[Mr. Blonde]

I just have to discuss this topic, and I can think of no other place to do so in this damn bible belt except Nubblies.

Religion. How many people ACTUALLY believe in it? I was brought up a Christian my entire life, church, active in youth group, the whole nine yards...and it wasnt until I came to college when I was forced...rather, given the opportunity to open my mind to other possibilities. I mean...when you think about the basic practices and theories that most churches preach....I just don't get it. I can't accept the fact that so many people in the modern world can blindly follow such a ridiculous sentiment as religion.

To me, simply, religion's main service is to provide relief to those who can't handle the hardships of life. Death, misfortune, whatever...excuses are produced such as: "God wanted that person with him in heaven" or "There is a reason for everything that happens." Lets be serious here folks, after all the technological and scientific advancements that have been made in the past century, let alone the entire period of existence, we should know better by now. Shit can happen for no reason. Bad things happen to good people because they're in the wrong place at the wrong time. Religion almost seems, to me, like a cult. People raising their hands and praising an idol that simply...doesn't exist. Its a waste of time, and similar to a display of a primitive culture that simply does not understand how things work, so they make up things to ease their spirits.

I was almost pissed off at my parents when I first finally came to this epiphany. Almost as if I had been lied to/brainwashed all those years...and especially because I did not have the opportunity to be exposed to any other points of view. Christianity was always just the only "right" religion in my household and area of growing up. The benefit, i suppose, is that it does somewhat strengthen the foundation of a child's morals when growing up, but I also believe that every person (a few exceptions aside) has an innate sense of right and wrong, and can easily be taught how to live a good life without the fallacy of religion.

While we're on the subject of religion, and because I have been focusing my discussion mainly on Christianity, lets discuss the possibilities WHY i chose that topic. Religion in America is, in essence, the epitome of ethnocentrism. It is preached as the ONLY CORRECT religion, and all those other people are all going to hell. With as many other religions as there are in the world (assuming there actually is such a thing as a god), who are we to say that ours is correct? America, thats who. (Cue team america theme song)

So what do I believe? I don't believe the bullshit they teach in church. An example I have brought up on several occasions (and bear with me on this, its just a raw example) is that what if there is somewhat of a nuclear holocaust or natural disaster that basically eliminated 99.9% of the population of teh earth...once we recover, hundreds/thousands of years down the line, and all that was is forgotten, someone discovers a copy of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. With nothing else to work with, and with a charismatic spokesperson or two, this could easily be a new and primary religion, Gandalfism. Now, of course, I know thats now how the creation of the Bible came about, and it's kind of a ridiculous example, but you see my basic point.

This is not to say I don't believe in anything. I would consider myself Agnostic, that is to say; I think there is something out there, though not necessarily a god. If there is a god responsible for us, then I am quite convinced that he started everything out and hasnt been back since, or forgot about us. Also, although I am no X-Files geek, i'm always open to the possibility that we may be the result of an extra-terrestrial effort. Or it may have just been evolution. I just don't know.

In summation, I have made a poll out of my own curiosity, and welcome your arguments, points, disagreements and criticism in this thread.

[ December 08, 2004, 03:45 AM: Message edited by: Mr. Blonde ]