Religion
So yeah, spending a week on your own, with nothing to do besides surf the net and prepare an apartment for moving out, you spend far too much time thinking....Anyways.
Recently, I had a discussion about religion and at the time didn't manage to quite express what I was trying to say. It wasn't because I didn't know what I wanted to say, but more that I have too many conflicting view points on the subject.
I dislike 99% of organized religion. Why? Because people in power use religion as a tool to control others to do their purpose. Whether it be for war (which it most often is), or simply to keep the people in their "place". Religion began long before the common people could read or write. When the Bible could finally be written, it was in a language that the poor could not understand.
The church was lead by aristocrats and select others. To be a church leader, you were typically a third or fourth son of a noble family (First born to take the family estate, Second born for war). The congregation often could not even understand the service as it was held in Latin. In this way, the aristocrats maintained their place in society as those born unto God, and the peasants must worship and support them to show they supported God. This was keeping people in their place.
War? There are two very good examples of this, the Middle East throughout most of history, and Hitler. Hitler believed in the same God as other Christians, and to quote him "Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord." He believed exterminating an entire group of people for his religion was right and just, and his resolve in this belief swayed millions to follow him not once, but twice.
Even now America is at war and religion is being laced throughout it, but while that subject would be appropriate to discuss, it is more controversial than I feel like getting into at this time. My viewpoints on this subject are very passionate.
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What irks me about religion. In most religions, people preach a need to accept others for who they are and to give them freedom to believe in their beliefs, Christians are one of the biggest supporters of this notion. When you can find a church that is sincere in this belief, it is a beautiful thing. Unfortunately, the general idea is that its ok to accept others, so long as they believe what you believe. This pisses me off. If Sara and Jane or Tom and Joe love each other, who cares what they do as a result. It is only for God to decide. As a good Christian, they should be accepted and treated as people too, and even respected. It takes a lot of courage to open up to the world in that way, and for people to take shots against them because of their sincerity and truthfulness to themselves is wrong. Most other controversial subjects can fall into this same category.
Abortion is very common for Christians to choose one stance or the other, but to be fair, who can ever say they are really in the right? If God is to be the one to make judgments, all others should step aside. Allow women the option to choose a safe, clinical abortion. If you disagree with it, simply don't have an abortion. If you feel it is your only choice, make your decision and live with it. But do not judge others for what they feel is the path they must walk.
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Personally, I believe in God. Occasionally, I go to church, and I am really happy when I find one that I can agree with for the most part. When that is not possible, I simply choose to talk to God on my own terms, in my own way, and know that he is listening and is there for me. I try my hardest to be understanding of other people, and to not cause conflict where none is needed. I hate seeing others in pain and if there is something I can do to help them, I try. Rather than try to pray futilely for world peace, I pray for understanding. That others can understand their neighbor, even if they do not fully agree with them, and vice versa. With understanding will come peace, and with peace, perhaps hope for a brighter future for younger generations.
Recently, I had a discussion about religion and at the time didn't manage to quite express what I was trying to say. It wasn't because I didn't know what I wanted to say, but more that I have too many conflicting view points on the subject.
I dislike 99% of organized religion. Why? Because people in power use religion as a tool to control others to do their purpose. Whether it be for war (which it most often is), or simply to keep the people in their "place". Religion began long before the common people could read or write. When the Bible could finally be written, it was in a language that the poor could not understand.
The church was lead by aristocrats and select others. To be a church leader, you were typically a third or fourth son of a noble family (First born to take the family estate, Second born for war). The congregation often could not even understand the service as it was held in Latin. In this way, the aristocrats maintained their place in society as those born unto God, and the peasants must worship and support them to show they supported God. This was keeping people in their place.
War? There are two very good examples of this, the Middle East throughout most of history, and Hitler. Hitler believed in the same God as other Christians, and to quote him "Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord." He believed exterminating an entire group of people for his religion was right and just, and his resolve in this belief swayed millions to follow him not once, but twice.
Even now America is at war and religion is being laced throughout it, but while that subject would be appropriate to discuss, it is more controversial than I feel like getting into at this time. My viewpoints on this subject are very passionate.
----
What irks me about religion. In most religions, people preach a need to accept others for who they are and to give them freedom to believe in their beliefs, Christians are one of the biggest supporters of this notion. When you can find a church that is sincere in this belief, it is a beautiful thing. Unfortunately, the general idea is that its ok to accept others, so long as they believe what you believe. This pisses me off. If Sara and Jane or Tom and Joe love each other, who cares what they do as a result. It is only for God to decide. As a good Christian, they should be accepted and treated as people too, and even respected. It takes a lot of courage to open up to the world in that way, and for people to take shots against them because of their sincerity and truthfulness to themselves is wrong. Most other controversial subjects can fall into this same category.
Abortion is very common for Christians to choose one stance or the other, but to be fair, who can ever say they are really in the right? If God is to be the one to make judgments, all others should step aside. Allow women the option to choose a safe, clinical abortion. If you disagree with it, simply don't have an abortion. If you feel it is your only choice, make your decision and live with it. But do not judge others for what they feel is the path they must walk.
----
Personally, I believe in God. Occasionally, I go to church, and I am really happy when I find one that I can agree with for the most part. When that is not possible, I simply choose to talk to God on my own terms, in my own way, and know that he is listening and is there for me. I try my hardest to be understanding of other people, and to not cause conflict where none is needed. I hate seeing others in pain and if there is something I can do to help them, I try. Rather than try to pray futilely for world peace, I pray for understanding. That others can understand their neighbor, even if they do not fully agree with them, and vice versa. With understanding will come peace, and with peace, perhaps hope for a brighter future for younger generations.