Berfore I start, I have to say that I am agnostic. Which is saying, I believe in a god, but I don't believe in naming the god, or claiming to understand the god. I won't go in depth on my beliefs, but I think that it's important for you, the reader, to know that I am not a follower of any religion before you read on. Hopefully, this doesn't become TL:DR, but I don't have my thoughts gathered, so whatever.
I think of religion as a tool. Anyone claiming to have heard a god, speaking a god's word, or being a son of a god is an idiot, if I'm allowed to use that word. I think that religion can drive people into acts of valor and bravery, because of their beliefs and and faith in their beliefs, they can be driven to incredible acts. I also think that religion can be perverted and used for personal means. Zealots can be powerful, but I believe they are also easy to manipulate.
The sermon that our class read, "Sinners in the hand of an angry god" is, to me, an example of that perversion. I believe that Jonathan Edwards, the author, is, again, an idiot. He's preying on the fears of the people that listen to his preaching. He is probably a zealot, but I personally think that using fear as means to deliver his message is probably something going against his religion. If he truly believes that the people he is teaching believes in his "god" there is no reason for him to use fear to preach. What does using fear do? It means that the followers of that religion are following out of that fear, not because they truly love that relgion and live for it. They're not willingly believing in it, he's just making them feel forced into that religion.
I personally believe that religion serves as a light. It's purpose is to give people hope. The "god" exists to give people a goal, a model they can strive to become. It's a tool, one that exists inside people, and is wielded verbally. But people never fail to believe that they are in the right by doing things that their book of worships openly bans.
If your god is a loving one, then why would you kill? If your god is a forgiving one, then why do you condemn? If you truly believe in your god, why would you need to take matters into your own hands?
Religion is just a tool. It's a double-edged sword, one that's incredibly dangerous in the right hands.
Wall of text is no fun. :(
Outside of religion, is there something in our society that you see people following blindly...something that future generations will look back at and exclaim "How could they have thought that!?"
ReplyDeleteyou're right when you say that religion was being used. but, back then, it was those principles of their religion that help0ed them make life decisions (like how to live, where to live, what to eat, etc.)
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