In my ample time to think about life, at times externally...much to the chagrin of those around me, I have unabashedly declared that I do not like religion. I think it is awful and has done horrible things to this world and those who are ensnared in it. To those who may be praying for "my salvation" at this minute let me clarify, I do not like organized religion. I do not like the hierarchical, power chasing, dehumanizing, controlling role which church has created for itself in this world.
The church has the power to do good. But for some unknown reason, ahem...power and politics, the MAJORITY of the church does not seem to be living or acting in a life that well one might expect. This is not every church, I have ran across some churches and communities who really do seem to care about those who are in need.
I do not like organized religion because it places emphasis on doctrine, purity, and the theological correctness of minute details which I hope, honestly, that God does not care about. REALLY, do you actually think that God cares about whether you dunk or sprinkle your child during baptism. Maybe, just maybe, God is, I hope, trying to put this broken world back together again. This leads me to my original point....thank you tangential mind and subversive fingers.
Anyways, I believe that there is ONE God, that there are different ways to get to God, and those might be set along the different cultural, language, and societal norms which already divide society. If I may use the rhetoric of the evangelical church, God knows all things, She is in control, He is powerful, omniscient....etc. Well, if God is all of these things then why would it be impossible for there to be more than one path to God. If Christ died for us all, why does that suddenly not include half of the world? Additionally, there are so many truths within other religions that we fail to see just because they are Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, or even Atheist.
Islamic theological tradition teaches that the Jews and Christians are people of the book, Christianity is predicated upon Judaism and still relies heavily on its values. However, taking each religion in its historical, cultural understanding....how different are they really? and why does it matter? Why can we live and let live, love and let love. Does the person next to you, or the person across the world, do their beliefs really affect you?
Now, I am not talking about the insanity of terrorism or Islamic extremism, or the KKK, or the growing idiocy of the Christian right (because these things can have a direct and incredibly painful effect on our lives) I am referring in a macrocosmic perspective....
Would it be crazy for me to suggest that there is one substance in a bar, and it represents Allah, Yahweh, and God. I dont think so... for the cry for peace that I am earnestly seeking, it is a beautiful picture.
I agree in regards to organized religion focusing on minute details about the overall picture. It bothers me that there are numerous religious groups more concerned about your sexual orientation then taking time to stop and listen to you. If God truly created human existence, would God really create one idealistic model that needed to be followed to a T? Many of the most influential people of the world do not claim religion as there main platform but rather focus on a humanitarian background by plain and simply helping people out. However, that brings about the question of how does religion change what humans naturally believe is right or wrong?
ReplyDeleteHowever, I ask you to stop and listen. Even to the people with the most radical ideas that consist of no logical reasoning. yes i know this is pretty challenging. But how are you suppose to love someone without knowing what they believe? There are many people in this life that you will disagree with, especially on a spiritual level. Instead of having a the mindset of how will I convert them, which in no way you do just and example, have the mindset to stop and listen. Education is power and the more you know, within reason of course, the better one can make logical decisions.