Do you Believe?

Bogdan - See my reply to your comment.

Okay peeps, before I get into my next post, I want to describe some of the changes I've recently made to the site. As you can on the left hand side there are several new categories for you to play around with.

First up is "Now Recommending". This will be a list of things that I'm currently enjoying. Categories will include movies, books, music, TV shows and Websites as well as other stuff. So keep checking and stay tuned. If you try out anything I recommend let me know.

Next is "The Current". This will be news stories that will be relevant to the topic or topics that I will be discussing that week on the Blog. This is a really cool feature as you can check out up to date events that either support or challenge what I'm saying. I don't control the content. All I control are the search parameters. The computer actually chooses the links. Very cool.

The other really cool new feature is the Video Link from You Tube. I will have different things for you all to watch that will range from music, politics, films, and other stuff. So when you have time take a minute and see what's on there. I started it with the GREAT Bob Marley at what is considered one the greatest live performances by any artist in history. Watch it and you'll see why.

Don't forget to check out the links to my favorite websites or organizations as well. Great stuff on there. There will also be different graphics on the site that will change every now and then. I love the current Buddha logo. It's from a British independent record label.

The other really cool feature which will launch shortly will be a POLL. You'll be able to take part in a poll which will have a different question each week or month (not sure which).

So there it is. The new and improved site. Let me know what you think (SPEAK YOUR MIND), and more importantly enjoy.

Now on with the show...

NEW TOPIC: RELIGION

I figure I should first talk about what I personally believe when it comes to this topic so you all know where I'm coming from. My personal views on religion and God have been constantly evolving since as long as I can remember. I was raised in a catholic family but not in a strict catholic family. Church was special occasions and big events. My grandmother was really the last one in our family to really live a life that involved the church. Once she passed that went with her. I went to a private catholic school for most of my early education. Part of that schooling was mass once a week and a daily religion class. I was studying the bible from my first day in school. I was put in that situation not because of my parents deep religious belief but more for there deep belief in providing their child with the best education possible. At the time that was catholic school (and pretty much still is). I really enjoyed my time in that environment. Even though it was obviously designed to pull children towards the church from the start, I never really felt like I was being brainwashed or manipulated. I saw it as an opportunity to learn something I never would've got the chance to learn in public school. It helped to enrich me in ways that effected who I became. I think in large part it helped to shape who I am. The school was very small , as most private schools are, with maybe 250 students. I pretty much had the same exact classmates from first through eighth grade which was very different from public school. This helped to form tighter bonds between us and it got to a point where everyone knew everyone in the entire school no matter what grade they were in. That didn't happen in public school. It was a great experience. One that I'm very glad I had. All my friends from the neighborhood went to public school and I never wished for a second that I went there with them.

I've always felt that a persons "relationship" with their God is personal. I've never felt that God is someone or something you have to go to a specific place to talk to or "experience". There is no need for any of that. The need for that comes from the basic human need to be around people and involved with people that have similar beliefs and interests. Most people need their faith validated by their peers or their priest because in truth they have no idea what their faith is or what they believe. People wouldn't be so easily influenced if they truly knew what they believed in.

Now when it comes to the belief in a specific God or dogma my belief is simple. I don't have one. I don't believe in religion. Religion is a scam. It's a fraud. It's a joke. It's a tool for controlling massive populations. It's for keeping people subservient to a certain way of living. It's for preventing people from thinking for themselves. Religion, in my opinion, is the single most evil force in the history of mankind. It's caused more wars, suffering, death, anguish, and unimaginable horrors than any of us can even imagine. For all the good that has been done in the name of religion a far greater amount of evil has been done.

The main thing to always remember about Religion is that it's man made. Created by man to control and manipulate man. Think about it, "God created man in his image". That statement is stunning in it's arrogance. It suggests that humans are like "God", that we are "His" special creation. "His"? How ironic that in a male dominated society God is a man. The very story, and idea of religion is absolutely insane.

Don't get me wrong. I do think religion is fascinating. The stories and ideas are some of the greatest ever created. I'll also be the first to admit that if someone lives their life using basic religious principles and morals as a guide for how they live than I'm sure they would live a good, decent life. It's when people take it to literally and insist that everyone believes the same thing they do that it gets dangerous. The thing about religious texts is that they are so vague and general that they can be adapted to support or discredit any belief or issue. They are open to so many interpretations that they become dangerous in the hands of dangerous people. I have studied and read every religious text there is from the Bible, Koran, I-Ching, Buddhist teachings, Hindu myths and texts, ancient Egyptian texts and so on. They do teach good lessons and are great pieces of literature, however they shouldn't be used to justify the slaughter, torture, and evil that has permeated history in the name of religion.

In the next week I'm going to dissect several different religions and religious beliefs. I'm going to challenge many different dogma's and try to convey what I believe are the problems with each. I'm also going to offer alternatives to organized religion and challenge and outright refute many different religious views. I know religion is a personal thing and a touchy subject for many people. I also know that I'm going to say some pretty intense things so I encourage ALL of you to say them back.

I won't hold back , so neither should any of you.

One thing to also keep in mind is that a disbelief in religion doesnt also mean a disbelief in a higher power.

Luap :)