I have found that religion can offer a person real and true comfort. The believer, doing precisely that, knows that at the end of this odious life, there awaits a God who will love and care for him from his death and forevermore. Since he can now rest easy from worrying about petty fears like death, dying, and the unknown, all he must now do is find some type of meaning to live for. So by believing, as he does so well, that he is the chosen one of God and his very inhaling and exhaling of oxygen is fulfilling a part (perhaps a crucial one) in some divine plan, he has successfully quieted his search for purpose. Now that his life has inherit meaning, all he has left to believe is that most of the people who are disturbing his current existence, will find themselves promptly placed in hell, and therefore he need not worry that they will be crowding up his paradise. These sort of religions beliefs can lead someone to a sort of peace in this very unpleasant and rather brief existence.
Due to the many horrors inflicted on humanity because of the faithful, there are those atheists today who wish all religions abolished. I, however, do not see it in that way. You see, if you were to ask a gazelle in the jungle if he would like to have the human mental capacity to believe nonsense, he may refuse your offer. But if you were to say to this gazelle that with this advanced human ability he would no longer fear the bite of the lion (for a bite would mean he was heaven-bound), he may take you up on it.
Such existential comfort is hard to come by without a belief in God. Life being the tragic carnival of confusion, doubt and misery it is, can make the godless people slip into a sort of gloomy perception of existence from time to time. Belief in God can help you to say: "Life may suck now, but soon I'll be in paradise, and more importantly they will be in hell!" Therefore I say: why take that away from us gazelles (perhaps I should say sheep) constantly awaiting the Lion named Death?
However, believers of all kinds must follow a set of rules if we are to allow such wanton wish-thinking in our society. I know that almost every religion has already bombarded it's followers with a long list of rules and regulations, but I must add on just ten more if we are going to make this whole coexistence thing work out.
Here are the Ten Commandments for the Faithful:
[Note: Where it is said that Moses received his set of ten commandments at Sinai, I "received" these while in the shower.]
1. I am the LORD your God. "Your God" being the emphasis.
2. Thou shalt have no other gods. But should also not condemn, curse or kill anyone with a different set of fantastical claims, or lack thereof.
3. Thou shalt have no graven images or likenesses. Nor, should you demand the placement of any of your religious symbols in schools, courthouses, or government buildings. Pretty much, just keep it to yourself.
4. Thou shalt not mention your God's name in a vain attempt to be considered a morally righteous person.
5. Remember your Sabbath,. But do not pelt with stones anyone who does not want to remember it.
6. Honor thy father and mother. And while your at it, honor everyone else too. Yes, that included atheists.
7. Thou shall not kill. Anyone. Ever. Even if they don't happen to believe the same beliefs that you happen to.
8. Thou shalt not steal the education of children by replacing lessons on proven scientific facts for biblical fundamentalism.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness. This includes elaborate tales of personal divine revelations.
10. Thou shalt not covet the lives of non-believers, even though yes, it is more fun. Well, I suppose you can covet it if you want to.
If anyone took offense to this harmless attempt at satire, I am truly sorry. The good news for you is, I'm probably going to hell for it anyway.
No comments:
Post a Comment