I have come to the realization...

Kizzume · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:47 pm Post subject: I have come to the realization...

I have come to the realization that, no matter what, I have a bias against organized religion. I had convinced myself of otherwise, but what I had convinced myself of just flat-out isn't true. I am biased against it, and it is really hard for me to look positively at it. I've suggested that it's difficult in the past, but I seemed to be able to show a bit of self-restraint before. Anymore, when I look back at something I posted several days prior, re-read it over and over again, I see a pattern that I really cannot stop. I can't change the way I feel about this, deep down. I resent SO much about my upbringing that was SO based on religion and "not sinning". Shit, I went to a church that taught that to even think something sinful is a sin, and then went to a church where I was molested for a year. Yep, tell a hyperactive kid with adhd that to even think something sinful is a sin--yep, that's a great idea Surprised

I don't like what religious phrases are called anymore because there's really no way to describe a group of people without addressing an even larger group of people--one can't say "Christians" without referencing to-some-degree ALL Christians, even the people who pay no attention to the old testament, and even people who use ONLY Jesus' teachings as their guide. There seem to be no words yet created to describe the people that hide behind their religion or that use religion as a tool of manipulation--not a weapon, but as a tool of manipulation and have truly convinced themselves that they are not doing this. That's the danger, to me, of religion. It allows people to believe and practice in their lives some terrible things while actually believing they're doing the RIGHT thing because it's what their pastor said because it's in the Bible somewhere.

Pat Robertson, for instance, does not view himself as an extremist. Neither does James Dobson. Neither did Jerry Falwell. How many people actually view themselves as extremists? What constitutes extremist? To me, when someone wants to change the laws in ANY way to be geared towards values that ONLY pertain to religious values (like hate/discomfort around/wanting-to-abolish a particular group of people because they're "sinful", or putting a bigger sentence on people for a crime that everyone agrees that is horrible but adding extra weight to it because it goes against THIS or THAT religion, or the whole concept of adultery [illegal sex between consenting adults in private places but OH NO it goes against this religion so it's a crime in some places], the whole idea of marriage to begin with in the sense of making the government bend over backwards supporting a religious rite/ceremony), it is an extremist. And for me, that's PERIOD.

To me, religion has no place in the law, it has no place in science, it has no place in the public school classroom (but should be allowed during recess or lunch if they choose), it has no place in the government at all: there should be no guided morning prayer in the Oval Office (that should be for the church), or in the Pentagon, and there should be no asking people to make an oath on the Bible or the Koran in any governmental position or in a courtroom. "In God We Trust" should be removed from our currency and "Under God" should be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance.

I think we need to be vigilant in making sure that churches that become politically active lose their tax exempt status.

I think we need to allow people to wear whatever religious garb they choose to in their workplace (whether it's a way of dressing or facial hair) and have decorations in their cubicles/work-areas that represent their religions--IF we are to require anti-discrimination policies in workplaces in the first place, but in governmental positions, anti-discrimination policies are an absolute MUST. I want people to be able to have their freedom to have and practice whatever religion they want--but when they're in a governmental position and they're addressing the public, they need to leave their religion out of the way they address the public--they shouldn't be paid with our tax dollars to peddle their religion.

Religion also needs to be removed from the military in the same manner--their work/sleep area, provided they've gotten through basic training, should be able to reflect their beliefs, provided they don't do anything that would still be there after they left, and I don't feel that dress codes for beards or hair length should be able to be enforced unless they equally enforce it on women as well--the beards thing could only be enforced if they're going to be anywhere that having a beard may inhibit their ability to survive on the field--like possibly certain types of gas masks may not be able to seal right if the wearer has a beard, or something like that. The uniform, of course that's a must--they are soldiers, not religious posterboys.

I actually feel really strongly about this. I generally don't talk about it because I would be looked at as being anti-religion, but well, I guess I can't be afraid of that label, because I AM anti-ORGANIZED-religion, and that's usually what religion means to people when they hear it. I think it's stupid and I WISH, key word WISH it wasn't there at all, but I have no right to take it away from people who believe in it, but if there's something that I can do or support that can possibly make each generation of people LESS religious, I'd be happy to oblige, quite happy. Organized religion has destroyed so many lives, and as I don't want it abolished, let me repeat, I don't want it abolished, I just don't think that anything that the government can do to encourages people to be religious is a good thing.

I've been flapping in the wind in the past as far as my direct stance on organized religion in the past, and I think I need to be clear and honest to myself and to others about this. I do NOT like organized religion, but I feel that it is VERY important to preserve people's freedom to practice whatever belief they want as long as it doesn't trounce the rights of others, and as long as it isn't a government official dictating their religious beliefs into law or injecting religion into their public speeches.