I don't often write about religion because it's one of those topics we're not supposed to discuss, but I am fuming about religion right now. Fuming! And I have to say what's on my mind or I fear I am going to burst.
I just wrote this on Facebook, in a flurry of anger, and decided to put it here, too, with a little explanation:
"I am sick to death of bigotry and hatred spewed from the mouths of so-called righteous people. The so-called religious freedom bill in Arizona fills me with wrath. Why is it the religious right is so outspoken when open-minded people keep silent? It's time to stop using God as an excuse to put down people who are different from yourself. Just because you are a Christian or a Muslim or a Jew or whatever, does not make you any better than anyone else. I am merely a peasant, but this peasant is revolting."
The impetus behind my anger is the so-called religious freedom bill in Arizona – that will likely get squashed, thank goodness – that would permit bigoted assholes from serving homosexuals and other folks they don't deem worthy. What kind of screwed up society, in this day and age, would allow that kind of shit? It's no better than the way white Americans treated black Americans back in the 1950s. It's no better than Germany forbidding Jews from visiting art galleries before the Second World War.
This hatred, in my opinion, all stems from religion. When people Believe, their tendency is to believe they're the only ones who are going to heaven and all the rest of us are going the other direction. Worse, the most rabid believers think it's OK to rid the world of us sinners, because we're not really people. Examples? Let's talk about Hitler systematically ridding Germany of Jews. Or genocide in Rwanda. Or slave traders in Louisiana. In fact, if you look at every war and every atrocity in the history of mankind, religion is at the root of it. Religion permits female circumcision, where women are mutilated and murdered. Religion forces women to cover themselves head to foot in burkas. Religion is an excuse for men to treat women like chattel and, in some countries, to murder them if they so much as look the wrong way.
We think we're better than that in North America. I beg to disagree. Not with the way people continue to bully the downtrodden.
My best friend is a lesbian. She's the best, nicest person in this whole freaking world and if you have a problem with her, or with homosexuals, then you have a problem with me, and you need to know that, ultimately, you're the one with the freaking problem.
If your religion makes it OK to hurt another person, it's time to get a new religion.
***
I'm reading a book right now called God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. Point by point it illuminates how religion is used to keep people down. It's probably one of the best books I've ever read.
I feel like I'm strangling on religion in some ways. I've met a lot of Christian people since I moved to Cold Lake and we often talk about religion. My best friend is a minister and we talk about religion, too. And then there's all the self-righteous crap I see on Facebook all the time. The other day, in a fit of anger, I Googled "are religious people deluded?" because I needed to know, and I came up with this book. Reading it is a breath of fresh air. It expresses all my fears about religion, and why I think religion is a dangerous thing.
I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings on this topic. Like I said, I've met some wonderful people in Cold Lake who are deeply religious, but I cannot reconcile some of the things that are done or said in the name of religion around the world.
It sickens me, and it needs to stop.
I agree with you 100%. States like Arizona and Kansas are setting civil rights back by about 60 years. It sickens me. How dare they! And if it passed, imagine the stink they'd raise if they went into a restaurant and the owner kicked them out for wearing a cross, saying, 'sorry this is an atheist establishment, I won't serve you.' I get so sick and tired of these conservative assholes pushing their agendas and religious beliefs on everyone else. Arizona stands to lose billions in tourist revenue if it passes. I sure as hell won't visit. I'll take the Grand Canyon off my bucket list and end my Rte 66 trip in New Mexico.
ReplyDeleteLoud applause from here too. I cannot understand a mind set that honestly believes that they are sooooo much better than everyone else.
ReplyDeleteYou look gay? You can't ride in my ambulance, sit in my theatre, buy my groceries... Where will it end.
I hope your soap box is big, because I am on it with you, shouting my rage to the world.
Fundamentalism starts wars, ends relationships and divides families. It's based on intolerance and hate, and it all parades under the banners of GOD and LOVE. I know of no greater evil on the earth. And I know what I'm talking about. Been there, done that.
ReplyDeleteWell said ! I agree . To much religion plays a nasty roll in the world that hurts others ! We are all equal no mater what anyone else say's or thinks and love is love no matter who it is with ! That's the problem to much hate and judgement not enough love and kindness . You go girl !!!
ReplyDeleteYou have every right to be deeply angered by the nonsense done in the name of religion. A lot of the religious (like the Bear) are equally offended. But saying all hatred stems from religion is seriously over-shooting the mark.
ReplyDeleteBook sounds great! Glad you're speaking up and out!
ReplyDeleteI've been hearing about what's been going on down in Arizona. It is nonsense, and it annoys me to no end. Two of my closest friends are lesbians, so as far as I'm concerned, it's a matter of civil rights, and at the moment, Arizona's on the wrong side of history.
ReplyDeleteWhat we think of as the religious right seem little more than fundamentalist hypocrites, sanctimonious holier than thou people bent on catering to ignorance. Not everyone in faith is like that... it's just that this sort of believer drowns out anyone who's reasonable.
I'm an agnostic myself. Hypocrites in evangelical churches that make financial empires for themselves, rabid idiots like Pat Robertson, and the profound stupidity that comes up with something like the Creationist Museum are among the reasons I completely turned my back on the idea of faith.
I can certainly see where you're coming from, Cathy.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with all your points but, one bit of blogging advice I always try to follow is "The comment box isn't the place to be a jerk.", so I'll just leave you with this link that might shed some different light on the whole "gay hate" thing in regards to what's being proposed down in Arizona.
http://themattwalshblog.com/2014/02/25/yes-of-course-a-business-owner-should-have-the-right-to-refuse-service-to-gay-people/
I've read this article, and I agree that like all things in this world, the issue raised by the proposed AZ law is complicated. Should the law infringe on one group's rights or the other? However, if made my living organizing weddings I, personally, wouldn't care who wrote the check if it didn't bounce. But, you see, I have no judgements about anyone's lifestyle as long as they don't harm me or those I care about. Some people do, and if they don't want to serve some people, they should be able to say, no. Do we need a law for this or would some common sense work instead?
DeleteLive and let live....that's my motto. You don't give me any trouble and I won't give you any Why the h@@ can't we all just get along?
ReplyDeleteI think we need to get back to the idea of "go into your closet to pray."
ReplyDeleteI can see where you're coming from, but also find most of your points unfortunate. Para5, you condemn belief, then go on to rant your beliefs about believers with a vitriol that could easily go violently toxic. Belief is no more at fault for violence than physics are for bullets working. It is the kind of belief and the application of it that matter.
ReplyDeleteThen again, you are reading Hitchens, an incredibly dogmatic man and poster boy for atheistic religions.
I agree with what you've written and I was about to type Religion has a lot to answer for, but really, it's religious fanatics who have a lot to answer for. A LOT. They simply don't see how deluded they are.
ReplyDeleteWhere is humanity? gone down the toilet with the rest of life's goodness I suppose.
ReplyDeleteZealots and fanatics can be found alongside and inside religion as well as apart from it. Humans tend to be human no matter what they believe.
ReplyDeleteAs Arizona spurs on Missouri like this is contagious.... Is stupidity contagious?... let's talk about the "moral" folks being also those who claim "fiscal responsibility".
Jeff Foxworthy and an average fifth grader could tell you these laws will not withstand a single challenge. They are unconstitutional, period. The money to support these laws and fight them could feed the hungry, prevent epidemics, cure disease... but instead it is wasted preying on fears for political folly... how very moral.
My beliefs are that God created all people, loves all people, speaks to their hearts, and ultimately will be the judge of everyone. People who place themselves in the judgment seat and condemn anyone not like them--they are the ones who will also be judged by God.
ReplyDeleteArizona is not the one to judge. River gave such a great insight.
I think religion I very interesting, and I sttongly dislike all of them. Religion is one of our top 3 topics to discuss in the lunch break at work (after politics and science). I completely agree regarding the new Arizona bill, which is as nasty as Putin's laws in Russia
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty interesting, this new Victorianism that is creeping into our apparently liberal society. I applaud your forthright anger Cathy.
ReplyDeleteI would be devastated if my aunties were refused service for their sexuality. I'd feel so much worse if it were state policy. That is when it becomes quite evil.
However. In the end, the folk of AZ will have to take responsibility for this bill as they were the voters. And the rest of the nation should hold the voters accountable for it. I say this because the refugee situation in Australia is really awful at the moment and everyone is blaming the government/religion/racism/blah blah.
We let these assholes in to run the place ... because it's a democracy. It's our responsibility to make an educated and moral choice every time we go to the polls.
And one more thing. I love this ... "Don't like gay marriage? Don't have one then!"
ReplyDeleteI am so proud of you. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteBTW, John has the same book waiting for him to read. I guess I better pick it up too. Love ya lots.
My wife is from America (New Jersey) and religious (a Christian denomination) and I'm Welsh and agnostic. So she keeps up to date with what's going on over there and we talk about it, and every time something like this comes up all I can manage to say is WTF. Sometimes I can barely stand it because it makes me so sad. I often wonder if we struggle with her visa when the application to renew it comes around next year, that if we get rejected that we could apply for some sort of refugee status because her country is so repressive in places. For a woman and a lesbian. It's insane that we live like this, I swear some places are going further and further backwards. And sometimes I genuinely don't understand it, cause we're really no different to any other couple. Actually, consider a lot of couples our age are getting drunk every weekend, and wasting money and have a bunch of kids with a bunch of different guys (okay so not all couples our age do that but still), I think we're pretty good. We watch TV, and take in sick cats and hamsters and play video games and work for charities and look after our families and watch ballet and opera instead stupid reality tv shows, but we're the ones you won't serve or marry or talk to. Yeah that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteSorry, guess I've been holding that in for a while.
New subscriber/follower and sister #atozchallenge minion from another mother (AJ's Hooligans). In the grand scheme of things (cosmically speaking), I am a peasant as well.
ReplyDeleteWhile I do agree that (some) religion has a lot to answer for, I don't think you can put all evil at the feet of religion. You don't have to be religious to be a jackass. Some of it is plain greed, some is greed that cloaks itself in religion (whether or not they actually have that faith) in order to mislead its audience. Then, ignorance and stupidity (two different things in my book) play their part as well.
I'm not familiar with the details of the proposed law in AZ, but it does sound like a bad idea. If someone wants all the benefits of 'liberty' for themselves, they must also be willing to grant it to others, whether or not these others are like them.
I remember working in a Waffle House in a Fort Worth suburb one night when a couple of transvestites came in. They were both born male and dressed 'man-style' whatever that means. One had on a wig and they were both in full make-up and nails. They gathered quite a few stares and whispers, and I honestly don't remember (12 years later) whether I invited them to sit in my section or they chose their seats themselves, or if that was the only table open. Shoot. I can hardly remember last week sometimes. They were two hungry people. I was the bringer of food. It was simple as that.
I enjoyed your rant!
ReplyDeleteThank you. Love love, Andrew. Bye.
I live in Arizona. Believe me, this bill did not (by any stretch of the imagination) represent the view of the majority in AZ. However, the minority (the religious right) are the one who come out in droves in the primaries, which allows the extreme right to get elected to office. What happened in AZ this past week mirrors the 60s Civil Rights movements and the backlash from it. Change is on the horizon, and the people who take the Bible literally are going to lash out. I'm not saying it's right (it's not--I have two friends who are lesbians right here in AZ). AZ is due for a major overhaul. What with Jan Brewer and Joe Arpaio--the place is a three-ring circus right now. Be glad you don't live here. The political antics are a daily joke in our area.
ReplyDeleteI'm a Christian. Love me or hate me but don't tar me with the same brush as all the fanatics! Plenty of us are just quietly getting on with trying to live our lives in a way that serves our fellow mankind & try to bring peace & reconciliation.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, it's the weirdo-element that always get the headlines :-/
How did I miss this the other day.
ReplyDeleteI figured this out about fifty years ago. A mega gazillion people populated this earth before us. They built empires, They founded dynasties. They made art. They made babies. They made war and peace. They could not have been of the "true faith," not one of which is that old. This goes for creationists, too. I give you all the Chinese and Asians and First Americans populating where they lived while creationists created creation. I wouldn't put my money on those mega gazillion people being wrong. Actually, I believe they all were right.
Bottom line, love one another and get on with your life.
Yup religion has a way of getting people to hate. But it is not the religion itself , it's the humans. They adapt words to suit their needs and then try to justify what they believe.
ReplyDeleteOur brains are really not that smart. Blind faith?
Yet it has been observed that most folks seek out some higher power when faced with adverse situations. What's sad is they also bully and create them!
I just stumbled on your blog here but , oh my, I could not have said it better myself! In some ways you could say: "Religion: the root of all evil" but that would also be a grand overgeneralization. The premise of religion is a good one, it's the humans who bastardize it each and every time. All you said is the reason I will NEVER be a part of any religion. I am deeply spiritual, I believe in the "higher power" (God is just too masculine for me, who knows, maybe he is a she? Or an "entity"?) But you will never find me in a church or joining a group of people who want to tell me what and how I'm supposed to believe and live my life. I prefer my own personal relationship with that higher power and the church of nature.
ReplyDelete