Issues Under Fire: Has God Gone Mad, or Is It Just Me?

 

Issues Under Fire: Has God Gone Mad, or Is It Just Me?

How do people of reason, atheists, and agnostics, coexist in a world with religious fanatics, zealots and those driven by blind faith? What are those among the former, to which I belong, to do when the world's religions go to war against one another? The degree of hate and violence among those who claim to serve a God is escalating to unprecedented levels and there seems to be nothing that can be done to stem the tide. Rational minds cannot reach the faithful, because they are committed to converting us. Somehow, the religious believe those who haven't come to accept God on their terms are lost and will burn in Hell forever. Somehow, the religious blame the "Godless" for all the world's troubles. The fact that they can't see the blood on their hands is a mystery to me. Please, allow me to explain.

Whether it's Judaism, Christianity or Islam, all of these religions appear to sanction unmitigated violence to settle their differences. God's chosen people are allowed to kill and maim thousands every year while imprisoning millions who've committed no crimes other than being devoted to another faith with impunity. Allah apparently permits the beheading of infidels, knifing strangers on the streets and carrying out suicide attacks against innocents who've nothing wrong but take the wrong bus, train or route to work on any given day. And Christians, although given a choice to forgive and turn the other cheek,  almost always choose an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. Perhaps that's why America, founded on Judeo-Christian principles, is nuclear armed and has more guns than any other nation on earth. The hypocrisy would be laughable were it not so sacrilegious.

While the religious propagandize their faith's strict adherence to peace and love and accuse extremists of bastardizing their beliefs, in this observer's view, they've all had centuries, if not thousands of years, to reel the extremists in or disown, disavow and ostracize them. The religious have failed miserably in creating sufficient separation from the maniacs amongst their ranks. Perhaps, it's because the world's Holy books are so filled with symbolism, allegories and blatant contradictions anyone can see what they want to see. These Holy books have been left so wide open to interpretation, anyone can twist fables into facts and myths into verity. Perhaps it's as simple as the old adage of one man's treasure is another man's treasure. Either way, the reasonable and rational are justifiably horrified of the religious.

At the risk of being called the anti-Christ, I am prepared to stand by my assessment of religion as being the most divisive concept ever to infect the human psyche. From my perspective, religion is like a drug. Once consumed, it can become as addictive as crack cocaine, heroin or nicotine. Unfortunately, unlike a drug, religion is generally given to people by their loving parents. Many are indoctrinated before they are old enough to make decisions for themselves. Jews and Christians are circumcised and baptized before they have any say in the matter. Young boys of the Islamic faith are encouraged if not forced to spend hours every day memorizing the Holy Quran. Many of these children are given a path to follow in life before they're even old enough to take their first steps. And, it takes a very strong mind to go against the will of one's parents. Depending on the family, the consequences can be quite severe.

Religion is intolerant of choice and change. You either commit, convert or be condemned. Even if one decides to follow another version of the same faith, they can be labeled a heretic and suffer the harsh retribution of the fiercely devout. Religion leaves little if any room for dissent or even discussion. One can not challenge the word of God. History has proven, to do so can cost one his or her life. In the name of God, people have been tortured, dismembered and burned at the stake for not following God's word to the letter. To this very day, people in spaces around the world are being executed in the worst ways for crimes of blasphemy. And those who will commit such acts of vicious violence will do so with God's compassionate blessings. 

Bottom line: While I'm well aware many within the religious community will be convinced this post was satanically inspired, I feel compelled to remind them that this week, Israel will celebrate the United States opening its embassy in Jerusalem, the world's so-called Holiest space on the planet. And in doing so, there will be blood spilled and a lot of it. Rubber bullets, tear gas, live ammunition, and mass arrests will blaze across the headlines. Well-armed security forces have been given orders to shoot to kill anyone presenting the slightest threat to disrupt the event. Protest in any form will not be tolerated. And if that's not enough to sicken one's stomach, consider this - Donald Trump invited an Evangelical pastor to pray at the ceremony who's called Islam evil, Mormonism a cult and get this, all Jews are going to Hell. So I ask you, what's a man of reason to believe? Sorry, no podcast again today. Perhaps tomorrow. God Willing of course!