The Other Forbidden Topic
The Fred Phelps gang was in town a week or two ago to celebrate the death of a local fallen soldier. It made me very angry. The young hero was the older brother of my oldest son's best friend, so I took it personally. And I couldn't do anything about it, as my chosen path forbids doing any sort of harm to anyone (even morons from Kansas who deserve nothing less than a bullet between the eyes).
This got me to thinking... Why isn't the no harm standard applied across the board to ALL religions? Arguably, there have been more people killed over the course of history in the name of religion than any other cause. Romans killing Christians, Christians killing Muslims, everyone killing pagans, Christians killing native Americans (though that was for in part for land), Hitler killing Jews, Muslims killing infidels, and even Muslims killing other sorts of Muslims. I am sure I missed a bunch of examples. Why does religion, which is supposed to preach the love of God/Allah/etc., instead end up spreading so much hatred and intolerance? Even today in America, where freedom of religion is a constitutionally-protected right, religion is a cause of strife and division. God is used to justify the denial of equal rights to homosexuals. Muslims are sometimes viewed with suspiscion whether they have done anything wrong or not. Synagogues are painted with graffiti. Pagans, for the large part, fear they might be persecuted and derided if they come out of the (broom) closet. School boards are fighting over stupid issues like how we got here and whether boys can be homecoming king if elected. Multi-million dollar churches are being built in the communities where hundreds if not thousands go hungry and homeless. And now, finally, the widows, children and mothers of fallen soldiers are mocked with chanting and signs praising IED's and placing the blame squarely on the dead, their families and their country.
What sort of spirituality is this? Is this the sort that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside? I'll ask the Christians (because I am quite familiar with the teachings of the Bible): What good are you doing for the world? You've accepted Jesus and you're going to heaven for all eternity. Bully for you. Have you opened your home to the needy? Do you even see them around you? You condemn the teen who wants an abortion. Have you even talked with her? Have you offered her a ride to the doctor whenever she needs, or a home for her child? When you fill your sacks at the grocery store, do you ever think about filling an extra to take to the food pantry? Do you pick up trash in the creek or plant trees in the park? Have you given your time to help an at-risk teen get better at reading or math? Have you taken clothes and toys to a family whose house burned down? My point is: you've got Jesus and you're set (as far as you know, of course). You're dead, you're in heaven (or not) and there's litter everywhere, you can't eat the fish out of the local lake and the kid up the street is dealing drugs or selling her body because no one cared enough to help them understand the subjects taught in school. Will you be missed? Not by family and friends, which is a given, but by everyone else? What are you doing with YOUR life RIGHT NOW to make the WORLD a better place? This, my friends, is the ultimate WWJD.
This got me to thinking... Why isn't the no harm standard applied across the board to ALL religions? Arguably, there have been more people killed over the course of history in the name of religion than any other cause. Romans killing Christians, Christians killing Muslims, everyone killing pagans, Christians killing native Americans (though that was for in part for land), Hitler killing Jews, Muslims killing infidels, and even Muslims killing other sorts of Muslims. I am sure I missed a bunch of examples. Why does religion, which is supposed to preach the love of God/Allah/etc., instead end up spreading so much hatred and intolerance? Even today in America, where freedom of religion is a constitutionally-protected right, religion is a cause of strife and division. God is used to justify the denial of equal rights to homosexuals. Muslims are sometimes viewed with suspiscion whether they have done anything wrong or not. Synagogues are painted with graffiti. Pagans, for the large part, fear they might be persecuted and derided if they come out of the (broom) closet. School boards are fighting over stupid issues like how we got here and whether boys can be homecoming king if elected. Multi-million dollar churches are being built in the communities where hundreds if not thousands go hungry and homeless. And now, finally, the widows, children and mothers of fallen soldiers are mocked with chanting and signs praising IED's and placing the blame squarely on the dead, their families and their country.
What sort of spirituality is this? Is this the sort that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside? I'll ask the Christians (because I am quite familiar with the teachings of the Bible): What good are you doing for the world? You've accepted Jesus and you're going to heaven for all eternity. Bully for you. Have you opened your home to the needy? Do you even see them around you? You condemn the teen who wants an abortion. Have you even talked with her? Have you offered her a ride to the doctor whenever she needs, or a home for her child? When you fill your sacks at the grocery store, do you ever think about filling an extra to take to the food pantry? Do you pick up trash in the creek or plant trees in the park? Have you given your time to help an at-risk teen get better at reading or math? Have you taken clothes and toys to a family whose house burned down? My point is: you've got Jesus and you're set (as far as you know, of course). You're dead, you're in heaven (or not) and there's litter everywhere, you can't eat the fish out of the local lake and the kid up the street is dealing drugs or selling her body because no one cared enough to help them understand the subjects taught in school. Will you be missed? Not by family and friends, which is a given, but by everyone else? What are you doing with YOUR life RIGHT NOW to make the WORLD a better place? This, my friends, is the ultimate WWJD.
posted by Basskitty @ 6:59 PM
0 comments
