The Riddle Of Religion

The Riddle Of Religion © Jun 2013 Written by David Wicker (Please do not reprint without permission) What we would like to believe and what we believe we know ... Religion is a curious thing. It is the one thing in the world that people believe in that has no absolute proof, nothing entirely concrete. It is founded entirely on FAITH. And Faith is that which you believe in OTHER beliefs. No room for doubt, no room for question, just absolute belief. When I was younger, I attended church services just like everyone else, mostly because my Dad brought me and there was always the reward of a small sip of bitter coffee and a sweet roll afterwards in addition to often attending a nice restaurant like Kip's with Dad's friends. As I grew older and moved out on my own, my Dad stopped attending services except for Christmas and Easter. I don't think so much that he was growing apart from the church as it was he recognized something that I didn't earlier. For all the great power and glory God is, it is still the 'game' of Faith that brings religion together. The one unquantifiable substance. Now I have no problems with following the Bible and it's writings as it definitely teaches good and positive behavior, beneficial in the world today. But know also that there are 'lost books' of the Bible as well, that were deliberately removed from the Bible today, controversial stuff, more so than the bible contradicts itself today. WHY ? Why was it removed ? These preachers today that attest every single word in the Bible is true, do they consider the fact that many many stories were removed and are considered the Lost Books Of The Bible ? And where are cavemen and dinosaurs listed in the Bible ? They are not. I talked to my sister's keeper about this, and he said that the Bible is an East invention and there were no caves there where cavemen did indeed record their life and events. I just don't know. There are too many elements that don't make logical sense, and perhaps they are not supposed to. And the Bible does contradict itself several times. I have ultimately come across the conclusion that the Bible was written by man and therefore is subject to man's interpretation, and that does take a bit of the fire from thinking it a divine and Holy relic sent to us solely from God. I have no doubt there was great inspiration years ago to write the Bible and I further don't doubt there was a fellow who claimed to be the Messiah, the son of God, who may have well been persecuted and murdered on a 4-pointed cross, and that is understandable. But let us not lose focus of what churches teach today.   1. You do good, you go to heaven, you live forever. 2. You do bad, you go to hell, you suffer forever   Not much of a choice, really is it ? Could it be that both the embodiment of churches and their organizations and the preachers behind them use this 'fear' to get people to believing in religion 'or else,' for if you don't, then you have everlasting damnation hanging over your head ? Power, to any man or woman, not a God, is always desirable to a man who loses control of his own world. And what greater power for a person to have than to promote something that cannot be proven and can always be 'worded' towards one's benefit, saying it is blasphemy to ever question it ? The common man, sinful as he is, can afford pride. But a preacher, an instrument of God CANNOT. Neither can he afford contempt. He should not judge others lest he be judged himself. I fully agree with that. And I think some of our preachers have forgotten this over time. A preacher CANNOT fully interpret the word of God and in my humble opinion, it is against God's will (or Creator's - your pick) for any one preacher to presume they can fully interpret the word of God or teach others about it as if they know the great beyond. It is a paradox indeed because a great many preachers today are proud of the fact, fiercely, and fully believe that their word is the final Word when communicating with individuals, especially the agnostic, the confused, or the atheists. There is no room for questioning the word of God or of a preacher. But what is that word ? And has it been lost or perverted for use throughout time ? Many bloody wars were fought only for the cause of religion. It is said that God is all-powerful and all-knowing. If this is the case, then I dearly believe in my heart that He would not lower Himself to 'human' standards and condemn people to eternal damnation because of something as petty as human jealousy. I cannot see this. If He is all-powerful and all-knowing He would RELEASE them, to do as they like, or as I have seen in my dreams, my Guardian. And the biggest pull towards organized religion is the greatest hypocrisy of all. The gift of Eternal Life. But I put it to you now, that mankind has NOTHING to benefit from eternal life if it does not bridge the 'new' world and the one we live in now. It does not help those people suffering today and those that will most assuredly be suffering in the future. Mankind has gained great knowledge and technology because of extensive science, research, and communication by questioning everything around him. If you cannot 'define' religion or quantify it or even prove it, then what point is it in benefiting mankind today ? These are questions I have asked myself. I have further come across the realization that, I do not want eternal life, not if it cannot be 'sent' back to the world here, where it could be studied, learned, understood, and where mankind could grow and learn from it and make himself a better and more charitable species than he is today. If this life is all that there is, I am content with that. I am tired, and I do not think I need to live forever, nor should this be some selfish 'goal' I am trying to attend, especially for the blind game of Faith or to follow in some preacher's goals to 'spread the word' or whatever it is - that perhaps he believes will somehow give salvation to HIM ! Being good is in our nature, at least I believe it is. And I think we have forgotten that over time. It is not something we are 'required' to do in order to gain this great gift of immortality from an unseen God. And that is truly sad that we feel we have to punish ourselves for our shortcomings and human frailties to meet this wonderful 'Gift.' The great 'riddle' of religion is Faith. And as as far as relics go, I would rather worship the symbol of a snowflake, something that can be seen in the palm of your hand before it melts. I would rather believe and place my faith in this than the cross which will apparently (as religion refuses to let go of it) a 4-pointed cross upon which a messiah will eternally suffer. Is this what we want in religion ? The suffering and pain that we may or may not have done to someone many years ago which apparently we will never forgive ourselves for as more and more 4-pointed crosses are made today, several with a bloodied, bruised, and broken, man on them ? These are the questions I have asked myself. And as I am older now, I tell myself NO. I will not be part of this. I will most certainly do what I can to help others but in my actions, charity, and compassion, but because I CHOOSE to. NOT because of some great impending DOOM laying over me from some preacher's words. Not because of a great eternal 'reward' awaiting me in the afterlife. I will NOT be part of the 'game' of Faith and nor do I desire the coveted 'eternal life' it promises. Until this 'eternal life' can bridge the living and the dying, I say it has no place in my world, and instead, I will continue to present myself as a volunteer to the world, to help HERE and NOW instead of in the great after. Let us focus where our feet stand today ! That which promotes change and growth in society and not an archaic game of 'faith.'   Instead of staring up at the sun for divine grace, we should work under it, for the benefit of mankind.   Faith and religion, therefore, I see as elitist since after death, while the theory goes you are considered a 'greater' form of life, we have the very NOW to consider, to help our fellow man. And this 'eternal life' does not directly benefit mankind HERE nor in the future do I see it doing so. And science, technology, and growth today I believe far supersede worshiping a God that sees fit to place us in eternal damnation should we not play the game of Faith with him.   And ultimately, I cannot see this. That is a HUMAN emotion, jealousy. I put it to you that our Creator would not stoop Himself so low as to be encumbered by it. I don't believe it, and I don't attest to it, and I am moving on with Faith placed in my Guardian. Religion should always be an individual experience and I think we have forgotten that over time, in place of greedy and scheming man hoping to profit in being it's prophet. It is when it is organized that one person alone rules the masses surpassing all independent thought. The preacher, then HE is the one that dictates religion, and you lose all your 'free thinking' in this, and heaven help you if you question him on anything ! I know this because I tried, as eloquently and politely as I can. There is no room for doubt. And now you have your own time to consider. You can spend it helping others in this world today, or instead attend service to an invisible God whose word and rule is governed solely by an unbreakable and iron-clad preacher. This has gone on for thousands of years now, with the hope that there is 'eternal life' awaiting for us afterwards. I choose to delegate my help and charity to others in the world NOW. THAT is my religion. Find your own way, and do NOT let others tell you where to find your God. Not me, not your friends, not anyone you know. Listen to the answer - from within ... Return home HERE.

Reviews

[Lady Ra]

Here, here! Great article. I studied cultural anthropology and religious studies in my younger years and I have a lot of the same concerns with the Biblical traditions. I too have issue with several of the texts removed from the original Biblical canon (ie. The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mary mother of Jesus's writings were removed, things were added and removed during the reign of King James such as the quote "the meek shall inherit the earth" - a statement to pacify those forced into slavery.) I could go on and on. This is a very brave article.

If you really want to stir the pot with this article look into a TV series called "Ancient Aliens", a documentary called "Zeitgeist", a book called "Chariots of the Gods", and a book called "Forbidden Archeology". The idea that a lot of our religious text from around the world were describing events of possible alien encounters that they had no language for at the time - only mystical, mythical language to describe events so amazing that they based whole religions on it. Most people would call all this a bunch of nonsense, but we have too much mysterious archeology (impossible architecture for humans that were supposed to be living in caves, the pyramids, the Emerald Tablet, Stonehenge, Easter Island, items found that predate what moderns science previously thought, etc) - all these things defy modern science and scientists, architects, and engineers have no credible explanation for. I am not sure what I think of the Ancient Alien theories, but we cannot ignore what is right in front of our faces either.

[dw817]

Waaow ! You are really - knowledgeable on this stuff. I'm just going with my own impressions and dreams and stuff I had and from losing my buddy friend preacher at church cause he was replaced by some other dude that didn't treat me as nice even tho I was in the choir there - anyways.

I know someone told me that Christianity has actually borrowed from religions even older than it (the concept of being born without all that gooky stuff, and the idea that it was the son of God).

And yah I wonder about those old pyramids - never been to one tho - wanted to tho. Basically I think it all comes down to, we can all sit and debate how many angels dance on the head of a pin (strange dance floor I always thought), but 'tis more important we focus on the HERE and NOW and not the THEN or the WILL BE.

There's a really funny scene in Ralph Bakshi's Wizards when the Great Wizard consults two religious preachers for a divine solution to a problem of a dark power over the mountains and they just get all crazy nutty in their ritual, chanting and bowing and praying and eventually start kicking each other up their butts. And it's silly funny stuff to watch - but it makes a point. WHAT are we doing with our lives when we pray to the Lord ?

Does God really know what's going on ? What makes us think that prayer will help when there are so many THOUSANDS if not MILLIONS of people that suffer every day who believe they are far more 'in tune' wth God than we ever were ?

If we truly are God's divine creature, let us use what he gave us, hands to do hard work with, ears to listen to others cries and concerns, and a mouth to communicate acknowledgement. As far as our spirit and soul goes, it's all good and well to talk about but ultimately - ultimately - it does not benefit mankind at a prime physical level today.

Sure we do stuff that some people say is sinful, I say long as we don't hurt others and it makes us feel good, go for it. Life is too short to not enjoy it. I'm pretty sure God wouldn't want us stretched out on the ground in consistent and constant prayer - he wants us to make something of ourselves in this world, to be the best man or woman we can be - and we only have ourselves to blame when we spend time doing ritual stuff and are not actually out there helping folk and accomplishing LIFE.

[Lady Ra]

Here, here again. I agree. Oh yeah there is a documentary called "Zeitgeist" that should blow you away as well. It talks about how the Bible was created from various stolen pagan and Zoroaster traditions.

Ra

[dw817]

My - stolen ? I'm looking up this link now ....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeitgeist

[Lady Ra]

Check out the film on youtube. Zeitgeist and Zeitgeist Addendum. Very interesting stuff.

[dw817]

I was thinking about what to watch tonite. I've been watching Johnny Test episodes now for several weeks - OK - I'll go to look up that video there then.

[Lady Ra]

Enjoy.

[Kari Rakitan]

My husband calls Jesus a "con man." We were both raised Catholic, but I feel like he didn't pay attention in Church/religious education classes. I find this sad because when I try to explain something I learned in Church/religious education to him, he just shuts down and won't give me the time of day. I'm not trying to get him to believe anything, but there are a lot of things I learned from Jesus and my community while growing up that translate into mental health coping strategies. Forgiveness is the biggest and most obvious strategy.

On the other hand, there were some things I had to unlearn. I stayed in an emotionally abusive relationship for too long because I forgave a lot more than I should have. Or rather, you could say my forgiveness strategy included letting him continue to take advantage of me when it should not have. I kept turning the other cheek, though turning the other cheek is a more complicated matter than it seems when you put it in historical context: https://sesquiotic.com/2017/02/20/turn-the-other-cheek/

Likewise, you could say the reason I didn’t leave sooner is complicated, far more complicated than I can explain here. Anyway, I learned a lot from that relationship, so it wasn’t all wasted time, and I had several factors protecting me from significant damage.

The whole Sermon on the Mount thing is one of the things my Catholic community taught me. Always take the Bible with a grain of salt and look at the historical context. I’m pretty sure I learned that one in our social justice group. My confirmation class in high school also gave me a very interesting analogy. They gave us a long list of things that were "true" and asked us to rank them in order of what was most true. Then, they asked us which thing the Bible was most like. The answer our teachers wanted us to come to turned out to be "love song" since the truth of the Bible isn’t literal but rather about God’s love for us. It’s full of metaphors like a love song.

Another thing that surprised me about going through confirmation is their attitude towards sex. They never told us that premarital sex was wrong. They said that sexuality is a gift from God that we should use to express how we feel about someone and that we should never use it for manipulation. This makes sense to me now because the only stuff against premarital sex was in the Old Testament when women were considered property. Jesus pretty much nullified the entire Old Testament when he said that circumcision isn’t important: https://biblehub.com/colossians/3-11.htm

Put in song form: https://youtu.be/GG8hzY1OoM4

I spent my first year at university hanging out with Campus Crusade for Christ, and their Bible studies were markedly different from my experiences with the Catholic community. For one thing, they divided us by gender. My Catholic community never did that, at least not that I can recall. For another thing, we didn't talk about historical context. We wasted time flipping through the Bible to read one verse here and one verse there so we could talk about how many times it told us to do something very basic. As an honor student, I was bored out of my skull, but I stuck with them to learn about their community. I went to a retreat with them, and on that retreat, they took us aside and told us something rather disturbing. Campus Crusade for Christ intentionally targeted first-year university students because they knew we were vulnerable. They taught us manipulation tactics for recruiting more people. I suppose they figured that if we went on the retreat, we were dedicated enough to know those things. I found it disgusting, though. I didn't spend any more time with Campus Crusade for Christ after the first year. I kept going to the local Catholic church and singing in the choir into my second year, but that fell apart in its own way. My emotionally abusive ex cajoled me into watching movies with him until 2am every Saturday night, so that made waking up in time for Church very difficult. My choir director found out I was non-monogamous and kept trying to put the moves on me even though I wasn't particularly interested in him. It was borderline where I probably could have reported it and gotten him in trouble, but personally it made me feel annoyed but also flattered, so I didn’t think he deserved to get in trouble for it. The final straw was that the priest and deacon had a falling out of some sort, and they never told us exactly what the disagreement was about, but they couldn’t reconcile their differences, so the priest moved to a different church, and we got a new priest who didn't speak English very well. He could only communicate very basic concepts in English. Therefore, Church was no longer a learning experience for me. That is the point where I finally gave up and just slept in instead of going to Church.

Here’s another one of my favorite songs, sang by the people I left behind: https://youtu.be/EF-eoVBY1Yw

Here’s my all-time favorite song, which I bring up in my story: https://youtu.be/5m5j5_aDeS0

None of the videos on that channel have me in them. I was already gone by that point.

Today, I believe that God is in everyone, and He/She/It is easiest to find in the people I love. If you've been reading my story, Marc is based on someone I not only love but also pray to.

This is yet another one of my favorite songs that was popular when I was in high school: https://youtu.be/7dfcpAVvt8Q

Sorry, I wound up taking a long trip down memory lane there.

[dw817]

I read this in READER mode. You can click the page icon that is just to the right of your URL address to see text bigger and all by itself.

Wow you HAVE been through a lot, Kari.

And if there is something I miss as you miss - it is the very lovely and wonderful music the church has to offer.

It sounds to me like you were in the same boat I was for years, the Stockholm Syndrome.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_syndrome

While I was abused back in High School and the bullies got paid for it, when they realized I wasn't going to fight them anymore, they did start to relax their grip on me. Later talking nicely to me.

They came to see me in the library. Told me it's time. They would hold my reading glasses for me. They brought a towel for afterwards. So it was like a regular ritual taking place and ultimately started to take place only on Wednesdays.

I wondered sometimes if they had other victims lined up for the other school days.

Nonetheless by not fighting my oppressors, the bullies - while I never did actually see any degree of kindness, their maliciousness did let up. They didn't yell at me, they even put away the knife and stopped threatening me with it.

Just holding me in place with their hands.

Now I was certain if at any level I didn't go along with this, try to hide from them, or tell someone, they would bring back the knife and quite possibly more. So ... I went along with them without fighting. And they continued to get paid.

The Stockholm Syndrome. Fortunately once I entered college all that changed.

You are not alone, Kari. I imagine there are a great many of us who suffer daily at the hands of their oppressors, and ultimately they do not fight it for fear of getting worse later.

The best I can do today is just get it off my chest and write it out as silly book chapters.

Thanks for writing !

[Kari Rakitan]

Sure thing, and thanks for adding that extra bit of detail to your story. Human behavior is very fascinating.

[dw817]

Motivated by a few things I've found, Kari:
1. Greed (monetary wealth)
2. Power (dictatorship + position)
3. Stone. (what I call stability in life)
3. perspicacity. (seeking the unknown and learning the deemed forbidden)

[wordman]

you`re right all is based on faith and the bible says that faith is given by hearing and seeing
the blind and deaf are left out,the bible says all men are sinners and with sin you can`t enter in heaven
the bible says worry not about what you wear or what you eat your heavenly father will provide more than he feeds the animals and birds yet there is hundreds dying everyday from hunger,hundreds of children in hospitals with cancer and other diseases wheres their protection,i have witnessed two preachers die in agony that was real christians,why,,sin was created by god,lucifer was created by god

[dw817]

Well now you come to an interesting point, Wordman. As I wrote Tate below. What is death ?
read moreWell now you come to an interesting point, Wordman. As I wrote Tate below. What is death ?

The Bible is a very contrary thing. We live very hard lives. We try to stay alive. If someone threatens our lives we often capitulate with money or services.

You know, the classic bad guy:

"Your money or your life, bucko !".

But let's pause for a second. Let's assume that if we die then that is the greatest reward of all, to be in heaven. Sounds fair.

Then why aren't we committing suicide by the bushel ?

Hmm ? These Christians, these people who hold their faith so strongly and proselytize as well, shouldn't they just off themselves so they can be with their beloved leader ? Perhaps they have a few doubts about the afterlife after all and that is why they are still here ?

Now I'm being a little cynical, maybe a lot :) but you see what I'm getting at. Me ? I like being alive. I like having sweetened tea. Some kind of oriental blend, Chai I think. I like the taste of it. I like the heat of it when it's heated. I like the comfortable chair I'm sitting in. I like the music I'm listening to. Soundtrack from Mulan. Wonderful movie.

I even still like Teddy Bears despite my age. So - what does death offer me ? Hmm ... An eternity with God. Well now - maybe I'd like to be alive a little longer before I cross that road of no return.

You know, to keep at this first stage of paradise, hot tea and good music. That's good enough for now.

When I die, well, there are -plans- that I believe are not my own, my Guardian for instance who met me when I was 12-years old. She has plans for me I think. I'm an easy-going guy. I think she has best my interests at heart, so - sure, I'll go with her. Failing that, I'll go to Mayberry. I'd love to meet Floyd the barber, he's an interesting character.

I don't really have any big plans for death. Not really. I'd like to stay alive. I'd like to drink tea tomorrow. Maybe try a new flavor. That passionflower is supposed to be pretty good.

So, yeah, the Bible I agree is a wonderful instrument for teaching kindness, at least the New Testament anyways. As far as an exact model of how we should live ? I don't think so ...

I mean doesn't that sound just a little too simple for God. Let's go with that He made us which presumably He did, then I'm pretty sure he has bigger plans for us rather than blindly following some silly 1000 year old book that contradicts itself many times over.

I think he is much more clever than this. That truly - truly, he has given us freewill. And that =is= a great gift. Might as well give Him a good show for it.

And my freewill, at least for tomorrow is to go out tomorrow and try that new passionflower tea.
No big plans on dying or getting to heaven. Not yet. Time will tell.

[wordman]

just another journey

[Tate Morgan]

I like it. As i have always said If a man needs rewarded in the end for things he should do by conscience. There is something wrong with him. I say live in the now. You have such a short time to master life before youre dust. Worry about who you are here and now.. There is plenty of time in the eternity you will be left with in the end

[dw817]

Fully agree Tate. I certainly do want to live my life to the fullest - perhaps worry about the hereafter =IN= the hereafter and worry about the here and now - now while it is that we have such precious little time on this Earth.

The least we can do is help our fellow man in friendship and strength.

Thanks for commenting !

[Tate Morgan]

You’re welcome . Of course I’m a bit jaded when it comes to things like religion. It is the only job on earth that requires absolutely no proof in other words you don’t have to do anything you simply promise people things after they’re dead. No one ever comes back for a refund.

[Tate Morgan]

Let us suppose you were god and you created man as a subspecies to you in an effort not to better yourself but to have ignorant worshipers for your Narcissism a no good man worships another nor would a superior being desire your worship. After eons if being left to the mercy of the streets man turned out poorly as mans father I would have felt responsible for his failure I would have owned it instead he offers his beloved son to pay for his sins sounds like Trump

[dw817]

Well that brings up another point, interesting you should mention it.

In all of God's great glory why on Earth do we think that he would be crippled and encumbered by human frailties.

Such as vanity, such as narcissism as you mentioned, such as vengeance. Hmm ?

I think He is above all these things. Jean Luc Picard of Star Trek The Next Generation worded it best about death from the episode, "Where Silence Has Lease."

Lt. Cmdr. Data : What... is death?

Capt. Picard : Oh, is that all? Well, Data, you're asking probably the most difficult of all questions. Some see it as a changing into an indestructible form, forever unchanging; they believe that the purpose of the entire universe is to then maintain that form in an earth-like garden, which will give delight and pleasure through all eternity. On the other hand, there are those who hold to the idea of our blinking into nothingness - with all of our experiences and hopes and dreams merely a delusion.

Lt. Cmdr. Data : Which do you believe, sir?

Capt. Picard : Considering the marvelous complexity of the universe, its... clockwork perfection, its balances of this against that, matter, energy, gravitation, time, dimension - I believe that our existence must be more than either of these philosophies. That what we are goes beyond Euclidean or other practical measuring systems, and that our existence is part of a reality beyond what we understand now as reality.

And yes, while we do have our belief and faith in crucifixes, angels, prayer beads, and what have you, I think once we finally do cross to the other side we'll find it is absolutely nothing that humanity has ever experienced or recorded in ANY time frame.

And all of our ideas about God being a vengeful God is merely our incorrect assessment as to what His plan really is - and has for us in the time of our passing.

[Tate Morgan]

There is one other possibility. We invented god to resemble us and to serve our fears.There have been over 5000 gods recorded throughout history. this is just the latest invention

[dw817]

That could well be true, Tate. I remember ... I remember a woman came to me in the pits of my despair as a youth. She told me - differently.

https://www.writerscafe.org/writing/dw817/1193160/

[Tsubaki Kuro]

Very interesting story here. This is a very great article here. You can make money off of this.

[dw817]

Money - really - is the absolute last thing in the world I need, Tsubaki. I'm glad you likes this, however.

I wrote an article on DOUBT additionally. Strangely enough it was severely attacked by die-hard Christians despite having no connections with anything to do religious. And - this one was not attacked at all.

Another curiosity of the human mind, faith, and complex.