"A Little Religion....Again!"

For you to reject as you will.

Maybe I think too much about this stuff but somehow it seems relevant to me. Perhaps as I continue to age and my immortality seems less certain....

Regardless....

I take as my inspiration for today a thoughtful comment that Betty posted in response to my priest venom! I know that you are absolutely right Betty, there are some very good men that have donned the robes of the Catholic Church. But it is not with the individual that I take exception, it is with the institution. If I were a cynical guy I may even say that the priesthood has a great wealth of dedicated men and women (whoops), well at least dedicated heterosexual men (whoops) and that that it is an open and honest institution that encourages religious freedom. (one last whoops).

It is the institution and it's rules that insist on subduing the individual members...rules that discourage honesty....that discourage freedom of thought...that encourage an obvious hypocrisy. I think it is undeniable. I don't for a second fool myself that it is significanlty different in any organized religion, at least those that preach a some strong dogma of right and wrong. Many in actual fact are much worse than the catholics. Those institutions that would condemn the rest of us to hell and damnation for doing anything they have decided is immoral. That to me is so contrary to any possible way I can envision any god (or at least mine) as wanting us to behave.

But please, please, do not consider my views as being the same kind of condemnation for which I criticixe others. That would be the worst kind of hypocrisy would it not? It just so happens that I don't believe that there is even a hell to send all you sinners off to!! If I did, I would have to acknowledge that I would be going there as well. Not me? Me, I'm going to Montreal!!

Betty, I sincerely hope your priest frind finds his peace on earth, and peace with earth. I think they are worthwhile sentiments.

In my internet wanderings I did come across these 7 principles that a particular organization aspires to. I kind of like them.

We, the member congregations of the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , covenant to affirm and promote

-the inherent worth and dignity of every person;
-justice, equity, and compassion in human relations;
-acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
-a free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
-the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
-the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
-respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

7 km run, 40 minutes

"We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection."---Dalai Lama

"The tendency to turn human judgments into divine commands makes religion one of the most dangerous forces in the world."---Georgia Harkness

"Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things, it takes religion."---Steven Weinberg

Love
Peter