Photo by Napalm filled tires
Last night, on the way home from the bar, my friend asked me something I never expected to here him say. “Do you believe in God”. My first reaction was to laugh which caught him off guard because he thought I was a “Jesus Freak” because of my history with bible studies, Christian camps, youth groups, etc. So he asked why and I proceeded to make a few quick points.
Well, my main point is it just seems very ridiculous when you think about it. As far as disproving common ideas about Christianity, I’ll leave that to Religulous by Bill Maher.
But seriously, does it not seem logical that we would make up gods to explain the things we didn’t understand. The only valid argument I see is what C.S. Lewis called “natural law”. Our inner realization of right and wrong. I personally credit it to our history of learning how we need to act to survive … but if you wanna say its a little voice in your head then that’s all good.
So I’ve always just not cared and not believed but it wasn’t until Bill Maher’s Religulous that I began to see how much religion is hurting civilization. So many hate crimes, wars and well … just really stupid things are being done in the name of religions.
But I’ve also been there. Ive defended my Christian faith. I refused to except logic on account of not wanting to upset “my lord and savior”. I believed certain things because I was told I had to our I was basically going to hell. At the time I couldn’t even think of questioning god because of all the friends I would lose. So I know that’s really how it is.
It just sucks a little don’t it.
If it weren’t for all the bad things happening in the name of religions I could except the good things it is doing. Like giving people hope to get through their lives.
But I am ok with not knowing. I enjoy being free of conscious restrictions. Logic and reason can change your life.
Thought this was funny. As I was making the banner I stumbled across a link to an old website of mine. This is a flash intro for my old website I had back in 2003. Bring Me To Life
I could write a book about how I’ve been in those same shoes, but I won’t. Instead, I’ll just let you know that I a) totally get what you’re putting down here, and b) loved Religulous, like a lot.
I can relate to your post here.. i never usually talk about it though, because the feeling is mixed and changing every time..I figure im safe by not questioning as such.
ps. im new to your blog, love it!
I liked Religulous purely for the fact that it brings common thoughts to the light for more people to see, but for me personally there wasn’t anything there that I hadn’t already heard or thought about.
I’m agnostic, but if I were to believe in a definite God, it wouldn’t be one that taught the amount of intolerance that there is in religion today, and especially not the violence that goes along with that… And that’s before we address all the illogical things that scriptures say!
Religion is a sad story…. it’s too bad that so many people are blinded.,…
great post. i thought Religulous was a great movie……
I liked religulous but i am a religious person. I only disliked that he decided to focus on extremists instead of the common christian (which usually doesn’t go to church at all or read the bible and can also be a far diverse cry from the more traditional christian) and that didn’t spotlight the different christian denominations (besides catholic and protestant) but it couldn’t be a 5 hour movie. I do think that although this is an interesting post, there are some religions that don’t hurt people or cause wars or even reject scientific fact and you just may not have been apart of them.
Thanks for your comments Ky. You are right it would have been cool to hear the more level headed side of religion but that wasn’t the point of the movie.
I was religious for a bit too long in my youth and am glad to finally have an open mind to the world and my own life. Lying to myself about life after death and binding myself to willful slavery was an unhealthy lifestyle for me.
I’ve seen the good side of religion and the bad side. I just believe the good side doesn’t need religion to begin with to still be good. Good people do good things and it is in our nature to be good and work together. It doesn’t take a God to orchestrate that.