The Futility of Faith

I was discussing my personal philosophy of religion with a friend recently. This is not a regular occurrence in my daily conversations. Somewhere along the line I learned that in polite company one did not discuss religion and politics.

I got over the political prohibition when my personal beliefs were in vogue. Than came the tough years, when liberals replaced communists in the major bogyman category and we went into hiatus only to emerge recently as progressives. (Actually we were always more progressive, but when you let the other guy define and label you, you have to take what they give you.) At any rate, I've been speaking out on my politics more recently because if I don't relieve the pressure of living in this age of conservatism, I will implode. Sometimes it feels like these snotty smug conservative bastards are here just to make my life living hell, and then there's the God factor.

So many conservatives are draping the flag around their shoulders and holding a bible that you'd think they owned them both. They, like so many despotic movements, use religion as a method of control. God said this,and that, and that is why we must do whatever I say because I need you to fulfil the agenda, which usually results in you giving them money or power or both. And let's face it if you care enough to vote, and trust me no politician cares about anyone who doesn't vote, you probably think of yourself as a patriotic American. So the flag thing works pretty well also.

I was raised Catholic. As an organized religion, Catholicism is no better and no worse than any of the major religions. Throughout history they have had their high points and their low. Religion is a human invention so it's inherently going to have flaws. The crusades, the Inquisition, ignoring the Holocaust and politicizing the church come to mind when I think of the Catholic church. But the one that they are good at and have performed well for hundreds of years is the holding out of false hope in order to mollify and comfort people who are normally without hope. Telling an women trapped in poverty, who is trying to hold together a family with no husband, that God loves her and has a special place in heaven for her as long as she doesn't practice birth control and gives weekly to her church, is holding out false hope. Sadly the desperate grab at scraps like this.

The reason I don't like to discuss religion is that my views are very far out of the mainstream. I do believe in a God like spirit. This belief may be categorized as faith, but there is an increment of logic also. I have a tough time believing that throughout the history of man that it consistently reflects a need to believe in God, that there wouldn't be a reason for it.

My God does not publish books. He did not instruct anyone to publish his rules for him. He doesn't appear to people and he doesn't intervene in human activity. Pray to him all you want the dog will still die if it gets hit by a car. If your cancer goes in remission there is a medical and scientific reason, even if we can't explain it. We don't know everything there is to know about the human body. God is not a Packer fan nor does he curse the Chicago Cubs. He is not Catholic, Jewish or Muslim. He does not feel that women are inferior to men, nor does he necessarily believe in monogamy.

My belief is simple. I believe this benevolent spirit did set into motion the possibility of a super species that could do all of the marvelous things that mankind has shown the ability to do. I believe that man has the potential to do even more. What God said essence was, 'Look what I've created for you, look and recognize it's potential. Nurture and grow it for the good of man and all of my other creations. But whatever you do, don't fuck it up". In my mind there are no other corollaries or codicils. Any thing else you've heard that God said was dreamed up by some guy with an agenda. Follow this guy if you choose to, but keep your hand on your wallet and watch your back.