Published by If they weren’t so criminal, the insanities being practiced in the name of God would be almost laughable. From Jesus Camps to Jihad, the eccentricities promoted by “good religion” of nearly every denomination are deplorable. They incite hate and prejudice, as well as war and murder. Children are taught that their way is they only way. And, as dissimilar as they claim to be, Jihad and Jesus Camps brainwash children into believing that they must “fight” for God, and that they must lay down their lives to destroy outside beliefs of any kind. How insane!
When brother kills brother to prove a point in the name of a God whom no one has met and who, by the acclaim of all religions is a peaceful-loving soul who preached love above all else, then we know that religion is becoming more and more a cult. Religion, after all, is not a divine product; but, rather, a man-made communication line that helps us connect to the Creator. It helps to explain the uncertainties of life and death. And, it brings strength and peace to our hearts. But, it also is a man-made creation that incites hatred, prejudice, and murder for God’s sake.
Whether we are Muslims, Christians, Hindus or Buddhists, or any number of other religions, we are brought up in the culture of our beliefs. And, religion has undoubtedly even more of a cultural basis than a spiritual one. No one can say for sure who or what the “true” God may be. He/she is someone or something that knows more than we know for sure – and that’s all we know for sure. Everything else in religion is our own interpretation of what the Deity desires.
What kind of God, I ask, would want brother to kill brother like the Muslims do? What kind of God would want adults to suffocate the minds of five year old children with “repent for your sins” rituals that the Jesus Camps do? From Islam to Christianity, there is an epidemic raging in the religious sector. And that epidemic is known as insanity.
Recent comments of the Pope calling the Prophet Mohammed a “devil” added fuel to the fire. Already strained relations between Muslims and Christians could only get worse with words that came from the mouth of a “holy” man who did his thinking after his mouth released senseless words. It’s amazing how cheap words are, how little they can be thought about before they manifest, and how stupid they sound after all is said and done. It’s also amazing how much harm words can cause. They come between people. They gnaw at the soul. And ultimately, words can kill.
Although I am the furthest thing from an atheist, I am learning to be agnostic. For religion and the wars in the name of God prove without a shadow of a doubt to me that religion itself is evil. No matter the denomination. When children are brainwashed with wild and strange rituals so that their “connection to God” is strengthened, and brothers slice the throats of brothers (and sisters), and God is supposed to smile down on all this – then religion itself IS evil.
Religion itself is not evil. Religion can be used as a justification for evil by deluded fanatics and I share the authors disdain for that sad fact. However, science can also be used for evil ends and I doubt that any of us would argue that science itself is evil.
In both instances, the cause of the problem is not realizing ones unity with all that is. It is the aim of True religion to prepare a person for that realization, and depth of knowledge in science brings one to a degree of that realization as well.
It would be more accurate to delineate between Sectarianism, which I would agree is evil, and Religion. The former binds one only to those who share the same set of intellectual precepts, while the latter binds oneself to the All.
Believing you are better or more exalted than others because you hold a particular set of beliefs is sectarian bigotry. Believing you are better than others because you reject those beliefs is also sectarian bigotry.
True religion cares nothing for beliefs but esteems compassion and kindness towards others. That was the purpose of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Namaste.
When used correctly, religion is a way to pave a path of peace from human to Maker. But, in many cases, religion is being used as a means of creating hatred among people of different races and creeds. And that’s evil.
A religion based in the belief that it is the one and only is evil. A religion that hides behind the Church (or Mosque, or Temple, or whatever) to preach killing and prejudice is evil.
A religion that brainwashes its five year old children in the name of God to rant and rave, jump up and down and cry for forgiveness for all the horrible sins they’ve performed (at the ripe old age of five) is evil.
Religion within its own boundaries is good. Religion that seats itself as the judge of all men, women, and children of every race, color, and creed and destroys every fabric of the human family is evil.