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Religion. Why do we even bother? So much evil has been
perpetrated in the name of religion. Humans have an
amazing capability of ascribing to God all their worst
impulses.
In the Middle East, peace is just a dream as Palestinians
and Jews alike use terror, violence, and hate as tools of
religion. The so-called Holy Land is become an unholy
place of violence, intolerance, and hard-line extremism.
India and Pakistan are two countries who owe their
independence and freedom to one of the Twentieth
Century's true saints of non-violence, Mahandas Ghandi.
But what have we seen since independence? Indian Hindus
and Pakistani Muslims locked in a bitterly violent struggle
fueled by religious and ethnic fanaticism.
In Afghanistan, the Muslim government is not content with
blowing up Buddhist shrines and temples, they are now
prosecuting Christians. Afghan citizens who are found
guilty of proselytizing for Christianity face the death
penalty.
And lest we smugly think that Christians have escaped
faith-based hate, just look at Northern Ireland where
a watching world has been treated to the disgusting
spectacle of Protestant adults cursing, spitting, throwing
stones and bottles, and on Wednesday a bomb at Catholics.
And were those attacked Catholic paramilitary troops from
the IRA, or even Catholic politicians and leaders, or
priests? No. The targets of these sincere, passionate,
'holy' Protestants are little girls and their mothers,
on their way to a Catholic elementary school.
I have never been so disgusted in my life.
Of course, this is all happening overseas, isn't it?
Americans would never be guilty of this kind of extremism.
NOT!!
It was newly arrived American Christians who committed
genocide against the native peoples whose only crime was
that they were here first. It was good people of faith
who brought Africans in chains to this country to live as
chattel in slavery. It was American Protestants who put
up signs that read 'Irish and Dogs Forbidden.' It was
good Christian Americans who perpetrated the sin of
segregation against African Americans and fought against
the Civil Rights Movement, even bombing Black churches.
And it is religious people who are in the vanguard of
the war against sexual minorities in this country.
Jesus wept!
What is it about religion that brings out the worst in
people? Why does belief result in intolerance? Simply
because I believe in Jesus Christ, why would I want to
kill people who don't happen to agree with me? Yes, Jesus
Saves. But some of Jesus' followers have been known to
kill, if you are not saved.
I am a person of faith. I am a Christian. I am a
Protestant. I am a member of Metropolitan Community
Church. I am an active member of Holy Redeemer MCC,
College Park, Maryland. I am proud of my church and
proud of the message of tolerance and love preached
there.
But when I read the news from around the world I am
dismayed at what people of faith can do in the name
of their religion. These atrocities are as far away
as Afghanistan, the Indian Subcontinent, and Northern
Ireland, but also as close as Fred Phelps' web site
(www.GodHatesFags.com), the Southern Baptist Convention,
certain polyester patriarchs among the television
evangelists, and the church down the street, the
fundamentalist Christian at the office, the bigoted
relative.
The God I know and worship is a God of love. Like
Queen Victoria, I am sure God is not amused at the
religious violence all around the world. My Jesus
would truly weep over the spectacle of Protestant
Christians throwing epithets and stones at little
Catholic girls.
I know, I know. Most Muslims, most Hindus, most Jews,
most Christians are good, God-fearing, non-violent
people. They are following God in the right way, the
way of peace, justice, and love. I am confident I am
right about God being a God of love.
But it is difficult to be confident about being right
with so many people of faith around the world being so
wrong. As for me, give me Jesus Christ. Religion, I am
not so sure about.
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Also In This Issue:
Christmas: What's In It For Us?
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