Posted on another forum to another inquisitive mind. Minor mods, as usual. Also, don't worry about stuff that's out of context. The major points still apply and they are reasons for posting this here.
--Wag--
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Religion. Whew. I think I could write a book on the subject. I was born and raised in one of the more pervasive religious cults ever: Mormonism. It isn't the worst but it's pretty bad, generally speaking. But it's given me an immense amount of subject matter with which to write books on the subject! You name it: Brainwashing, intimidation, fear, guilt, fallacy; the works. Now I just need to get to writing it!
One of my friends quipped one time, "The reason we know god is a creation of men is because he hates all the same people we do." Makes ya stop and think. Why DO people claim that god told them to wipe someone out?
Marx hit the nail on the head when he said, "Religion is the opiate of the masses." I personally believe religion is about control. It's easy to keep people suppressed when they believe that no matter how rotten this life could ever get, the next life will see everything all fixed up. Ostensibly, the bad guys will get the punishment they deserve and the good guys will get the rewards and the riches of an all-powerful god, said rewards and punishments to last FOREVER! Sadly, such ingrained belief causes people to lose hope and enjoyment for this life and keeps them from becoming all they can be. Keeps them from thinking about possibilities.
The usual exceptions apply. I don't believe for a microsecond that my general comments above are globally applicable to all individuals. I'll get to that below.
I've come to believe that in many cases, religion causes more problems than it solves. T. alluded to the idea that you either believe or you don't. You can't make yourself believe. If you, as an individual, are incompatible to religious belief, you'll be miserable and vice-versa. For many years, I was one of the ones who WANTED to believe and TRIED really really hard to believe and ended up realizing that regardless of anything I said or did, I simply had never believed. Did I give up hope? Not really. I merely refocused my life and attention on things which were and are much more productive to my own well-being and overall enjoyment of life. Hope was restored and refreshed.
It's unfortunate that feverish religious nutballs, though a minority, make the most racket and therefore bring the judgment of others on the whole group, simply by association. I believe, though I could be wrong, that the majority of Christians, Catholics, Muslims, etc. etc. are inherently good-hearted and intend no harm or ill-will to others. It's the charismatic fruitcakes who bring a bad image to the whole of their specific religions. Every time I encounter one of these types of believers, I have to laugh because despite their professions of love for me, it is comically apparent that such is not the intent of their hearts. Ironically, it's sad at the same time. The "rightness" of any of their additional commentary becomes suspect at that point.
What is it about human nature which compels us to always want to be "right?" Sometimes even at the expense of ours and others' well-being.
Yesterday, I read about the death of S. back in December. It is a prime example of people being capable of many great and wonderful things. I was deeply touched when I read some of those accounts and my heart goes out to the friends and family of a wonderful man I will never know. The people on this board do fantastic things for and with each other. I have greater faith in human nature because of that series of threads and I love the idea that people have this power within them. But you see examples of this kind of benevolence on a regular basis. Enough to make life worth living.
I'm continually impressed with other people's ability to do good things for each other but are those good things inspired by religion? I don't believe so, not because religion CAN'T inspire good things but that there is no causal relationship between doing good things and having religion in your life. There are too many various people with differing beliefs all doing good things for and with each other for me to believe that religion is the key motivator of it. Granted, if religion inspires some people to do well, to clean up their lives, to take more happines home with them every day, more power to those religious experiences. There are equal examples, however, of people doing evil things because of religion and no religion is excepted of this, past, present or future. Bottom line is, I think people are what they are. They will continue to be as such regardless of any external influence.
I've seen religious zealots pray with destitute families when what that family needed was groceries on the table. That is not Christian, nor is it faithful, nor is it a show of true Christian belief. On the other hand, I've seen people who were given the sustenance they needed to carry them through rough times without another word spoken. You can imagine which of the two types of experiences was the more religious to observe. At the end of the day, it made no difference whatsoever what religion anyone believed in.
Recently a motorcylist told of being confronted mid-morning by a fellow employee about the fact that the biker was splitting lanes in traffic and had been seen by the workmate as the biker passed by. The fellow employee said, "If I weren't a Christian, I would have opened my door on you as you went by." Sounds like the kind of Christian who professes to be one thing but in their heart of hearts, is something else entirely. Living such a double-life can only cause misery. This particular individual is a murderer at heart and while it's good that her "Christianity" stopped her from an evil deed, still, it changes not at all what she is. Her particular brand of "Christianity" has changed her behavior but has not changed what she is.
It's one of the primary reasons I no longer attempt to change people's beliefs as I once did. It's not good for people to be shoehorned into a space for which they are not suited. Farbeit from me to be the cause of that kind of suffering any longer.
Sometimes, the religious organization is faulty, other times, the person is faulty, sometimes, it's a combination of both. It's important to be able to judge which is the case in any individual contact we make before we react as much as, or more so, than the imbecile we seem to despise.
T., you're probably one of the more rational Christians I've ever encountered, 'specially on line. It'd be a pleasure to trade conceptual beliefs with you some day, given the opportunity to do so. You're relatively near so maybe that's more probable than not! I agree that slamming people for idiocy is appropriate but slamming them for their religion and hiding behind the defense that religion itself is idiocy is out of line. Granted, I've met plenty of religious idiots but I've encountered far more who are rational and thoughtful and deserving of great respect. You seem to be one of those and I suspect there are many others on this board of similar nature.
Life changed for me when I kicked religion to the curb. My marriage improved a thousand percent, my feelings of self-worth increased, my fears and guilt were washed away and I was reborn an atheist without regret and except for early on in that process of exiting Mormonism, I have never looked back. This is one guy who would remain an atheist, even in the proverbial foxhole.
I'm in agreement that we can all live together and all believe as we please and no harm no foul, insofar as unpleasantries are dispensed and we see each other as valuable people in any way possible.
We need each other, every one of us.
--Wag--
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