Railing Against Religion

You’ll notice I said religion, and not god.  God is an abstract concept that I’m not even concerned with here.  What I am concerned about, is the attempt of virtually all religious organizations to demand recognition of, and obeisance to, their particular allegory concerning this abstract concept, as absolute and holy.  I’m wholly against that.

Because along with this presumption comes a whole raft of crap, that these purveyors of their various brands of god, expect more rational people to debate them on, on a point-by-point basis.

This is like trying to debate with children on their various and particular views of Santa Clause.  I don’t care to mount an argument against Santa’s ability to fit down a chimney, fly through the air, or visit every single household on a single night.  Not to mention his omniscient abilities to know who’s been naughty or nice.

Let’s face it – at some point you hope to sit them down and break it to them, as gently as possible, that there is no Santa Clause.  But, that he does exist as a very real idea, in the minds and hearts of many, as a metaphorical allegory for goodness, generosity, and the innocence of children everywhere.

By the way, most of us tend to completely ignore the ramifications of lying to our children about Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy, et all.  But that sacred bond of trust, that first exists between parent and child, is forever sullied and lost, once the truth is known – the truth that parents are allowed to lie to their children.

Of course, some would point out that this can actually serve to effectively inoculate children against undue credulousness.  Indeed, some go on to resist any and all forms of illusory constructions that others would presume to impose on them.

However, for many the hurt and loss of so wonderful an illusion can only be replaced by the voluntary surrender of their personal credulity to, what I like to refer to as, the next highest order of their social belief system.  Unfortunately, this is why some enter the ministry, while others set off on a personal spiritual quest, and still others enter into alcohol, sex, or drug abuse.

Some of you, no doubt, think that I exaggerate – or that I’m just picking the fly shit out of the pepper.  You’re the ones that really ought to think again.