#26
Posted: 9/24/04 at 3:43pm
"Religion is for the willfully ignorant."
In this day and age, it is normal, I suspect, for well-educated people to come to that conclusion. The things that are done today in the name of God or Allah are despicable. And it never ceases to amaze me how so many "high-and-mighty" Christians can judge others so effortlessly, while refusing to examine themselves and the numerous sins that they commit everyday. Religion has become an enterprise, and a certain form of propaganda. It has become a contest. "I worship Allah, so all Christians and Jews are going to hell." Or "I am Christian, and I think all Muslims are dirty liars." It disgusts me what religion is nowadays, and in reality ALWAYS has been. I mean, if you look back in the Middle Ages during the Hundred Year's War and the Babylonian Captivity. There were FOUR Popes in different locations all struggling for power. Religion has been forever a contest and a way of gaining what you want.
That said, I must say that I consider there to be a HUGE difference between that kind of "go to church every Sunday or you're going to Hell" religion and spiritual religion. I consider myself a Christian, but my views on Christainty would cause Jerry Falwell to condemn me to hell. (After all, he *does* have the power to do that ) I do not in the slightest believe that one needs to accept Christ into their heart to go to heaven. That is absurd. Why would a loving God condemn someone to Hell simply because they were born into a non-Christian faith?
I believe that the essence of one going to Heaven is just one who leads a good life and is kind to others. Spirtuality is more important than religion. Spirtuality is, I feel, your own personal relationship with God, and how you act when you know that you will reap no rewards for your actions. Religion is, in my own very loose terms, your relationship with God as you want it to be percieved by others, and how you act when you know, or think, you *will* reap benefits.
I stuggled with my faith for a while. I didn't see how people with whom I shared the base of my faith could be so bigoted and cruel. Perhaps the greatest asset to me finding my own views on religion/spirituality was reading C.S. Lewis' MERE CHRISTAINITY, and it helped me a great deal.
And I apoligize if that sounded preachy or was too long. i just realized the length of it.
EDIT: After I posted this, I read what sunfish said, which basically what my whole post said, but in one sentence and more efficiently.
In this day and age, it is normal, I suspect, for well-educated people to come to that conclusion. The things that are done today in the name of God or Allah are despicable. And it never ceases to amaze me how so many "high-and-mighty" Christians can judge others so effortlessly, while refusing to examine themselves and the numerous sins that they commit everyday. Religion has become an enterprise, and a certain form of propaganda. It has become a contest. "I worship Allah, so all Christians and Jews are going to hell." Or "I am Christian, and I think all Muslims are dirty liars." It disgusts me what religion is nowadays, and in reality ALWAYS has been. I mean, if you look back in the Middle Ages during the Hundred Year's War and the Babylonian Captivity. There were FOUR Popes in different locations all struggling for power. Religion has been forever a contest and a way of gaining what you want.
That said, I must say that I consider there to be a HUGE difference between that kind of "go to church every Sunday or you're going to Hell" religion and spiritual religion. I consider myself a Christian, but my views on Christainty would cause Jerry Falwell to condemn me to hell. (After all, he *does* have the power to do that ) I do not in the slightest believe that one needs to accept Christ into their heart to go to heaven. That is absurd. Why would a loving God condemn someone to Hell simply because they were born into a non-Christian faith?
I believe that the essence of one going to Heaven is just one who leads a good life and is kind to others. Spirtuality is more important than religion. Spirtuality is, I feel, your own personal relationship with God, and how you act when you know that you will reap no rewards for your actions. Religion is, in my own very loose terms, your relationship with God as you want it to be percieved by others, and how you act when you know, or think, you *will* reap benefits.
I stuggled with my faith for a while. I didn't see how people with whom I shared the base of my faith could be so bigoted and cruel. Perhaps the greatest asset to me finding my own views on religion/spirituality was reading C.S. Lewis' MERE CHRISTAINITY, and it helped me a great deal.
And I apoligize if that sounded preachy or was too long. i just realized the length of it.
EDIT: After I posted this, I read what sunfish said, which basically what my whole post said, but in one sentence and more efficiently.
"One no longer loves one's insight enough once one communicates it."
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
Updated On: 9/24/04 at 03:43 PM
Thank you for a beautiful piece. And from what I have seen, you are "walkin' the talk".
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