RELIGION or POLITICS - Can we talk??

Happy Saturday y'all.

A couple days ago, I started my blog, but didn't finish, so will do so today. To recap, if you had happened on to my blog, you will remember the title of it as "When religious zeal displaces the truth from history books". This was initiated by a comment from a caller on a conservative radio show, hosted that day by a Mark Davis. The caller, of course, was a listener responding to a comment by a previous caller. It was the latter who stated that Buddhism was older than Christianity.

The second caller was offended, and stated that Christianity was the oldest. Then despite the fact that Davis tried to explain that Buddhism dates between the 4th and 6th century, B.C. (before Christ), still the offended caller insisted that the Creator was a "Christian God" from the very beginning of the world, and thus, Christianity had been in existence since creation, therefore, absolutely no religion is older.

As a matter of fact, Buddhism is, I think, the 3rd oldest behind Confucious and Hinduism, though I am not completely sure about the first two, but Christianity is not in the grouping.

Anyway, you get the picture and so we go on. The writer of the article arrived home still puzzled by what had brought on such an tense discussion. He turned on his computer and his TV almost simultaneously, and came upon the Tiger Woods confession of his adultery. Now, if that wasn't bad enough, Tiger also had to mention his Buddhist faith. Well, those who were already jumping on Tiger for his adulteress escapades, questioned, how, on top of that, could Tiger believe in any religion other than Christianity. Hmmmph! Let's hang him!!!

It was the writer, a Christian, who wondered "what makes religious people, especially Christians, so arrogant, and frankly, so bigoted. That is the sort of thing that led me to think and say, in my opinion, religions are our weakest link. I suppose it is a human thing, to be a Presbyterian, say, and believe that they are better than a Methodist or Baptist. In any case, it is a type of separation that remains constant, and leads to bad feelings and biased judgements.

As Sanders, the writer said " Even within the faith, depending on one's denomination, there are those who are ready to proclaim your place in hell", and if you don't believe what I believe, Christian or not, hell is definitely reserved for you.

Yeah, religion and politics don't mix, but if you think of the politicians and the fact that those we have in office right now, who think they know better what is good and best for you, which doesn't sound much different than the separation in religions. But no matter how you twist it, separation is not good and with so much of it, the chance for peace and happiness with the populace is out the window. And that, my friends, is what the politicians want, keep the citizenry split, and we can control them.

Getting back to religion, why is it so hard for so many to find it impossible to respect other people's beliefs. Do you think it is because there is so much distrust today in about every field of human endeavor. Even neighbors don't speak to each other. I live in a small community of, mainly seniors, and many whom you meet in a walk around won't speak or give any indication of friendliness. Today, people are really afraid of the future. And if. as a Buddhist, I dare ask, where are the ministry leaders of the variety of religions on sunday, where they ought to collectively be aware of this separation and try to convince people this condition is not Christianity and get the religions to blend their memberships into accepting differences as a means of easing this "separation". They could try the many principles of Buddhism like,--seeking wisdom, respecting others, and leading a moral life.

I believe as does Sanders the writer, that so-called Christians act like feuding children, bragging about whose God is the biggest, oldest, boldest, with each denomination's own religious teachings more divine, and whose faith will get them to heaven. It is almost like they think each have their own private heaven, like a country club, maybe. Do YOU think, if you are a Christian, that your God would be pleased with this kind of childish bickering?

I close this blog now, with this thought. When I was a Christian, I often wondered, since one tends to think this way, that this God, who looks like Jesus or you or me, a human figure anyway, how can any one person or figure hear me, you, and millions of others all at the same time, and then have time to think, I'll help this person, but not that person. Or I think I will let this person live to a ripe age, but I let these kids die. Or, the only time this persons seeks my help does he/she come to me in prayer. Oh well, guess I'll help them anyway, or not.

To me, that leads people-worshipers to be dependent on this God figure way out there somewhere, and it is taught that way So, like, if HE doesn't help me I can't do it. And then you ask "Why me".

I leave a lot of room for dialogue and differences of opinion, and so I leave for just a short this segment of "Religions Or Politics"? Will continue shortly. so come on, comment.