Why do you believe?

Two of the most EVIL people in the world!

When talking about religion you could start anywhere. History, creation, myths, texts, and so on are all great topics and I'll get to those, but I think what I want to start with is the simple question of, Why people are so obsessed and influenced by organized religion.

I've seen many people in my life completely and permanently give themselves to "GOD". Family members, friends, colleagues, teachers- the list is endless. No matter who they were though there was always one common denominator. They had reached a point in their life where things had got so hard and tough that they felt deep despair and hopelessness. They were looking for anything and anyone to come along and help them. They were very vulnerable and very easily manipulated. They were open to suggestion. Their common sense and rational thought diminished- they were easy targets. I've never known anyone that turned to GOD when their life was going great and things seemed perfect. GOD is usually no where to be found for most people when they're in that position. It's when bad things happen (usually due to our own fault and design) that we want to look for a great explanation of why and find an easy way out.

If there's one thing I learn more and more the older I get is that we are architects of our own destiny. We control what happens in our life. We make the decisions that guide our life, and we either reap the rewards or suffer the consequences. Religion has always played a big part in that decision making process for billions of people, and the sad reality is that it's all misguided and manipulated. You see what usually happens with a person's faith is that they begin life guided by people that are lost. Lost in terms of what they truly believe and more importantly lost in how to express those beliefs. How can you teach someone about spirituality when you cant even explain it to yourself? The easier thing to do is buy a book, open it up to the page the pastor tells you, read it along with him, and then listen to him tell you what it means. That's organized religion at it's core.

Think back to thousands and even hundreds of years ago. Religious institutions and clergy were the dominant force in all of the world. They controlled commerce, trade, armies, governments and countries. They commanded the obedience of billions of people. People that would do anything for them , include kill. How did they do this? Well it was actually pretty easy. Up until the Renaissance, most people didn't read or write. The church and the priests were the only people that could and so they controlled what everyone thought and did. Think about that for a second. Think about your life. Imagine if you couldn't read or write and you had to be dependent on Rush Limbaugh or George Bush to tell you how to see the world and what to believe. That's exactly what it was like. The church had one interest to protect and that was the church and more importantly the money and power that came with it. Again, think back to your teachings about the Bible, GOD and Jesus. Do you ever remember reading about Jesus living in a mansion, owning the best cows and sheep, having servants to do his every bidding, abusing his power? I don't. But that does actually sound like what other people in the Bible were doing. You know, people like Herod, Pontias Pilate, Nero, Caesar, Ramses. The evil guys. The bad guys. The people Moses and Jesus were supposed to fight and defeat. That also sounds like, Billy Graham, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, The Pope, and all the other "religious" leaders out there. They represent what they are supposed to be fighting against. All I know is that if the Jesus I read about came back to Earth and saw the gawdy displays of wealth these fanatics are displaying he would turn the temple on it's head all over again. If you were truly religious and representing God on Earth than you would be poor and living off the charity and love of others, not driving a Mercedes, wearing a Gold Rolex and living in a $10 million mansion.

The thing that is more scary and pathetic than that though is that millions of people faithfully, completely and wholeheartedly support, defend, follow and love these people. They live their lives based on what these people say. They raise their children with the "morals" these people live by. Morals that support the hatred, and in some cases the destruction of, anything different than them. These are the most dangerous people in the world. These are the people any truly spiritual person should be against. They are frauds and they are using people's faith and hope to advance their own agenda's. And yes I will say it out loud for the whole world to hear....

The Pope, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and all those other fucked up so called religious leaders are EXACTLY the same as people like Osama Bin Laden. They use religion to manipulate people to do their bidding in GOD'S name. They try to make laws preventing people from living their life how they choose, and I can promise you that if their was an office tower full of immigrants, homosexuals, and Muslims those exact people would be aiming a few more airplanes their way. You know I'm right.

There is this saying that has been going around for a long time that has basically become a punchline at this point ( and a good one at times too!). It's actually a question and I think it's a good one. One that everyone should ask themselves before they open their fat, uninformed mouth and judge, degrade and abuse someone in the name of their religion. The question is....(you can change the name to your preference)....

What would Jesus do?

I can tell you that the answer would be a lot different than what you're doing.

LUAP :)