Current mood:
optimistic
Category:
Religion and Philosophy I realized why I'm at odds with my Christian Catholic faith. I'm old enough and wise enough to know that organized religion as we know it is founded upon many years of corruption and lies and deciet. That sounds very vile, however any person or people in power prove time and time again, generation after generation, and century after century that it will no doubt corrupt and poison most that come into contact with it. People like to feel powerful, it's just undeniable human nature. Often times it is a great challenge and takes great people to temper that desire with self control. My point (so far) with my opening statements is that things like Lent and not eating meat on Fridays is something that I have not bought into for quite some time. Making sacrifices is one thing to practice your faith, not eating a cheeseburger because there was a meat shortage in the middle ages of Christian Europe is yet another. See, coruption and power tend to breed dogmatic law that people have followed and not questioned over the centuries for no apearant reason.
I hate how polarizing religion is now. You are either a bible thumping idiot or an "elightened" agnostic non believer. I have faith, I like to think that I have quite a bit of it actually. Some things that happen in life are too unexplainable for me. Is it because I can't wrap my head around the logic of how things fall into place in life? I don't think so. I take what I have learned in my years of being Catholic and apply them to my daily life in how I treat people. I get somewhat offended when jokes are made about Catholics because of priests that have had child molesting indiscretions. The actions of a minority do not reflect on what I believe and should not minimize what I subscribe to as a human being. Just as I feel with all individuals in life, God will ultimately judge. It's not my place to say people will either go to Heaven or Hell, if there are such places.
People feel like religion was put out there for something to sheperd sheep into believing something as a means to an end regarding control. The Bible makes no bones about the fact that we are "sheep" and God is ultimately our "sheperd." While some of this may be true, when you get down to the teachings of Jesus, who all Christians claim to follow, they are principles that everyone can relate to and understand. The Golden Rule is something that is straight from Jesus's mouth. The teachings of Jesus are not unlike the basic ideals of not being and asshole. I'll be sure to repent for putting "Jesus" and "asshole" in the same sentence. Twice.
I have a problem, however, with a church that does not recognize my Mom's first marriage to my Father but somehow continually recognizes my existence. For all intensive purposes I am an abomination of man. Some people that know me would say that anyway, however that is another entry all together. Anyway, I stuggled for many years with the fact that my Mom would activly pursue this outcome so she could continue to practice her faith. I saw this as very conflicting as most no doubtedly would. So was I essentially born out of wedlock? That sentiment contributes to issues that I have today.
I have issues with kneeling before and praying to Mary. Not that I don't believe in what is written about her, I just think that if you follow the Ten Commandments, and look at the first one you would think twice about praying to anyone but God or any of his entities. Maybe I'm wrong or I missed the boat somewhere on that. I have issues kneeling before priests or taking seriously the word of a man over the word of God Himself. However, being someone that devotes his life to God's teachings and is a steward for the faithful there is some amount of respect that must be given to those that decide to take up a life of the cloth. These are just some of my struggles that I wrestle with quite often.
Here is another issue, why can't women become priests? Just curious on that taboo as well. Will Catholics continue to be sexist? Women can always be nuns I guess, right? What about gay marriage? I'm not personally opposed to the notion of two guys or two women getting married. I don't see it as a slippery slope opening the door for people requesting to marry a horse, because that's just fucking weird. Back to gay marriage; I see it as no threat to my upcoming marriage to Stephanie. If they passed a law that legalized gay marriage in Missouri tomorrow I wouldn't call off our nuptials in October or feel any less strongly about them. It goes back to what I said before, I am not put on this Earth to judge my fellow (wo)man, just to live beside them and respect them and love them. If being gay is wrong and a punishable offense by God, that's something gay people will have to atone for. But if you're gay and believe in God and that asking for forgiveness from Jesus for your sins will ultimately save your soul, as all Christians believe, why do so many Christians believe they have the authority to tell gay people they will burn in Hell? Hey, if some of those people know who's on the list and who's not, I'd like to know if I am or not too. I figure it's the least they can do if they have that much insight, you know, help a brotha out (sorry).
The thing that drives me off the edge is something that transcends the bounds of religion and any other subject that may be up for debate, and that is the way that people in general use judgement to carry their particular causes. I hope that you have hung on through this much of this entry because I feel like this is important and something everyone needs to think about. If you are religious and feel strongly about it, God does not give you the authority to judge others and condemn them for having alternate views. You do not have the right to tell someone who does not share your beliefs they are wrong and will be damned. That's not up for you to decide, never was and never will be. However, the same goes for the flip side of the coin. If you are an agnostic or athiest you have no right to dismiss my belief in God or belittle me for it. Respect is a two way street, and sometimes too many people on both sides of any particular issue tend to lose sight of this while fighting for what they believe in.
If someone uses words to try and cut someone down, whether that be racial slur or calling someone a faggot, it is sad and unfortunate. Hate is something that is never tolerable especially when used as a verbal or physical weapon. However, the next time someone says they don't believe in gay marriage, or abortions, or any other non progressive way of thinking don't label them just as you do not want to be labeled as a fag or a dyke. Just keep in mind that we all came from the same place. Whether you believe it is by God's hand, genetics and science, creationism, evolution, the stork. Whatever.
If you don't get those last sentences then I'm sorry my entry has taught you nothing. But that's ok, I'm not going to judge you. You're just an idiot. 
 | Currently listening :
Person Pitch
By Panda Bear
Release date: By 05 April, 2007 |
11:48 PM - 4 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
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