Note: This entry will not deal with God specifically. I don't want to tread those waters until I have dipped my toes in. If I offend anyone, I am sorry.
Today at school, a child came up to me and told me that he wouldn't be in school Monday. When I inquired why, he responded by saying that the Rapture was May 21st and that all of the good Christians will go to heaven. Being Jewish, naturally, I would stay here. I told the kid that I would tell the anti-christ I said "whassup"
I don't have a problem with religion in general. As one very wise writer for a TV show put, "Religion is like Billy Joel. I see the appeal, and I wouldn't take it away from anyone, but I also wouldn't stand in line for it." My biggest problem with organized religion is the subtle touches of brainwashing. NOTE: This is the part where you will want to sharpen your pitchforks and oil up your torches.
Most people don't belong to the West Baptist Church. Most people disagree with their message, which includes condemning anyone who isn't them, picketing funerals of gay people and soldiers, and teaching their children to do the same. People moan and groan about them: The children should be taken away, they say, they are being brainwashed.
To a certain degree they are. To a certain degree, we are.
Most of the more accepting or more liberal religions don't do that kind of stuff. The only subtle touches of brainwashing you see is in things like Jewish kindergarten or Christian kindergarten. Where they teach you that God is God, he made everything, end of story. On the plus side, you could eat an Oreo and take a nap.
I was raised Jewish, but I was always free to believe what I wanted to believe. When I asked my parents what they believed, I got responses followed by, "but you can believe whatever you like."
Being the idealist I am (see the title of the blog) I intended to raise my kid religion free. When they were of age, let's say ten, I would present to them all of the religions that were prevalent or accepted, including atheism, and letting them choose what they believed. But of course, this is no idealized world. The presents would likely determine which side of the religion fence they ended up on.
Organized religion has a valiant message, even religions that seem perverse to some, like that of the West Baptist Church. Most want to get you into heaven, whether it be by blowing up a hospital or confessing your sins to a mystery man. Some just want you to be a good person.
But one of my biggest problems of organized religion is that it makes everyone think that they are better if they are in their religion. NOTE: Huge generalization.
When I tell people that I am atheist, to an extent, some try to convert me to their religion. Not a huge number, maybe three in my life. They wanted me to go to heaven, a valiant thought but ultimately meaningless.
Some people believe a lack of an organized religion makes someone a bad person. They don't have any governing forces, so they can do whatever they want. There are no Ten Commandments that tell them not to kill, so they can kill. But atheists kill, Christians kill, Buddhists kill, Jews kill, Agnostics kill, all religions house killers.
My big problems with organized religion lie here on the table. Comment if I am wrong (which I most certainly can be), or with your views.
The point that I'm trying to get across here is that a lot of kids don't have a choice in what they believe in. If they are taught and choose Christianity, fantastic. If they are taught and choose Daoism, great. But brainwashing is not something I can just stand by and watch.
Thanks for reading and considering,
J. Valett.
so you are atheist but raised Jewish?
ReplyDeletedo you practice the religion at all?
do you celebrate Jewish holidays? I saw in an earlier post that you celebrated Passover
Yes anonymous, although I use celebrate loosely. I do what my parents force me too, and nothing more.
ReplyDelete