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Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Religious

I watched this interview in the wee hours of the morning

I was glad I’d read Matthew chapter 7 before hand…specifically these passages:

13) "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14) But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

17) Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18) A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19) Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20) Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.


While I hate to give press to something like this, I think that people need to realize that this is out there.

For starters, Bill Maher says that he is concerned about the capability of leadership to lead if they believe in a “talking snake.” - reference Adam, Eve and the serpent. Really? We've reduced the fall of man to Satan to "a talking snake?" For all his liberal, open-minded ways, it seems awfully arrogant and condescending. Do people who don't believe in God really think that people who do are somehow stupid for having faith? Well...the Bible does say that God uses the "weak" to lead the "strong" and also that we should have faith like little children. Its just infuriating that somehow I'm relegated to the "idiot" class because I believe that there is a God and that the things in the Bible are true.

He also asserts that anyone who is religious is an extremeist.

Since I don’t think of myself as an extremeist and have not yet marched on Washington, staged a sit-in, blown anyone up or cast them out of my circle of friends due to their personal beliefs, sexual orientation or political affiliation, I thought it a rather broad stroke for religious people.

Also, I think that by definition, atheism – or the belief that there is no god, is by its very nature a “religion” – it is the religion of the self. And it is remarkably close to Religious Science in terms of the self being god or at least god-like.

That said, the definition of extremist apparently covers us ALL – since we all believe passionately in SOMETHING, even if it is only ourselves. And if we are all extremist, then none of us are…because that wouldn’t be “extreme” in any context. You see the circular thought that can happen when you follow this out beyond just the end of his sentence?

But the most disturbing thing about this interview and perhaps the documentary is something that is COMPLETELY true and should be the shame of people of nearly any faith. They interviewed religious leaders who did not know their own religious doctrine – specifically a leader professing to be Christian who did not know the Bible. I shudder to think how many people like that are out there.

Do you identify yourself as a Christian? Why? Do you read the Bible?

I’d venture to say that the majority of people in this country are spoon fed their religion – they don’t read the Bible (or many other texts for that matter), but they go on Sunday and try to be good people. Or they celebrate Christmas and Easter and funerals and weddings...and thus, believe they are Christian. Matthew 7 has some words about this too:

21) "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22) Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23) Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

It’s the same with politics and finances and many many other things. We don’t read. We don’t learn for ourselves. We don’t go seeking truths and important information. Instead we take what they’ve said on the news or in the paper or at the coffee shop and we run with it. We add our own twist, we sift and filter out what we want to use and throw the rest away.

You’re invested in the stock market? What do you know about it? Or do you just trust your broker?

Are you Christian? Or Muslim? Or Buddhist? What do you know from the texts of your religion? Or do you take your preachers word for it?

Are you American? Have you ever read the Constitution? The Bill of Rights? The Ammendments? Can you even name 20 of the 50 states? Do you know what it means to bea an American citizen? Or do you believe what the camps of McCain and Obama tell you about you?

If you believe in something, you should know what you know…and what you don’t know! What you need to learn, where gaps are. Be able to DEFEND your position with more than just passion…because a LOT is at stake! And I bet some might change their position if they knew the truth instead of the propaganda...

You see, MANY larger institutions bank on the assumption that we are bunch of sheep. At some point, don't you have to ask yourself if you are, indeed, a sheep?

Humanistic thinking – which is to say I’m ok, you’re ok, we are all ok – and the high level of tolerance we have as a nation has led us down the wide path. We are so watered down and diluted in terms of knowledge and belief that we often run on pure emotion and nonsensical trivialities. We watch TV dramas and the partisan news and are being led by the nose ring right to destruction.

And to quote my driving instructor – not knowing won’t stand up in court.

So, anyway...give it a listen, and then go find some answers...really look for the truth. Its worth the effort to not be decieved.

Peace, ya’ll!

1 comment:

**** April **** said...

wow... way deep for someone that has slept in a tent last night to rationally be able to thoroughly reply... however. I found this incredibly though provoking and I found myself nodding my head saying "yes" that so many points you've made... and as I sit here scratching my leg wondering if I've got poison ivy. :) lol Peace you!