Oh I’m hard on the Christians. Actually I’m just hard on the ones that think they are Christians. They think I give them hell. To paraphrase Harry Truman. “I don’t give them hell. I just give them facts and they think its hell.” Especially since those facts fly in the face of their own prejudices. It is not my intention to diminish Christianity, however. Nor do I intend to diminish the tenets of Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, or any other ism. I have said for years I don’t have a problem with the church. I just have a problem with the congregation. When I perceive someone taint a faith by ridiculous actions or words, I speak out. And I speak out loudly.
I was raised an Evangelical Lutheran. What does that mean? That means my entire religious education was built on the idea that I do not have all the answers. From my earliest memory I was taught that no one on this earth has the whole story. Therefore I should keep an open mind when presented with another person’s perspective of God. This in turn will make my own faith stronger and I will learn how others approach their faith. To force a religion on others is arrogant. To do it in this country is criminal. Therefore when I see people making the attempt, I become quite annoyed.
Many Evangelical Christians have a revisionist view of history. For some odd reason they deny the idea that this country was founded on freedom of religion. They love their Second Amendment so much they almost become orgasmic at its reading. However, provide them with the first and they become dumbstruck. Jefferson, Adams, Washington, Madison, Monroe, Hamilton, Mason, Henry, and more wrote extensively in official papers and in personal correspondence about their fear of a government sponsored religion. Were they Christians? Some of them…but not all. However that didn’t mean they wanted the church to be anywhere near governmental decisions. They had seen all too often what happens when the church starts to drive political discourse. If you want to see it today…just look at the middle-east.
Religion is a quest for knowledge. I told someone the other day that too many self-described Christians think they’ve already made the trip and they’ve yet to start the journey. This can be said of most self-described religious people. They think the cornerstone of their belief is to force everyone else to follow that belief. They even try to persuade their government that the only way to survive is to bring in the church. If you have ever cracked the binding of any history book you can see that the outcomes have always been a disaster. Always.
Throughout my life I have had the pleasure of meeting truly loving, and faithful people. There are a few things that have been a constant with all of them. 1. They could care less that you believe differently than they. 2. They find forced obedience to their belief system as repugnant as if they were forced to believe another. 3. Your approval or disapproval is not required. 4. Their faith required (not recommended) required them to love and honor you regardless of who or what you believed. And last but certainly not least 5. Give, give, give, give, and give. In any way you can…give. Give of one self to the service of others. This last one is always the first one to be lost among the “faithful.”
Here’s a test. If you walk through life thinking everyone is silly, misguided, ignorant, or worse yet, should be imprisoned, deported, or die because they don’t follow your faith, then you don’t have a religion, you have a cult. That religion you think you belong to has long left you and you have neither the support of your religion, or any God. You’re just an asshole, no different than the gun toting zealots who behead reporters, rape women, and abuse children all in the name of whatever deity they claim to support.
My own personal religious journey has been an interesting one. After years of study I came to the conclusion that I don’t need religion. I believe that we are all connected and that life does not end in this world. I also believe that the energy that binds us, that thing many call God neither requires, nor desires my “worship.” It just is. Just like any physical reaction, how much, and what, I put into it is what I will get out of it. If I put in hate, jealously, sorrow, fear and negativity into it that’s what I will get out. However I’ve chosen to do the opposite. So far my theory is working. Does that mean I don’t have difficult days? Nope…and I have some very heated conversations with the Universe when it happens (often in rush hour traffic). Still…after all these years we’ve come to an agreement, the Universe and I. If I like what it has in store for me excellent! If I don’t. Well…suck it up.
Much like my marriage.
Love you honey!
Rex