On the way to the gym, there is a large, rundown white church. On one exterior wall hangs a sign that reads, “JESUS IS THE ANSWER.”
I wondered, this morning, what the corresponding question might be. My guess is, “Which name has been used to justify a great deal of violence, many crimes against humanity and incalculable hatred?”Jesus, of course, is the answer.
Needless to say, I’m not a fan of organized religion.
In my humble opinion, truths should be discovered by one’s self through the lens of inward reflection and life experience. Truths should only be adopted when they are supported with experience and one’s better judgment. Organized religions come with a long list of doctrines – none of which fit my personal belief system.
I recognize that organized religion can be a great vehicle of self discovery for some people. I wouldn’t speak out against Mother Theresa, or belittle her association with the Catholic Church. But for me, all the “good” stuff that can come with organized religion is lost in the sauce, so to speak.
I don’t like the idea of someone telling me what to believe. If a population of people mindlessly accepts that which is dictated by espoused organizations (the Catholic Church, the United States Government, etc.) then a dangerous situation is resulted.
I don’t need the side of a church to answer any more of my questions. Perhaps turning inward is a better source of truth.
February 28, 2008 at 10:13 am
Now you’ve done it. You’ve gone and fooled around with Pandora’s Box. Oh well, you gotta love them Bible thumpers too, I guess.
I would simply say, “And what was the question?”
My favorite bumper sticker seen on the road in the USofA…”Oh Lord, save me from YOUR people!”
A mother Tess anectode: A guy was at her asram and got up for sunrise mass which she insisted upon for those staying at her place. After mass he was standing in line all excited to have the chance to actually meet a living saint, hoping for a word of wisdom. As she passed she let him kiss her hand and said, “Next time you come to mass please don’t wear shorts.” That was it. That’s all. Those were the words he had been waiting for so intensely.
Be well.
February 28, 2008 at 11:06 am
I posted a related post in my blog:
http://dacrocyte.blogspot.com/2008/02/breaking-my-own-illusions.html
February 28, 2008 at 11:27 am
Yes, Jesus is the answer. And He answers our questions in our hearts, our thoughts, our lives. Organized religion has become so organized in all their MANMADE doctrines, that they have forgotten the Jesus of their religions. Our church fathers, more than anyone else, needs to truly turn to Jesus for the answers they are seeking. And I am sure that if we are able to recognize how much pain and suffering has been justified in the name of Jesus, Jesus Himself must be seeing all this too. I think the church has broken His heart, and with every ” because of my religious views” justification of an injustice, they are stomping all over our Lord’s broken heart again.
February 28, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Hey Dave! I’m stunned! To actually find someone who thinks like I do.
Stunning website. You made a comment stating something (I read it on youtube) “… masturbating HOT neighbour…” Now look who’s talking… If he’s hot, you are super-hot. LOL
Anyway, my humble opinion with regards to religion is this. One has to differenciate between Jesus Christ and religion. There is a HUGE difference. I also hate religion, because many bad things happened in the name of RELIGION. Even Jesus Himself did not come to establish religion (organised religion) on earth. In fact, many people are lost because of religion.
Anyway, I’m so glad I “accidentally” crossed your website while browsing http://www.youtube.com.
Please keep on with this. I so wish I could include (or rather that you could include me) in my (your) circle of friends. I’m in South Africa and you’re in the States…
Anyway, keep well dude!
James.
February 28, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Well, Dave, I’m a minister and….I AGREE with you. The terible fact is that people like Jesus (and the buddha Siddhartha, and the sages Laodze and Gongfudze, and…and..and…) — and even present-day great sages like the Gurumayi, Swami Chidvilasananda, get used and abused by their followers, who make a craving and clinging egotistical monstrosity out of their Master’s directions for walking a spiritual path. But, O my dear Davey Wavey, it’ll happen to you, too, if you keep going the way you’re going. Your followers will make of you a graven image and bow down and worship it, instead of actually doing what you are doing. Just wait and see. Even Dorothy Day used to constantly say, “Don’t call me a saint,” but there are some folks who’d like to gut her message by putting her on an altar with flowers in front of it. Gandhi, the Mahatma, used to say, “I don’t have a problem with your Jesus; it is his followers.” People would rather make an idol of a great Way-shower than actually DO what the Way-shower showed. On the other hand, the great pitfall of “its all inside me, me, me” approaches that do not take into account the deep importance of learning to live intimately in communion with others is that they can morph into a bastardization of the idea that we are all sparks from out of the Divine Fire. Rather than seeing ourselves interconnected within the Divine, some in this radically non-dualist school (advaita vedanta) that seems to have permeated a lot of American thought (although in post Mahatma Gandhi India, it isn’t given much credence) see themselves as the whole of God Itself. There’s a great danger in that, because it can fall into a victim-blaming, limousine-libertarian philosophy very quickly — and that’s what gave us India’s caste system and the Nazi Holocaust. Don’t think that’s so far-fetched, either. One of the great proponents of this school, Caroline Myss (she of the Sacred contracts fame), has alreadyw ritten that she thinks the Holocaust came about as a result of Jewish karma — that they had a victim metnality that brought it on themselves (whcih is a crock of horsesh*t). But, alas, this creepy woman is taken as a guru by many folks in the New Agey world. Community is crucial, as is serving our fellows, and these are an important part of discernment in what we find when we go within. And, you know, Jesus actually taught that. So, if you look at it from the right angle, he is the answer — one of the good ones, anyway.
November 30, 2011 at 11:15 pm
THANK YOU LUKE!!! You are not alone brother.
February 28, 2008 at 7:40 pm
I’m glad you posted this.
Uhm, I’m still very young (barely started college) still living with my family and what not… so they kind force me to go to church.
Anyways, deep inside I secretly think Secularism is the way to go.
February 28, 2008 at 11:09 pm
You sir, are quite wise.
February 29, 2008 at 7:06 am
To my mind its about not the wrong or the right of the many opinions or religions or doctrines espoused but about functionality. An axe can be used for murder, or to provide firewood, housing etc. Each of these doctrines are vehicles for people and their ambitions. Where their started and initial appeal and motivations dont really count. In one century they could act as a murderous axe and in another as a protective nurturing force. Whatever Jesus’ original motivations, it may be safely safely said his views on modern Christianity remain provenly unknown. Ultimately its all about people and whatever one (god or human) leaves behind gets used as people see fit, for better or worse.
March 1, 2008 at 11:21 am
Your site is awesome. FYI, here’s a good site for Christians who actually treat us well…in fact, quite a bit of them have blessing ceremonies for gay unions!
http://www.sisterfriends-together.org/find-a-church/
March 3, 2008 at 7:48 pm
I believe that what some of you say is very offensive to those who do follow an organized religion. I am a Christian and believe what I believe because I have studied much into many different religions and believe Christianity makes the most sense. Look around you. Do you honestly believe that the wondrous (yes, it has its problems) is the result of random chance? Do you think so highly of yourself that you believe that you are a god or a part thereof? Do you believe that humans are perfectible and that we are socially evolving? Do you seriously believe that truth is whatever you inner self tells you? What if my inner self says raping children is good? There are some people like that honestly tell themselves that it is good. No matter which way you spin that it is NOT good. I am sorry, but the eastern way of thought is highly logically flawed. Now, I am not saying that all Cosmic Humanists think the same way, and I don’t believe they do. Some think very logically. Unfortunately, there is only one Truth. Oh, and I would appreciate it if you stopped profiling and stereotyping Christians. Not all of us are mindless idiots. Granted some are and are spoon fed their beliefs, but others do think critically and logically.
Christians have every right to believe what they believe, just like everyone else.
December 28, 2011 at 10:18 am
“Christians have every right to believe what they believe, just like everyone else.”
No one said you didn’t
“I believe that what some of you say is very offensive to those who do follow an organized religion.”
Not Davey’s fault if you can’t handle the fact that organized (yes, emphasis on organized) has been a vehicle for more destruction than “inner reflection” ever could
March 17, 2008 at 4:56 am
Ghandi was once asked what did he think the best thing about christianity was. He answered “Jesus”. Then he was asked what is the worst thing? He simply answered “christians”.
March 23, 2008 at 8:27 am
Hello there!
If you want more answers…
Theres a reason why the church
has killed so many people…
there’s a reason…
http://2012ages.blogspot.com/
March 29, 2008 at 9:24 am
For those of you discussing organized religion you should take some time to watch Zeitgeist: The Movie. There are easy links on the Internet to this movie. This is the main one though: http://zeitgeistmovie.com/
April 17, 2008 at 1:02 am
Don’t let stupid people’s justifications for what “Jesus Meant” screw up your view of who Jesus was.
April 25, 2008 at 6:18 pm
It’s a bit simplistic to say that “Jesus is the answer.” But then there really isn’t any better way to say it other than to maybe qualify it with, “the question of life.” perhaps. I think, for whatever reason, you’ve decided to lump Jesus in the same category as religion and not unjustly. The kingdom of God has indeed suffered violence and violent men have tried to take it by force. However, God’s Kingdom is a peaceful one of that you can be sure. Anyway, Jesus is my Mr. Right. He is both a beautiful man and a faithful friend and lover.
April 28, 2008 at 11:36 pm
this is one of my favorite topics to just discuss and listen
i totally get what youre saying at at the same time i get the side of the person who last commented you
only through personal experience was i able to make up my mind about any and all religious ideals
after much researching over a good amount of time, i found my answer- youre right, no one should tell you what to believe and searching inward often reveals the truth
this is how i found my savior, and that he truely has been
there are some hypocritical, bible-thumping Christians out there, but lets remember, Christ is not the only “justification” for violence, crime, and hatred
[tad bit off topic: even if the bible was only one big story, it is a beautiful one when reflected on
what greater love story than the story of Christ?]
October 1, 2008 at 9:37 am
interesting, thanks
November 15, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Wow.
Many thanx, you are very insightful.
^ ^
April 25, 2009 at 10:24 am
times we live in now dictate more than ever that we should help our neighbour and strangers we dont know.i could easily see how it could affect me.Remember-if you have Love in your Heart-makes life that much more worthwhile.Love is Contagious.
November 28, 2011 at 9:58 pm
I believe that Jesus is a good guy. But that the bible has some really F-ed up stuff in it. And not only about anti-homosexuality but also I read about stoning unruley teens to death for not listening to their parents.
Most of those in my church just want people to be happy.
I have even heard talk about some of their family members going to a gay church in NY.
And my paster would not tell anyone not to be homosexual if they were.
December 14, 2011 at 8:40 am
Religious people are unjust towards homosexuals. They’re full of prejudice. And therefore I dislike religious people. They act as if they were the only persons in the world with any brains. But this is a great mistake. If they knew how stupid they are they wouldn’t dare to go outside.