On Religion

Thinking is not an easy thing to do, so those of us who do it often (and deeply) should probably excuse those people who avoid it all costs. 

What is thinking, exactly?

It is a process which enables people to transcend narrow realities and expand personal boundaries.  It allows for ideas outside of one’s comfort zone to penetrate and incubate.  Things which we might not agree with or condone can become thoughts we entertain in order to understand humanity. 

Voltaire said best that I may not agree with what you’re saying, but I will fight to the death your right to say it. 

Somehow, this idea seems to work with most people, until the idea of religion comes up.  Then … well, everyone but you is wrong.  YOUR religion is the right religion.  YOUR ideas are the right ideas.  YOUR opinion is the right one, and pity the soul who disagrees with you, because they’ll end up in hell. 

How do you know your religion is right?  Faith. 

People who are normally rational, intelligent, agreeable individuals take to the irrational, unintelligent, and divisive ideology of religion so easily;   why is that?  Why do these people who are smart and logical leave that reason at the door and judge people and situations so wantonly without common sense?  They get offended by a word or a phrase or a comment, and they react accordingly.  No conversation.  No debate.  No back and forth.  Just judgment. 

My hope for humanity is faith in diversity.  Diversity of opinion. of ethnicity, of ideology, of life choices.  I believe that right and wrong are mutable and situational.  Religious fanatics do not.  THEIR right and wrong are THE right and wrong.  If, indeed there is a god, he or she would be astounded by the arrogance of those individuals who assume they know god.  How egotistical is it of mankind to assume they know what god is thinking or what god wants – that their tie to god is better than any other religion’s. 

Christian, Buddhist, Pagan, Muslim, Jew, Rasta, Atheist.  People are people.  Labels divide those people and cause derision.  What is the point?  Believe what you believe, but don’t impose those beliefs on other people – just because you’re the main character in your own life doesn’t mean you are even a cast member in anyone else’s.