Why God? (doesn't make sense)

Boris--

I'm well aware that many people have lost all use for religion; I would not insult them by implying it was from lack of creativity.

However, religion and its accompaniant zealotry are not going away any time soon; any method which would achieve such an end most likely would cause me to throw my political lot in with the zealots.

Thus I would suggest: Ozzy Osbourne, of rock and roll fame, once said that the great thing about the United States is that "you have the right to be offended." As with one idea, so with another. Any given song differs from any given prayer only in that someone, somewhere, believes God is hearing them. Sure, it's nice to raise a toast to "Mr. Crowley" or "Crazy Train", but I'm quite sure that if Randy Rhoades is on a cloud somewhere looking down, it matters not whether I think his solos shred.

So a song offends someone. They object. Good, that's their right. It's even their right to try to make dumb laws--that's where, in the US, the Constitution comes in handy. It's stupid-proofing for social policy.

Now, if someone's religion offends me, that's fine. I object, that's great. But what then? My loud music, their loud religion.

So where does that leave me? I can't avoid people of the "religious persuasion". Elsewise I would live in a cabin in the mountains of Montana, growing more and more insane while mailing bombs and hate across the nation .... Anyway, I generally let it slide by me, make a note to myself and my intimate friends when something goes awry in the religious belt: book bannings, racist murders, hypocritical scandals, &c.

But when it comes to individuals, there is a hard choice to make: should I engage this person's ideas or just walk away. I spend a lot of time walking away. But when they overstep their godly bounds, well, then I can let them hear it.

I think the problem with any given religion is the people who follow it. I can say that for any governmental, economic, or other theoretic system.

Don't hold any well-intended idea responsible for the people who fail it. Otherwise good ideas will be worth a halfpenny, including tax. Right now, at least, they're a dime a dozen.

thx,
Tiassa


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"Let us not launch the boat until the ground is wet." (Khaavren of Castlerock)

 

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Tiassa,

You are right of course; human nature will not change merely due to presense or absense of religion. However, it's the things "going awry" that bother me. Personally, I believe we can fight over things much more meaningful than the 'dilemma' of whether a single-celled fertilized embryo constitutes human life, or whether teaching evolution is blasphemy.

I also happen to be of the persuasion that in the modern times the technologically savviest survive. It annoys me that this country has such a mind-boggling bias against science and technology, deterring the majority of the population from assuring our competitiveness in the future. But what irks me most is that so many people dismiss out of hand anything that contradicts their religion, rather than first examining all sides and then making an informed choice. We have people fighting out of religious trenches against anything that challenges their mindset, blithely dismissing actual empirical evidence and ignoring any and all achievements and advances in scientific knowledge that they can get away with ignoring. I have nothing against the freedom of religion, or for that matter against the freedom of opinion, choice or thought. However, I have doubts about the real freedom of those who cannot even imagine a universe without God. They may be in a cage of their own making, but it's a cage nevertheless, and I can't just walk by without at least trying to set them free. After all, my future is as much determined by them as it is by me -- so it is in my own interest to try and sway them to my own side.

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I am; therefore I think.

[This message has been edited by Boris (edited September 20, 1999).]

 

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Boris--

I agree wholeheartedly. But the problem is the people. The gift of any given philosophy is there for the taking. I do think it's quite the shame that such a gift so often goes untaken. Apparently, Christians worldwide prefer the Catholics and Protestants duking it out in the streets of Belfast compared to peace the various churches advertise. And Muslims worldwide would rather squabble over thirteen-hundred year old bloodlines. All of this, mind you, because it's none of anybody's business. Apathy is the greatest tool of any church. They've got plenty of answers, but they'd rather you didn't ask.

Tiassa

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"Let us not launch the boat until the ground is wet." (Khaavren of Castlerock)

 

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Lori,

Mind control? Like in Exodus 14:17? Kidnapping? Like in 2 Kings 2:12? Rape? Like in Isaiah 13:16? Unauthorized medical experiments (I assume you mean unauthorized by the victim, since the experiments must be authorized by someone)? Like in Job 2:7? Impregnating women? Like in Luke 1:35? Stealing babies? What about killing babies? Like in Exodus 13:15?

 

Searcher,

YES!!!!!! Just like that. Thank God someone else sees what I see.

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God loves you and so do I!

 

Amen, Lori!

I am amazed at how few people see what's right there in front of them, in black and white!