So we don't dissolve into a lovefest of self-congratulatory agreement, here are the things I don't like about the various religions:
1) Belief that their church is infallible. Something that led me to retire from the Catholic Church. When the Pope came out with his church-doctrine-is-not-cafeteria-style proclamation, he lost me. And many others, I suspect, because I've heard the same from others about that particular edict. Religions ARE fallible, and much as they'd like to believe they have a direct channel to God's voicemail, history shows that they do not. Does anyone really think God ordered up the Crusades?
The recent shame of the Catholic church is not an isolated event. Other religions can be found to be fallible. Christian churches have their Swaggarts, Bakkers, Joneses, and Falwells; Judaism has its ultraorthodox nuts; Islam has its Talibans and Kohmeinis; secular churches have their suicide space travelers.
Point #1: When Churches admit their earthly fallibility, they will go a long way to establishing credibility.
2) Mixture of religion and politics
Ever since the Moral Majority, I believe that Christianity, especially fundamentalism, has suffered a black eye. I'm not even counting the obvious hypocritical scum like Swaggart and Bakker. I'm talking about the Jerry Falwells.
As I previously agree with Karen, I think it is a good idea to watch a variety of programs to get a feel for what other people are watching. I've had occasion to watch a number of shows with Rev Falwell, and I believe he is severely damaging the Christian cause.
I could certainly ignore his radical fundamentalist views, like the time I saw one of his sermons that featured the evils of women wearing shorts (he did not emphasis specific, revealing shorts; he meant ANY shorts). There are other religions, like the Amish, that profess to a very strange (to my viewpoint) set of principles. That's ok; more freedom to 'em.
It is the hypocracy and lies that I cannot let slip. I've seen his programs where he will make up the most outrageous garbage, such as a conspiracy involving the entire US Postal Service to intercept and change absentee ballots in all 50 states (remember, the USPS is run by evil labor unions). But then he has the gall to come onto more conventional news programs and show a completely different, more moderate face. He doesn't even have the balls to espouse his factless garbage to anyone outside of his minion. And believe me, they soak it up as the Gospel itself.
Point #2: Fundamental Christians will forever be viewed as crackpots and extremists unless they get out of the business of politics and back to the business of God, and back into the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
3) The contention amongst some (too many) that Islam is an evil religion.
To associate the deeds of the terrorists with Islam is a grave error, IMO. Post Sept 11th, I did a little studying up on Islam, and found that, as Falwell is corrupting Christianity, so are some of the fundamentalist Muslims. Islam teaches many of the same principles of Christianity and Judaism; devotion to God, self respect, moral rules, etc.
I understand the outrage against the terrorists and the scum like bin Laden. But to tar everyone of the Islamic faith with the lunatic fundamentalist brush is not going to allow us live peacefully in this world.
Point #3: Don't start from the assumption that Islam is an evil religion, or that Muslims all hate us.
Whew, that pooped me out. |
