I really don't want to get into religion on this blog as it's a one-way
rant and words can be easily misunderstood and I have no desire to offend anyone, but... I am actually a little of envious of people with a belief as they have some written rules to follow, but I personally find religion to be absurd on many levels and amazingly hypocritical (don't get me started on creationism!).
Anyway, each to their own, so please enjoy your God(s) and don't hate other people because they may not agree with you. So my first and last blog comment on religion is partially gay based.
From my experience, Christians tend to ignore certain parts of the Bible, because the section doesn't quite suit them, whereas the famous words: 'Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable' from Leviticus 18:22 are relied on as the true word.
Let's consider a certain Iris Robinson, the wife of Peter Robinson, Northern Ireland's first minister. She is a religious woman, believing that "just as a murderer can be redeemed by the blood of Christ, so can a homosexual". Her views goes even further with such evil words as: "There can be no viler act, apart from homosexuality and sodomy, than sexually abusing innocent children."
So you would imagine that such a God fearing woman would be above sinning. This 59 year old woman found herself a 19 year old lover and lent him £50,000 which is potentially a criminal offence. For a start, the boy could do far better and if the Bible isn't just fiction, she's in for some trouble from the man upstairs!
In Deuteronomy, there are some great lines for cheating women:
Death punishment for adultery (Deuteronomy 22.22)
“If a man be found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman and the woman; so shalt thou put away evil from Israel."
It's also worth noting that 22.20 advocates stoning for non-virginal women when you marry them. Hmmmm.
All in all, I am not surprised at Mrs Robinsons two-faced life as other religious figures have been found out to be liars. But I cant help but think that religion seems to be more about hate and love?
And a friend sent me this great link that does a better job than I at showing how crazy the Bible is.
Good post, Stephen - and interesting link. As someone who was educated by Marist priests and devotedly (obstinately?) clung to my R.C. beliefs until my mid-20s, finally giving up on Christianity itself in all its forms only about 15 years ago, I can 'blame' or, rather, 'thank' my reading of the Bible, 5 times so far, right through, first page to last, in 3 different versions (Douai, New English, King James) which enabled me to 'see the light' of its contradictions and ridiculousness. (I take some satisfaction in watching the appalled expressions on the faces of the religious when I tell them this.) If there is a God and this 'Being' is the Biblical one, then that God is just not worthy of respect - a cantankerous, capricious, inconsistent, sadistic, hate-filled old fart! (So one might fairly describe any human being with those same qualities.) And we are supposed to believe that this is a God of 'pure love'?
ReplyDeleteI've also read the Koran 7 times so far, in 5 different translations (and I'm not finished yet) - and that even outdoes the Bible in absurdity, which is quite some achievement!
I too don't like to offend others - but so many religious people have no such compunctions in the terms they refer to us gays (though I would cite most Quakers and Buddhists as honourable exceptions). No, for me the gloves are off! They can live their life the way they want, but don't tell me how to live mine - especially since I don't believe in their version of a God if I believe in one at all, which, at the moment I do not!
And what if the keyboard you use has a broken capitalization key...so you actually cannot capitalized the "g"....even if you chose too? Oy. Trouble everywhere.
ReplyDeleteHear, hear! Godlessness is humanity itself.
ReplyDeleteWell said, Stephen. I've always found it entertaining to watch people rationalise their way out of those inconvenient bits of the "good book".
ReplyDeleteYou are all going to hell!
ReplyDeleteStephen. Please tell me that Anonymous's comment is for real, I just roared with laughter when I saw it. Brightened up my Monday quite considerably
ReplyDeleteMac
I have no idea is that's for real.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm going to hell, I'm gonna see Mrs Robinson there!
As you said it often feels pointless posting these type of things but then again if you never enter dialogue people will never hear any different points of view (irrespective of whether it changes theirs or not).
ReplyDelete:-) x