The first thing i should say here that i believe in God, with all of my heart - however for too long now i have seen religion used as a leverage to get people to do what other people want. I've been frustrated for many years now, and this web site is my way of airing my viewpoint.
Im not here to try judge anyone - but im going to say how i feel. If you disagree, great! tell me why and i'll discuss it with you. I'm human - i certainly don't know all the answers to life, im willing to learn, and i could be wrong.
So what's my problem with the other religions.
I guess it seems a little prosaic to state that religions are being used as leverage, i mean they have been since man first thought of God's, etc. but it happens so often now that we just don't give it another thought, except when major events, like the 9/11 attack happens.
I have traveled around the world allot and i can tell you one thing with absolute certainty - religious people are the most judgmental!
Why is this? and why are they wrong?
Ok let's start at the beginning.
We're human beings - we are all different - we have different like's, and dislikes, we have different feelings, different wants, needs, etc. etc.
We also interpret things differently too.
And this is the key point - everyone who sits down and reads the bible will interpret it in a different way. It will of course vary from person to person - some people will have almost the exact same take on the text, and others will differ greatly from it.
This is why religious text documents - wherever they come from or whatever they say, can be very dangerous.
Throughout history the bible, the Koran, and every religious document has been used to say to people "this is how you should live you're life and if you don't you'll be dammed". In some cases like the Spanish Inquisition it was used to torture and murder people.
When you look at history you wonder how people can be this way, but don't be fooled in to thinking its very different now. Jonestown, Waco, Heavens Gate - all cults that used religion to violent ends.
Now we condemn these people but who amongst us, who have read the bible and are religious, can truly say in our hearts that we haven't said to someone at some time "i think you should do this because this is what the bible says"???
Ok it's not on the same scale obviously, and the intentions may have been good - but in reality its not that far removed.
You have picked up the bible and read it - interpreted it in your own way and then told someone else how to live their life.
THIS IS WRONG!!!!!
The bible or any other holy document shouldn't be meant for this purpose. It's purpose is to lead people to enlightenment, by showing the individual who reads it how to live in the path of that particular god.
Ok, what's the difference???
The difference is that when you tell someone how to live their lives according to the bible, you are actually telling them what YOU think they should do based on you're interpretation. What i believe the correct path here to take is to say to people "i recommend you go and read the bible and see for yourself"
People have to find god in their own way - you cannot force people to do it, and even if you could it wouldn't be right.
Two people - both give to a charity. One wants to give, the other doesn't really want to but feels he should because of guilt. Ok the charity benefits and it helps people, but only one of the people made a real gesture here.
It's the same with religion. If someone follows a path because others do, or because he's been told to it's not really an act of faith or belief is it??
All you can really do is to hope that if that person goes and reads the bible, or the koran, etc. that they will find the path to enlightenment.
So to recap - don't tell people how to live their lives - that's gods job, and he will find a way of telling them this through the reading of the religious documents.
Gods greatest gift to us is the gift of freedom of choice. Animals don't really have that freedom - they are driven mostly by instinct. We on the other hand (although i concede are still driven by instinct in some respects) do.
Don't take away that gift - don't take away a persons right to choose but telling them they must follow a certain path. If you do you are not only taking away that persons right to choose, but also taking away who they really are.
Im not saying you have to turn you're back on people. You can give advice - say "well if it was me then my beliefs would lead me to take this course of action", or "i suggest reading the bible/koran, etc. because im sure you will find the answers you seek there".
While waiting for my girlfriend outside in the car outside our local store a man tapped on the window. He was about sixty and looked like he had seen better days, - clearly he liked the drink! He asked if i could take him home, and although i don't usually pick up strangers i decided that as it was just around the corner i would.
He got in and we started off. He looked at me and said "thank you for doing this - people in this town usually steer away from me because i drink. Im the town disgrace so to speak". I felt a little bad as my first thought had also been to say no to his request of a lift, and that feeling didn't diminish when he told me about his fighting in the second world war. This man had put his life on line for all of us. He had seen horrors that we cant even begin to imagine.
Now at sixty he wanted to drink. He wasn't violent when he did, and he wasn't a menace or a problem - so the question i asked myself and you is "why was he treated so badly by the town??"
Now when i tell you that this town is devoutly religious the answer unfortunately becomes more clear.
As i mentioned earlier i have traveled extensively, and the one thing i have noticed is that religious areas are ten times more judgmental than non religious areas.
it is a sad fact that so many men and women that have "found" religion, are without doubt the most intrusive and arrogant.
In my experience the people that say they are religious, usually aren't.
If they were then they wouldn't fly against the teachings of what they have read.
"Judge not others lest you be judged" - ring a bell (im sure i read that somewhere....)
Throughout the bible it tells us not to sit in judgment - don't worry about what others are doing - worry about what YOU are doing.
Now in reality religion is not a bad thing - i know it might seem that this is what im saying but it isn't. Religion can be a wonderful thing. It can unite people, and save people. It can feed the starving and shelter the homeless.
"The key to any religions failure is when it's believers stop questioning the words they are taught"
We as a race have a downfall - as a group we are mostly sheep. Individually we are smart, as a group we are less so.
I was just following the others - everyone was doing it - i wasn't strong enough to go against the flow.
All phrases we are very familiar with...
This was brought home to me when Princess Diana died. Now don't get me wrong, i certainly didn't want to see her die. She seemed like a nice enough person, but i never met her so i didn't really know her.
The week before she died she was in the newspapers, and being slammed for her one on one interview. People in the streets were criticizing her left and right, calling her all sorts of crappy things.
Then she died and everything changed. The media got hold of it and turned it in to a frenzy. The same people that had been slandering her suddenly turned around and were balling and crying in the streets.
Frankly it got out of control - way out of control. And why - because everyone was swept away by the person next to them. The sheep effect kicked in and everyone started to follow the person next to them.
Again i stress im not anti Diana - but to see people say they didn't cry at their relatives funeral, but did then was just unbelievable.
Now the point im making here is that people are sheep when it comes to religion - and that's a huge problem.
I've already mentioned Heavens Gate and Jonestown - two examples of people following people. But im telling you it happens all the time in daily life as well.
I went to a church the other day and there was the preacher telling a story about from the bible. So far so good i thought, very interesting, everyone around nodding and making noises of agreement.
Then he said "and if you have done bad things in you're life and don't recognize them then you don't really believe in God".
Everyone nodding.......
Wait a moment! what's this all about??? I've done bad things, im not perfect but i do believe in God. It's also possible that i've done something wrong and not known about it - it still doesn't mean i don't believe.
And so it went on - more and more away from the bible and more and more about what he believed everyone should do.
The problem though wasn't so much that i thought he was wrong - he may have been right for all i know . The problem was that no-one else questioned it.
They all sat there and just took in every word without a thought.
Now i don't suppose that if he had gotten up and said "go kill half a million Jews" that they would have done it - but Hitler didn't say that either. However he did manipulate people in to doing it through preaching to them.
And their defense was - "i was following orders"
Heavens Gate - "followed orders"
Jonestown "followed orders"
Living you're life because of what a MAN or WOMAN says to you - "following orders"
Not orders from God - his message to you is within the pages of religious documents - and talking to you through you're heart. Orders from a person that says "ive been chosen by God to tell you what to do".
Now im not against churches, or any other religious buildings - they are a great place to pray and be close to god. Im not even saying don't listen to these people - Do listen to these people because sometimes they say wonderful things, and can help people in many ways.
What im saying is don't just take it all for Gospel (pun intended!). Think hard about what these people are saying to you. If the Pope says jump off a cliff you wouldn't do it would you??? I think you'd be suprised at how many would!
If someone tells you the best way to get someone to follow your religious beliefs is by flying a plane in to a building - think about it!!
"Don't follow the flock, follow the shepherd"
One last thought i would like to leave you with.
We all find the concept of World Peace somewhat overwhelming - the idea is almost a joke. But ask yourself - in order to obtain world peace what would we have to do?
The answer is:
"To love the person next to me and never do them harm" when you think about it, it seems so very easy.....
