The Spirit in the Sky?
This is an issue I have been struggling with lately. I am not struggling with how I feel, I am struggling with how this might make friends and family feel, but it needs to be said.
I don't believe in God.
At least, I don't believe in the God we are all taught about through church. For that matter, I have many problems with organized religion. I respect the beliefs of others and firmly support everyone's right to religion. I just can't believe in it for myself.
Let me explain.
Let me explain.
I have grown up in a world and time of great discovery and advancement. Our level of knowledge and global communication has expanded at a tremendous rate. With all this knowledge available to us, I just can not in anyway believe that there is a "man-like being" sitting on a throne up in the clouds somewhere looking down on all of us and watching our every move. Honestly, that is pretty hard to believe isn't it?
Furthermore we are supposed to believe that this Supreme being wants representatives here on earth to spread the word of how great he is. In return we have to go to a building erected in his honour and lay down some cash and some prayers in order to show our respect and appease this god. We are taught that if we step out of line and don't follow his rules we will end up spending our afterlife in eternal damnation somewhere beneath the earth! Come on, how was anyone convinced this is true? We all know that there is no underworld beneath the surface of the earth…oh it's hot in there, but there is no horn-headed, cloven-hoofed, pointy-tailed creature ruling over it waiting for our naughty souls…
Now, having come to terms with that and realizing that organized religion is one of the best money scams every perpetrated…I have a few questions.
What do we do about our legal system if people stop believing in God? We are taught that the criminals will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help them God…but what if like me, they don't believe that God is up there waiting to punish them if they lie? Isn't the whole legal system supposedly based on a belief in a supreme being..that regardless of what happens in the courtroom, we will ultimately be punished for our sins?
What will war-torn countries do to occupy their time if everyone comes to the realization that believing in imaginary beings and fighting about which one is the "real one" is counter productive and downright stupid. I suppose perhaps they could spend a few years rebuilding the destroyed cities and disposing of weapons of mass destruction.
What will everyone do on Sunday if we no longer feel the need to worship our wonderful make-believe friend in the sky? Perhaps we should revisit that Sunday shopping thing eh?
Bottom line is, I personally don't understand how any educated person can truly and honestly believe in their heart and mind that the teachings of the church are the truth. However, if you can somehow over-look all the obvious shortcomings of religion and get past the craziness of miracles, magic tricks, immaculate conceptions and resurrections, and find comfort, peace and happiness through organized religion, then I say "God Bless You".
For those wondering…
Yes the story of the child pornography obsessed bishop was the straw that broke this camels back…but I haven't really believed for most of my life…I never was big on imaginary friends and who needs imaginary foes!
Now, having come to terms with that and realizing that organized religion is one of the best money scams every perpetrated…I have a few questions.
What do we do about our legal system if people stop believing in God? We are taught that the criminals will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help them God…but what if like me, they don't believe that God is up there waiting to punish them if they lie? Isn't the whole legal system supposedly based on a belief in a supreme being..that regardless of what happens in the courtroom, we will ultimately be punished for our sins?
What will war-torn countries do to occupy their time if everyone comes to the realization that believing in imaginary beings and fighting about which one is the "real one" is counter productive and downright stupid. I suppose perhaps they could spend a few years rebuilding the destroyed cities and disposing of weapons of mass destruction.
What will everyone do on Sunday if we no longer feel the need to worship our wonderful make-believe friend in the sky? Perhaps we should revisit that Sunday shopping thing eh?
Bottom line is, I personally don't understand how any educated person can truly and honestly believe in their heart and mind that the teachings of the church are the truth. However, if you can somehow over-look all the obvious shortcomings of religion and get past the craziness of miracles, magic tricks, immaculate conceptions and resurrections, and find comfort, peace and happiness through organized religion, then I say "God Bless You".
For those wondering…
Yes the story of the child pornography obsessed bishop was the straw that broke this camels back…but I haven't really believed for most of my life…I never was big on imaginary friends and who needs imaginary foes!
6 comments:
I have struggled all of life with the same questions, and like you, respect the opinion of others about their chosen religions, even when I don't agree with them. I went to church, sang in the choir and sang in a youth group choir. Truly I wanted to believe. But I don't.
"Spirit in the Sky" and "Go Tell it on the Mountain" are two of my favourite tunes, but I have always felt a little odd (hypocritical?) singing certain lines. I enjoy the community and spirituality of reciting (with a group) the 23rd Psalm as I did the other evening at a memorial service. At that moment in time, it felt right because the person we were honouring was a believer in the church and God.
Several of my dearest friends are great believers in God and some of them don't even realize that I don't share this passion.
One of my deepest beliefs is "The Golden Rule" and I try to live my life by it. I stray sometimes, but for the most part, I think I honour it.
Another of my deepest beliefs is that if certain religions allowed their "representatives" to marry and have families, many children would have been spared abuse. Not to say that child abuse rests only in those corners, it's just that it garners so much media when it happens in the church.
I am in agreement with you, Dale.
I too am struggling with the whole religion aspect of life. I have to say I do believe in God, but not necessarily the “"man-like being" sitting on a throne up in the clouds, but that “there’s got to be something else out there”. I have to believe that there’s more than just this. That when we die, we don’t just disappear into oblivion. There’s got to be something to work towards, a reward for treating people with respect, being decent, treating people the way you want to be treated, etc. etc. Otherwise, what’s the point. There is so much evil in the world, so many people doing atrocious things, (and yes, some in the name of God), that I truly want to believe, that somewhere, sometime, those assholes will get what’s coming to them.
Also, ghosts. I believe in ghosts, which means there’s got to be somewhere else for them to go (either up or down). Otherwise we’d be overrun by them.
7 months ago, I started going back to church. It’s been years since I’ve gone (with the exception of Christmas). I was finding I was missing something in my life. That, and my daughter was starting to ask questions that I just didn’t know the answers to. Our Minister is incredible (she’s the main reason I kept going once I started). She puts “religion” into every day terms and how it applies to today.... most of the time. For a while, I was feeling better, but I’m struggling again. I love the comraderie, the warm welcome, the feeling of belonging, but as I’m listening to the readings, and she starts talking about Zion, etc. etc., I find it feels more like I’ve joined a cult. That sounds harsh. But I don’t know how else to put it. It’s getting harder and harder to make everyone go to church each Sunday.
I am torn between not sure if this is right, and wanting to make sure my daughter has a strong moral foundation and gets the good parts out of believing in God. The fact that she’s never alone, that God loves her and will always be there, and if she does think about doing something wrong, God (along with everyone else) will be very disappointed... which can be quite the deterrent.
I’ve been exposed to many types of religion over the years from United (mine), to Catholic, Anglican and Mormon. I find I want to take all the good parts from each so that I am a good and decent person and ignore all the other parts that seem obsurd, and just live my life the best I can, but is it enough? I guess we won’t know until our time comes and we see what’s on the other side.
Thank you both for your comments! I have received a couple of others through facebook and email. They have all been great and I would even say supportive.
I really appreciate the comments posted here for others to read though. It is a tough topic to discuss openly and I feel it shows a certain level of courage from you both to so openly discuss this.
Momma C, I know exactly what you mean about sometimes it just feels right. I have been to several memorial services where in my heart I knew it was where I was supposed to be. Not for the religion aspect but because it was what the recently deceased person would have wanted. Also the feeling of sharing in something larger and grieving and remember with the group "felt right".
Stephanie, I also know what you mean about it sometimes feeling cult-like. I have been fortunate to meet your sweet little girl and I would have to say that whatever you are doing, you are doing it right. I think even if you were to totally remove religion from her life, she would still be brought up with a strong moral foundation. I think it has much more to do with the person you are, then with any god who may or may not be watching over her. Oh and I just can't buy into the ghost thing!
As for me, I am very glad that I chose to express this. I know it has probably surprised and perhaps even upset some people who are close to me, but I no longer feel like a hypocrite. I just can't sit in Lodge or Church anymore pretending that I am a believer.
Keep the comments coming, I truly do enjoy seeing the perspective of others on these topics I am getting off my chest.
I totally agree with Stephanie. She wrote down what I was thinking. I too believe in all the things she spoke about.
I also respect your view as well Dale and Mama C.
It does leave a lot to the imagination, the older I get the more I question everything!!!
Do you believe in Aliens?
Hey Darryl...well I don't believe in the Hollywood style aliens that come here to visit with our trailer park dwellers and farmers near the dessert.... but I guess I do believe that somewhere in the infinite universe there could be other life forms.
I don't how "human-like" those life forms may be, but I actually find it difficult to believe that Earth is the only planet that contains life.
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