I have been pondering religion a great deal lately, not faith, but religion. When I say that, I mean in a more cultural sense. This really started when Dr. Misguided (I dare not say his real name, I wouldnt do that) and I got into a conversation at work while I was helping him purchase some books that are historically inaccurate, but reinforce his misconceptions about this country and its history. He made a statement about adapting to a culture. It was in reference to immigrants who move to America and adapt American culture and those who don't and then he referenced Muslims and referenced their religion, their faith...a culture and not a religion, not a faith. I do not think that is fair, he said everyone else adapted to American culture...why won't they and thats not entirely fair or true.
I do not think it is right to diminish anyone's faith just because you think you are the one's on the right side of the fence of religion. So... you are a Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu.... you all think you are right and everyone else is wrong... I am just going to say now... there isn't much logic to that.
Tolerance and understanding is an amazing thing, but at the same time...its very very hard. I am going to reference my own intolerance of Islam as an example, my own flaw, my own display of judgement. I have read a great deal of the Koran. unlike many who criticize it, I have not cherry picked a few passages out of the book to illustrate how violent or unrelenting it is because in all truth, I have read the bible too...and it say some pretty harsh, judgmental and violent things itself so I am going to go back to he who is without sin cast the first stone and say both books can be pretty brutal and unfriendly at times. The main difference is the bible has a new testament and the koran doesn't. But, with all my understanding and my neutrality... i abhor the way women are treated in Islam. I see the hijab as an affront to women, an oppression and no matter how many Islamic women I see taking up for it, I despise it...I despise that in Islam a woman has to hide herself as to not tempt the weakness of a man... grow a pair and learn how to control yourself and let women be the equal creatures they are... MAN that is hard to tolerate.
I also have my problems with Christianity, especially the modern takeover of Christianity by Evangelicals who rarely have a true christian bone in their bodies. They dont cater to the poor, they don't love anything unconditionally, and they sure dont act anything like Jesus...the one person they are set to emulate. It offends me.... all these laissez-faire Christians who are pious on Sunday but are horrible the other six days disgust me in all honesty because they are as fake as the handbags I once purchased at a straw market in the Bahamas, but they have the gumption to tell me I am not a good person because I don't fake it.
Then there are the fake pagans...yea I have it out for them too. Listen just because you hate black people, you had a hankering for some Scandinavian black metal and you dream about being Nordic doesn't mean it is your heritage to worship the all father. And just a clue... Scandinavian people... don't do that crap either, most of them converted to Christianity before America was even a glimmer in the eye of the world and before any shred of your ancestry came into existence in the gene pool. So, just because you go on Facebook and make a picture of Odin your icon and then talk about blood letting some innocent animal so you can make some foolish sacrifice to a god who belongs to a long gone culture that you are not related to doesn't make you anything but a racist, animal abusing fool. Before you listen to some deep Bathory and Gorgoroth... realize that one, you are an American with no Norwegian ties and secondly.... using this as a way to cover up your deep flowing racial hatred doesn't hide that you are an overweight poser douche who lives with his mom and dreams about a heritage that isn't yours. I will admit, this one really gets my goat as of late... after someone posted on their facebook about ritually harming domesticated animals to do some sort of nordic pagan ritual that isnt even authentic to tie into their false nordic heritage as an excuse to hate anyone who isn't white and southern... jesus...just join the KKK and be honest about it...
In truth, faith should be something you feel inside, it should bring positive things, it should make you want to sacrifice to do good for others and it should actually adhere to the tenants it set out, not a half way thing. There is a concrete reason that not everyone has faith...not everyone has religion, because most people aren't up to the true task of sacrificing so much for the good of others in the name of something intangible
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