Every Religion Was Once Good

Religion and God are very touchy subjects. It's apparently one of the big 3 in topics that are not PC for social gatherings (the other two being Money and Politics). But I'm going to touch on it it any way because it's my blog and I can say what I want.

Every religion at some point in history started off as a great philosophy to believe in. With time, people started to follow that philosophy because they were told to by their parents and society and they did so without questioning it (out loud). They added to the philosophy, made amendments, enforced rules and subjugated women and children in the process. As it began to take on the form of organized religion, it's basic principles of peace, hope and love were some how lost in the mix. Suddenly, God came to be about whether women should work and what they should wear, who to have sex with and when and where and WHY (OK there is only ONE why - to make babies), what defines marriage and what is evil (homosexuality), et cetera, et cetera, et cetera! 

Any one who hopes to break away from organized religion is brave and has good intentions (mostly). But maintaining the purity of the philosophy after your time on earth is extremely difficult. Some one is always going to suggest, "Hey, let's do it THIS way!" and five people will agree with him and they'll start their own religion.

I went to a very lovely Hindu ceremony at a good friend's home - another version of a baby shower but with mantras and rituals and conducted mostly by the women (a man still had to preside over the rituals and mantras). At some point the ladies were asked to walk up to the mother-to-be and whisper in her ear all the good qualities and hopes and dreams they wished for her little one. To me, it was a very beautiful idea. I then noticed my friend's sister watch the whole thing from the perimeter and look very wary. Apparently, as a divorcee she is not allowed into "that very special place" and wish her own little sister like the other women could. Because some how, her failed marriage was a pox on the wonderful ceremony of impending motherhood. 

There are similar circumstances in EVERY religion. Idiocy has crept in and everyone's too afraid to speak for fear of offending God, their family and the general public, even though none took such an insult as personally as the person to whom it was directed. Religion terrifies me in so many respects because people kill in its name. As a parent, it's a struggle for me to just be a "good person" so I can qualify as a Christian. Because if I cannot love my fellow human, then all the Bible reading in the world cannot save me.

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