I got told the other day that I’m going to go to hell because I don’t completely believe in God. Now, does anybody see what’s wrong with that statement? If not, I’m going to tell you exactly what it is: it’s the fact that since no one has been to hell and back, no one can logically tell me that I’m going to go there for any reason! I can see where that belief would come from, and I respect the fact that this person thinks I’m going to end up in damnation for eternity, if there is such a thing, but it’s my belief that this kind of thing is just one of the many things wrong with religion today.

The Catholic Church started back in the 16th Century, and from the beginning it’s done many things wrong. At least in my perspective they have. In the views of many people around the world, the Catholic Church is the best thing invented next to sliced bread. The thing that I want to touch on here is something that I think a lot of people would consider wrong, and that is the fact that back in the 16th century and for many, MANY years, a person would be arrested and outlawed from the land if excommunicated from the church. Now, for those that don’t know what excommunicated means; it means you were kicked out, banished, dropped. It almost happened to Martin Luther, the founder of the Lutheran Church.

You see, when Luther saw that the Catholic Church was somehow wrong, he decided to speak against it. He believed in God, he believed in Jesus, but he didn’t agree with how the Catholic Church did things. When Luther started to speak out to the people, and give sermons, and speeches, he was threatened by the Catholic Church to stop. When that didn’t work, they used the power that they had at the time and charged him with going against the word of God, and the Church, and brought him to trial.

The Church asked him to recant all that he had said against them and Luther’s reply was simply this, “Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason-- I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other-- my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me.” He was found guilty and had himself kidnapped, and brought to safety, because he was in fear of him life. Is that right? I don’t think so! Since when is speaking one’s mind a crime??? Can anybody tell me that? NOPE! You know that it’s not right, but do people just go to church? Yup! Do people still pray to a god that would allow such a thing to happen? Yup! You know, another organization comes to mind that punished people for speaking against them. They called themselves the Nazi Party! God, Hitler, what’s the difference!?

Hitler massacred millions, but if it’s true that “God” controls what happens here on Earth, then God has let billions die that didn’t need to over the course of thousands of years. I can see where people would disagree with me, but I really don’t see how they could. God brought life and beauty to Earth and is pure love, and that’s why it’s not his fault that the plague killed millions of people. It’s not his fault that war breaks out and kills even more. It’s not his fault that AIDS and cancer kill people that never should have had such a thing happen to them. Nope, not his fault, he’s not to blame. Does anybody see something wrong with that??

He Supposedly loves “his children” and then people who help the homeless, donate to charities, help old people across the street, and spends time with the mentally challenged, die without reason or cause. Christians would say that people choose their own actions, and then turn around and say that god is always with them helping them. Helping me do what? Sending myself to my death? That’s wrong, but no one will see it. And if they do and speak out, they aren’t Christian anymore and they are going to go to hell for it. Does that seem WRONG to anyone else besides me?

I received a forwarded e-mail from my father last night that involved the topic of violence and God. I read it once through and wrote him a response back saying I didn’t want him to send me anymore e-mail that dealt with religion. Now, usually I read them, get a little mad by what they say, and go about my business, but this time, I was so offended and upset by what I read that I couldn’t take it anymore.

The e-mail was short and basically to the point and consisted of a person writing a letter to god in regards to the little girl that was shot by her classmate. It read as follows: “A letter sent to god asks; Why Lord, did you not help the little 6 year old girl who was shot at school? Why must you let things like this happen? She did not deserve to die so young, so violent. I thought we were supposed to count on you in times of need. Where were you when all this was happening?”

Now, that’s not a bad letter. I was kind of wondering the same thing myself. That letter was not the end of the e-mail though and that’s not what offended and upset me. The e-mail also consisted of a response from “God” and that’s what got me. It read as follows: “God replied, I was in the same place as when I watched my son die, on my throne, in charge. As for the little girl, you must remember, I'm not allowed in schools.”

Just reading this now makes me want to yell and scream at the top of my lung all the curses in the book and then I may make some up just for good measure! Now, obviously “god”, if he’s really out there, never actually wrote that response, but whoever did is obviously is one sick and twisted individual! The person probably considers himself, or herself, a devote Christian and just writing the response as he/she figured “God” would have.

I think it’s just a complete crock of CRAP! What the response from “god” is saying is that he didn’t help that little girl because religion isn’t allowed at schools! Does anybody see anything WRONG with that? If they don’t, and there’re going to try and argue with me that if religion was taught in schools the incident with the little girl never would have happened, then I’m going to start getting violent myself! Religious are different for everyone. It’s MY belief that if religion was taught in school, there would be MORE violence! Instead of killing someone because they’re mad, little children would probably get the idea that if someone didn’t believe in “God” then they don’t matter and therefore it’s OK to do whatever you want to them! Now, obviously I have no proof to back that statement up, and it’s very easy to debate with me about it, but quite frankly, I think I would rather be wrong then right! All in all, that letter was WRONG!

I don’t think that I’ve changed anyone’s mind by what I have written here. That was never my purpose. It’s my belief that people need to have free thinking and if that’s the way you want to think, then by all means, think that way. I’m just hoping that whoever may read this may see where I’m coming from and maybe start to think about what they’re believing in. That’s when I would have succeeded in what I’m trying to accomplish. True revelation comes from just a tiny thought. The whole point I think I’m trying to make was already said by Gov. Jesse Ventura during a Playboy interview. He said, “Organized religion is just a crutch for weak minded people who think there is power in numbers”.