1.23.2010

RELIGION IS THE STRONGEST PRISON I KNOW

please... thank you... may i... ma'am... sir... excuse me... smile... hand shake... politeness... courtesy...

lived my life w manners... always believed that we, as only human, are allowed to feel differently about different topics... that no matter how stupid your opinion might be, its your opinion and u are entitled to it. i'd keep my ideas to myself in an attempt to avoid conflict. i'd never in a million years express my black sheep ideals and conclusions on what's going on in this world we're subjected to... just keep my place and hopefully blend into the background at the same time

well, after years of exploring my individuality w multiple hair colors, piercing, tattoos, music and jobs that would make some blush, i've developed a new outlook on things... a sort of elitist attitude if u will... i began to feel like i had this inside peek at the real reality of our times and began to seriously disagree w the institutionalized beliefs we've been force fed our whole lives.

i began to form strong opinions on politics... relationships... social conformity... and most importantly to me, religion.

i grew up a christian... even went to south bay christian school in san diego as a kid. always believed that the bible was the true word of god. became a real religious freak in high school. i believed what the church told me about speaking in tongues and catching the holy ghost. i devoted everyday of my life to staying involved with people who i thought were of god. ignoring all the adultery and theft that went on. all of the backstabbing behavior. damn, i lost my best friend after starting church full time. but even with all of that i thought there was something there. it wasn't until i started realizing how much money the church was making off of my 10% of minimum wage... started seeing that people of the church had totally divient lives outside of those four walls... something was not adding up...

a couple sundays, out of curiousity, i visited a mosque... and while i'm sitting in the service it hit me like ike to tina... here i am... among people who will die or kill for there religion... and next sunday when i'm back at my christian church i will again be among people who are willing to die or kill for a completely different religion... just doesn't make sense that god would be so shallow as to say that there is only one way to believe and that everyone else is going to burn eternally in this proverbial Hell.

years of self discovery and research later, and i find myself here... on this planet with crazy strong convictions and not afraid of pissing anyone off... and willing to shout on a mountain top that organized religion is a ploy by the government to gain power and money and to instill a false sense of security (and fear) to those willing to fall prey.

through my years of questioning and never being satisfied w the rehearsed answers, i've landed here on this blog.

i believe in a higher power, however, i do not believe in organized religion... it's called Deism. it was here before man started creating all of this hocus pocus scripture nonsense and it'll be here when all the aforementioned is long gone... if u believe in a higher power i can assure u that u will not find his (or her) word in a bound book of man written stories... there is nothing that can make me believe that my higher power would be so stupid as to entrust his word w man... leave it vulnerable to misinterpretation and and subject to alteration.

one of our founding fathers, thomas paine, says in his book "The Age of Reason":

"my own mind is my own church... all national institutions of churches, whether jewish, christian or turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize money and power.

i do not mean by this declaration to condemn those who believe otherwise; they have the same right to their belief as i have to mine. but it is neccessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. infidelity does not consist in believing, or disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe."


and i agree...

listen, i'm not gonna start arguments with people who believe differently than i do, but if asked i have no choice but to be painfully honest about how i feel. there are other things more important than organized religion. and i'm glad i've realized that before its too late.

20 comments:

  1. I have been under the firm belief for quite a while now that the bible is a book of lies. There is no need at all for any such words to be put in text. We are all born with the ability to receive any such messages internally.

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  2. i'll write another blog that focuses more on deism, than on my religious opinion. some people think there's either religion or atheism and that just not the case, ya kno?

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  3. YES I DO KNOW. PEOPLE ARE OFTEN SO CLOSE MINDED WHEN IT COMES TO RELIGION. FOR EXAMPLE JAHOVA WITNESSES EXPECT TO CONVERT YOU JUST BY KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR BUT WOULD NEVER DARE LISTEN TO WHAT YOUR RELIGIOUS THEORIES ARE.

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  4. so if you dont believe in tithe, then you must not believe in the meaning of "give and it shall come back to you" and if you dont believe in tithe, then you dont understand the rewarding and fulfilling meaning of what God can do.

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  5. to the last "anonymous" who wrote, i just want to say thank u for commenting =) i welcome all points of view, whether they're the same or different than my own...

    that being said, lol...

    what's the point of tithe? god doesn't get it... or am i in the dark about something here? does he charge for his services? is that what's happening?

    i'm not a christian so i'm guessing that i believe differently than u do... i don't believe that giving a percentage of what i make to a church improves my relationship with god...

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  6. ok, well thats where your all wrong babe. your not giving to the church, your giving to God. and if you dont believe in that, than you must not believe that jesus sacraficed himself for our sins and he was laid on a cross. you said you gave your 10% when u were a child, or your parents did? ok well, believe you me, your blessings did come.. look at where u are now or what you have accomplished. look at where i am now...o, you dnt know but im just some random 27 yr old chic from FL. i dont go to church everyday because i party too much. but girl believe me if tithing wasnt created, the world would be a greedy unhappy place. and its either you believe the whole Bible or you dont believe anything at all. there is no inbetween.

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  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  8. Well i would like to throw my 2 cents into this particular tithe discussion.

    Jesus Christ never went around asking for money when he gave his sermons anywhere.Nor did he give his teachings in any church. Jesus often preached on a hillside or by some river bank. I do not recollect the Bible ever once mentioning Jesus asking for one cent. In fact he lived a very meager existance from birth until the time of his death. He and all of his followers gave up all of their posesions. For some odd reason i don't remember reading or hearing of anything of theirs ever going to the church.

    The whole concept of Christianity was based specifically around the teachings and practices of Jesus. Why would you expect it to be required or even so much as requested by God. Jesus never asked for any tithings and if im not mistaken he never gave it either. Why would you? Because a book says so?

    Do you know how many times the Bible has been translated and then retranslated again. Lets not forget that the current itteration of the Bible we use now is the King James version. All kings were believed to be given that title by God himself. The kings controlled all churches and those that did not believe in or practice fully the mandates of the church were often put to death.

    The practice of other religions was not allowed in that region during that era. In fact many battles have taken place in the effort of converting people over to Christianity. Ever hear of the Crusades?

    The people of the time of King James were programmed to believe all that the king said. When he offered up his "translation" the people had no choice but to accept its word or die. So when they were told to pay their 10% they had no choice. Oh wait they did. They could either pay up or be considered a heritic. Tithing is nothing more than a second form of taxation.

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  9. ok, well @ JAKKA. FIRST of all, y tha hell would jesus do that asking folks for money??? Did you not hear about the women with the issue of blood in the bible, or the songs? she was poor, had a disease and she got cured. so what did she do afterwards??? say thank you Jesus peace out, you just saved my life. i'll buy you a drink when i see you??? Uh no, she took the most prized posession she had-an expensive bottle of perfume- and emptied it on Jesus feet. THE WHOLE POINT IS OF GIVING THANKS. you dont need to get too politically correct. POINT BLANK. Geez, i was almost anticipating you would put a Ross Perot quote in your reply..SMH..im done. just ran across this blog. PEACE OUT!

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  10. sorry anonymous got so upset... we're all entitled to our own opinions, but i guess she doesn't see it that way...

    if she were around i'd respond to her by saying... i did not get to where i am today because i gave tithing as a teenager... i'm where i am today because i understand my relationship w god... i've made certain choices in my life, some good and some bad... and i've paid for my mistakes and i've enjoyed my successes... i stopped believing in church a looonnnggg time ago, and my life didn't end...

    and u are giving the money to the church... they used the money to pay the people who work there... pay bills and all that jazz... in some churches the tithing goes to the preacher's nice new cars and fancy houses... its not like the money is being shipped to god... it stays right here on planet earth where we all have to live

    ps. i don't believe in any of the bible because i'm NOT a christian... if i sat here and said i was a muslim or jew u prolly wouldn't still be trying to force the bible down my throat

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  11. Wow.I didn't realize I said anything so upsetting in my reply.

    Well let me begin by saying that I am a person who has a very open mind and is completely willing to listen to and learn about anyones point of view on just about any subject. My attempt was not to anger you, but instead to help you understand why it is that i came to believe my particular religious beliefs.

    I am a bit puzzled that a simple discussion would get you so riled up. I find it equally baffling that you would throw around words like Hell. In a religious discussion of all things. It would have been one thing if you were speaking of Hell as in the contrary to Heaven. You used it as a descriptive word though.

    Hmmm...
    Anyhow
    I am going to do my best to get passed that. I hope that you can find it within yourself to do the same.

    Now in response to the rest of yur reply; I dont think we repay God with certain monitary donations based on the amount of our income. I feel that we should do just as the lady you referenced did. We show our thanks to God with our deeds.

    Now in response to Roxy.

    I think just as you do when it comes to churches. If you do not know I live in Houston. In this great city in which I resides the very well known preacher Joel Osteen. I have various family and friends that attend his church. Let me tell you... the whole building is filled with ATM machines. Gotta have those ATM machines right. We wouldnt want anyone forgetting to bring the proper amount of cash to church with them. Who would want a mere 10% of their earnings standing between themselves and Heaven?
    Oh and just so you know, Joel Osteen is a MILLIONAIRRE. So just in case the church does not get the money needed to pay the electric bill. He can definately afford to keep the lights on for several years if needed. Correct me if I'm wrong... as far as i know churches don't even have to pay taxes. Many of the people who provide survices to the church do it on a voluntary basis. So the church doesnt even have to pay them. In fact, even the churches that provide meals and offer donoughts have those meals provided to them through donations. Trust me, I know this to be a fact. It seems to me like churches operate on the cheap. They are making out like bandits if yu ask me.

    On a seperate issue concerning church. Many of the people who deliver "The Word Of God" are in fact sinners. From the Catholic Priest who is molesting little boys, to the ex-drug dealer of a Baptist Preacher,and the ones who just cannot stay faithful to their wives. Why would i want to risk my soul following someone like that? I decided a long time ago that i would much rather open myself up to Gods word directly indyrsf of referring to some middle man.

    So should you

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  12. Now as far as the bible goes

    There is a story in the Bible that goes a lil something like this...


    God was one day bragging about this particular person's loyalty to him

    The Devil said well lets make a bet on how loyal he really is. He bets God that he is only loyal to God because God has allowed him to lead a fruitful life and if things ever turned south he wouldnt hesitate to curse God.

    God accepts the Devil's offer and says you can do anything you want to this man. Just don't harm him or his family.

    So the Devil destroys the man's land. Kills all of his animals and slaves. (yes this so called rightous man kept slaves and God was just fine with it).

    After all those things the man stands strong and never once curses God as God had expected.

    The Devil tells God that he didn't allow him to do enough to test the man properly.

    So God tells him ok you can do anything you want to the mans family and to the man himself. Just dont kill him.

    So the Devil kills the man's wife and all of his children. Then ravages his body with a disease.

    Still the man holds true to God.

    God then gives the Devil one more chance to get the man to curse God.

    The Devil sends three of the man's friends. Each of them try to convince him how God has forsaken him.

    Even then he stayed true.

    The Devil lost the best. God wanted to show his appreciation to the man for staying so loyal.

    He was rewarded with More bountiful harvests then he ever had, more farm animals, a new wife, an even bigger family, God cured him of his illnesses, and a new crop of slaves.

    That is the story of Job.

    The moral to the story is supposed to be if you stay true to God during the bad times God will reward you with more than you ever had in the first place


    Now if you believe in the Bible then you should believe that God and the Devil seemingly get along just fine. They both make friendly bets with each other on how we will respond to certain hardships in our lives. If we lose loved ones we just have to replace them with more loved ones than we lost and we will be better off. The hardest thing for me to believe is that God first of all is ok with people having human slaves, and secondly that God has given people slaves as some sort of a reward.

    Its stories like that that really make me question the whole concept of the Bible and its true purpose. None of us know what was in the hearts of the people who wrote it. Maybe a Devil worshiper slipped through the ranks and penned a little bit of the Bible. People just accept is as God's word and follow it on pure blind faith.

    Why?

    Ask anyone who believes in the Bible that question and they will tell you that they follow the Bible because the Bible says to do so.

    Sad

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  13. this has been an awesome debate sesh... hopefully blogs posted on here will continue to spark such enthusiasm!

    its good to question... and disagree... and discuss... but most importantly its good to stay open minded... i'm glad i've gotten outta my stubborn ways of thought... i feel so much more liberated =)

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  14. Well said Roxy. I'm not trying to convince anyone to put their Bibles away. My goal is to slimply encourage people to try to get a better understanding of why it is that they believe so strongly in their religion. Most of us simply follow a certain religion because we were tought to do so by our parents.

    If America was a Muslim nation and our parents were Muslim, then I'm sure that 95% of us would be Muslim as well. Don't just follow a book because the book itself says that you must.

    In the Bible it mentions Jesus being resurectioned one more time. I am quite certain that if he was among us right now, and he was trying tell the world who he was... Nobody would believe him. We would all require him to do a series of miracles as proof. If he refused or was unable then we would all dismiss him as a crazy person.

    Why?

    Try not to take everything for what it tells you that it is.
    Do your best to get a better understanding so that you may make a more educated decision.

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  15. I was not raised in the church. I feel that Jesus is the truth! I follow Jesus through FAITH not just through a book. My faith comes from things that I have gone through in my life and also by reading the bible. There have been times where I was in a spot I had no where to turn I picked up the bible asked God to help me and the first page I opened gave me just what I needed. So can I give you facts as to why I know Jesus is the truth no I can not but I have never heard any FACTS that say he is not my lord and savor.

    People also need to stop confusing church with God. All churches do not follow the Bible. They pick and chose what parts to follow and what parts to dismiss. They all have a hidden agenda. That fact does not make the bible or God any less real to me. I could see how going to church would actually make a person run from Christianity. The bible might not makes sense to you but that does not make it not true or real.

    I just think its easier to say well it don't make sense so I'm not gonna believe in anything and live my life the way I want to. To think a group of men sat in a room and made the bible up just so people would confirm sounds crazy and absurd to me.

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  16. WOW. This debate has got me thinking alot now. Roxy first off hello. im part of your Afro Punk fam. where have u been and How are you. lol

    good.. let me start by saying i am a 23 yr old male living in LA, im from Fayetteville NC originally where church amongst african american families is a big deal. I was raised in a Christian home. i went to a Baptist church my whole life up until around 18 or 19. I even served in the Marines where i thought The bible and jesus was all i had to help me get through my hard times.. I was taught that the bible is the whole truth, Jesus is the whole truth and there is nothing else past that..

    As i began to get older and start to question some of the things that would happen in the church my awareness of what really was going on went up. You will not believe some of the things i have seen in the "holy" church. Ive seen people fornicating, ive seen fights and heard curse words. All in the church. This is something that really bothered me because i had always assumed that God would not allow something like that to happen in his "Holy" temple right? Well..

    After i throughly researched i have discovered that there are MANY religions and they all claim the same exact thing, just with different stories. I will not speak on them all but i will speak on christianity. Ive learned that one Jesus christ was the basis for the religion. He walked the earth for about 30 years and preached Love. That was his message. Love. nothing more. When did Jesus preach if you are not a "Christian" you go to hell? so your telling me that if you were a muslim but loved everyone as you did your self and had a good heart that you burn in hell? makes no sense to me..most Christians do not even realize that Christianity was not a religion when jesus walked the earth..

    Now i never read anywhere where Jesus said pay tithes or go to hell. I never saw him pay one cent. I never saw any of that. Im NOT saying that we shouldnt be thankful to God, but i never saw we had to pay a tithe. Tithes is something the folks from the old testament would do.. they would pay a portion of animal by burning it to God as a way of saying thank you. to be honest im not even sure if that is considered tithes but i know that todays tithes were based around that idea. so do i believe in paying tithes? NO. i do not. i believe in thanking God by doing good deeds and having a good heart. thats how you repay God. Honestly WHAT would God do with money? go to the store? by some clothes? come on people think. Church has always had its own agenda from day one. as someone said before tithes is another form of taxation bought to America by Rich Kings from England. thats the truth. its hard to see that because of what we have been told as kids but if you for one second step back see the bigger picture you will realize..

    The Bible to me is a manuscript that was put together by a group of men who all lived in different eras. this is evident if you read it. No i dont believe a bunch of englishmen came up with it one day in a room, but i do think that because God gave us freewill, men took what they wanted to hear and share from these Manuscripts and put it down on paper. i think the what we refer to as "bible" was intended to be a thing to help guide us, BUT MAN changed it so much that you cannot believe in it today.. for all we know we dont even have the full thing.. but i do believe that the morals of the bible have always been there which is in a nutshell live your life the best way you know how and Love people as God the creator Loves you. One thing is for sure, God is real. Religion was created by man. Not God. -Klash

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  17. also to touch on the slavery thing. Slavery was very much a real thing but i do not believe God would approve of such a thing. honestly. slavery during that era or the slavery we witnessed here in america. it was all wrong. SLAVERY was a man made choice, that we made. God gave us freewill. his only job is too judge our actions and pay us for them right or wrong. So as far as the God giving Job more SLAVES than he ever had in his life is in my mind a man made story. something that the MAN that originally thought of the story came up with, another reason that the bible feels so unreliable.

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  18. klash i know u left these comments almost a year ago... but i just wanna say thanx for taking the time to write... i'm not always as diligent as i should be when it comes to keeping up with my own blog, lol...

    just had to add this... a quote by L Ron Hubbard the founder of scientology:

    "if you want to make a little money write a book. if you want to make a lot of money, create a religion"

    its been rad reading back thru all of this... u people keep me on my toes ;)

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