There must be a kernel of truth in each of the belief systems created to control the masses give meaning to our existence. Otherwise the knowledge of good and evil that cascaded into an avalanche of suffering triggered by a woman deceived by a rogue angel masquerading as a serpent does nothing for us. The billions of humans in existence today because of incestuous begets scattered to the wind by a jealous deity are just waiting to be worm food.
Maybe it’s unreasonable to tell our children to be good for goodness sake when goodness doesn’t seem to yield rewards in the here and now. There must be something better than heavenly mansions and virgins when we’re all dead from bombing the hell out of each other, but damned if I know what it could be. Maybe something on Amazon.
Maybe we are random electrical impulses that return to the universe or butterflies asleep, dreaming we are humans. Maybe humanity has reached the end of the evolutionary road. Maybe life began in a primordial pool and somebody forgot to add the chlorine. Maybe the big bang theory started out as just a play on words at a frat party and somebody decided they were on to something. Neither moral authority nor empirical evidence can tell us for certain if what comes around goes around in a swirl of cosmic chaos or a swift karmic kick.
I know what you’re thinking. This must be some sort of mid-life, estrogen depleted, suburban induced fever and I need to seek professional help before I shave my head and go off the grid until it’s time to rendezvous with the mother ship.
We aren’t being commanded to make a sacrifice to a volcano or go in search of a magic scepter or drink from a sacred chalice. We aren’t being required to recite incantations or prepare smoked entrails or bow before golden idols. Although there’s something weird going on at that Gold Exchange next to the Men’s Warehouse. Seriously, what is stopping humanity from setting aside the myths and hocus pocus of the past and respecting ourselves and our planet? Politics? Ignorance? The Benny Hinn Network?
We’ve subdivided ourselves in the name of all that is holy, pretending there is something socially acceptable about not acknowledging that the distinct differences among the people of the world frightens us into depleting our resources to defend ourselves against all enemies real and imagined.
Balls! Believe in something that makes you strive to be a better person. If you can’t do that, you can always stand on a street corner shouting the end is near! Think your fate is sealed? Tell your family after you die to go on ancestry dot com and get it straightened out.
The truth is buried under a pile of dogma until one day someone steps in it discovers what they’ve been told to believe, what we’ve all been told we should live and die for isn’t the whole story. If faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, then it must be the stories we remember, share, and revise from time to time that bare that out when repeated on a loop for all eternity.
**word graphic created on tagxedo.com
Honie Briggs 
The universality of religion (there has never been, to my knowledge, a truly atheist society in the entire history of humankind) means one of two things: [1] Human minds are constructed in such a way that we always end up creating some form of deity. [2] We all dimly grasp some universal truth about the nature of reality. Gandhi wrote that there are as many religions as there are people — we all connect to the universe in our own way.
It may well turn out that religious beliefs are not founded on anything real, but have an evolutionary purpose of helping build societies. The altruism and morality that comes from most religions may be required to keep humans from naturally killing each other off. Or to prevent mass species suicide once it becomes apparent that, without god, life actually has no real purpose and that humanity isn’t even an eye-blink in the life of the cosmos.
A real conundrum is trying to define morality in the absence of spiritual writ. Most non-religious moral doctrines are based on the perception of equality among humans. The problem is that it’s self-evident that humans are NOT all the same in just about every possible actual measurement. So from where comes the concept of equality?
We say that all are equal “in the eyes of god” or “in the eyes o the law”. That latter is absolutely an artificial human construct. The former may also be. Or, just maybe, perhaps not.
There certainly is plenty of room for discussion of this complex and controversial topic. Of course you know from reading here for some time now that debating religion is a deep pool I could not begin to dip my toe into. I do live in the real world though, and observe the effects of beliefs, all kinds of beliefs not only those long held, death-gripped actually, by inflamed fanatics, well-intentioned moderates, and the ever growing passive masses.
I do find interesting the observation that some people seem to have no moral center. Likewise that control seems to be a factor in the most well funded belief systems. Take materialism as an example. Control of a supply chain and labor force is crucial to that belief system. Even a belief system that has the stated benevolent purpose of ending world hunger depends on control at all costs. Monsanto is a perfect example of this.
That free will is held over us like some sort of tainted, undesirable, bizarre notion only exercised at the risk of being ostracized makes me wonder if there’s not somebody “up there” just messing with us.
Monsanto is a corporation, and, as with all corporations, it has only two goals: [1] Survive as long as possible so that it can [2] Make as much money as possible for its shareholders. The only “belief system” there is worship of the Almighty Buck.
I draw a strong distinction between beliefs and belief systems. The latter are usually entrenched control systems designed for social control (and in some cases wealth). I consider the term “worldly church” an oxymoron. Organized religion is often just a social organization that primarily exists to perpetuate itself.
And even beliefs can be problematic. I think it was Chris Rock’s 13th Apostle character in the movie Dogma that comments about the difference between ideas and beliefs. Ideas are wonderful. But once they turn into beliefs, that’s when people start getting crucified.
The world is a complex place. Control of the masses has always been part of religious hypocricy, which has nothing to do with spiritual enlightenment or seeking for greater personal truths.
This was extremely well played.
I have to laugh when I hear people say they’re are not religious, they’re spiritual. Such rebels! It’s a complex topic for sure. A personal truth of mine is, just say no to proselytizers. Another is, funding a crystal cathedral is a bad investment.
This is especially true in earthquake areas or tornado alleys. But then sometimes people just need to build monolithes to their egos.
It’s interesting to me that most faiths are about an internal inventory – about living in a manner that puts others first – it seems we get off track when we think we can impose our personal ideology over a whole society. It does’t work that way.
Looking back through history, live and let live doesn’t seem too commonly the road chosen. Hail the conquering hero is more the way it goes. C’est la Vie.
Ain’t it the truth. When you read the words of Jesus – he is all about conquering the heart, not the world.
The Benny Hinn Network? Is that how the Mother Ship will contact us? I lost my religion during Philosophy 101. I have no faith. I’m tired of waiting, of stepping in dogma, of trying (unsuccessfully) to hide from karma. Tired of all the “stories” that change like phone numbers on restaurant bathroom walls. The end must be near! Oh yeah, I have never seen a woman that didn’t look beautiful with a shaved head.
He Who (always makes me laugh out loud) I hear ya! When it hits the triple digits around here, I seriously consider breaking out the #3 blade on the ol’ Norelco shaver. HA! 🙂 We are a laugh riot!
Think maybe you should stay away from professional help? Plenty already on the right track here – they might have instructions to deprogram you(can’t have people doing what’s right and speaking the truth these days.That first sentence of the 2nd paragraph is a serious problem for parents these days)
Hilarious – far too many phrases to focus on “Forgot to add the chlorine?” “ancestory.com’ fixes!
Beneath all the dogma, you just gotta sift out universal truth..and pick out all the litter.
Hilarious and well done
Forgot to add it or added too much, I don’t know, but we’re oozing our baser instincts just when we have every reason to live in harmony with nature and each other.
So nice to know this gave you a laugh. 😀
Remarkable piece.
People can do some pretty horrible things in the name of their faith. They can also do some pretty great things in its name. It’s a complex interplay, for sure, and one I often find myself shaking my head at, trying to understand. Perhaps you’re right. Perhaps it’s “Maybe something on Amazon.”…
Carrie, you make me smile. Big smiles. I can think of at least two things (books) on Amazon that might be a nice distraction for someone. HA! Life is a paradox, isn’t it?
That it is!