into what it means for the insane.

Beyond all this are the people and organizations who have hijacked the worlds' religions for their own agendas. It's nearly impossible anymore to have a political discussion without religion coming into the mix. Because somewhere along the way, in this country and others, powerful people realized that the blind faith of religious followers could be manipulated to their advantage. Our world has been held hostage by 'religious' wars that are more about money and control than they are about gods. Somehow Fox News convinces the poor and easily-frightened that what's good for them is what's good for big business, and anyone who tells them otherwise is just a terrorist trying to take down their religion and/or country.

Religion is still being used throughout the world to keep women submissive. Do Catholic women in America just roll their eyes while the pope continues to support the notion that ovaries make a person unable to be a spiritual leader? And we've got it easy compared to the rest of the world.

So now, instead of it being a crutch for people to lean on in their times of need and a place to be accepted, religion has become a force of intolerance and exclusivity. Instead of Christians judging not lest they be judge, they're donating their family's nest eggs or their children's college funds to keep gays from getting married. Instead
of 'hurting no one so that no one may hurt you' Muslims are strapping bombs to themselves and blowing up random strangers that happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

It angers me that this happens and saddens me that the rest of us have allowed it to.

I'm sorry if anyone is offended by my disbelief
. Actually, strike that, I'm not. If you're offended by someone else's personal beliefs, which have absolutely no effect on your life, then you need to grow up or go to therapy. My thoughts can't hurt you. Do I picket your church? No. Do I smile and say thank you, when you tell me god loves me or to have a blessed day? Yes. Because I know that your life has been shaped by events and people and tragedies and fears, just like everyone else's, and they have led you to where you are, just as my journey has led me here. I don't think there are many people out there that aren't striving to be better in some little way, and I won't smite someone for doing that in a different way than I do. I also will not apologize for looking for my own peace in my own way.

All right. I'll get off my high horse in a minute. But grandkids, it's important to know what you believe in and surround yourself with people who support you, even if they don't always agree with you. Oh, and bonus points if they can cook.

2 comments:

  1. Well said, and well worth the wait. Brilliant.

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  2. Do I thank you for blessing my baby while we stand in line at Target, as you ask me when his baptism was? Yep.

    Do I lie, and tell you it was in February? Absolutely.

    ReplyDelete