I would strongly argue that a pew cushion is the last place under which you should look if you're seeking a well-adjusted member of society.
While I'm sure they're a great place at which to mingle, regularly scheduled church services give religious folks an excuse to sin, as well as a comforting feeling that they will one day soon turn their life around.
In other words; church is an enabler of sinful behavior because it causes the delay of reform.
In words other than that; simply by sitting in church, religious folks believe they are actively combating their vices.
Despite these frequent visits to church, when religious people egregiously sin, they always claim to have somehow forgotten the words written on the pages of their holy book; words on which the sermons are based.
Really?
You forget things you're reminded of on a weekly basis? The sermons don't help at all? If, every Sunday morning, I was reminded that Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th President of the United States, I don't think I'd ever forget that Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th President of the United States.
The downside to needing help from outside influences in order to solve your problems is that many individuals wait for said outside influences to miraculously take effect.
It's as if people are saying, "I've been going to church for years, I don't know why I continue robbing the local convenience store, cheating on my spouse, burning down libraries, etc..."
If people took it upon themselves to improve their own situation, they might have some success.
Because all church does is remind you that others are negatively judging your behavior.
And let's talk about people who sit through church listening to sermons about how they should struggle to alter their sinful ways despite the fact that they feel not a tinge of guilt.
When you attempt to improve your situation because another human being, or higher power via ancient writings, tells you that your life is off course, the attempt will usually fail. When the goal is improving your situation because you think you've strayed, the attempt usually has a fighting chance.
Because it's all about your version of right and wrong.
Por Ejemplo; if an Amish person tells you that, simply by turning on a television set or desk lamp, you're no better than Jeffrey Dahmer; you're not likely to decrease your electricity consumption because you'd view such criticism as loco.
The above scenario is akin to church elders informing you that you're living a life of unacceptable sin. If you agree, you already knew this. If you disagree, then no amount of reminders regarding the dreadfulness of your behavior will make you alter your lifestyle because you believe your lifestyle is perfectly fine.
So if you want to change your life, use as motivation the thought of how much gratification you'll receive from future looks in the mirror, because you'll most likely find nods of approval from nicely-dressed people who feel it's their primary duty to judge your every action to be a major disappointment.
If outside influences are pressuring you to make unneeded changes, let your conscience be your guide.
Now tell me quickly - who was the 22nd and 24th President of the United States?
You Could Be a Member of the Westboro Baptist Church
For those of you not familiar with the Westboro Baptist Church; they're the people who make asses of themselves at funerals of slain military personnel. They proudly hold up signs that state god strongly dislikes homosexuals. They claim god is punishing all citizens of America because our government allows gays to roam as free as the African Wildebeest.
You too could be a member of the Westboro Baptist Church.
I'm sure you think of yourself as a strong minded individual who only reaches conclusions based on sound reasoning.
I hate to burst your bubble, but if your parents - the people that fed you, that nursed you back to health and tucked you into bed every night - had repeatedly informed a youthful you that god would send to hell anyone who engages in homosexual activity, you may have started to believe it.
You may even have started to believe that god would punish entire nations for the crime of failing to execute homosexuals based solely on their inherent preference of bedmate.
The above is not meant to equate all organized religions with the vile Westboro Baptist Church; it's meant to illustrate the potential harm in refusing to allow children to make their own decisions.
Footage of entire families holding up signs reading, "God Hate Fags," at the funeral of an American serviceperson causes my blood to boil. Then I realize the children will one day take on the role of the parent and therefore receive rightful scorn from every rational human being on earth.
But he or she never had a chance.
I suppose it's difficult to excuse this kind of behavior, but what option do the kids have that will spare them from a life of pretending to know full well exactly how vigorously god hates homosexuals and eventually bearing children they will brainwash into believing they have the same connection to the thoughts of the almighty?
Do we expect their underdeveloped minds to grasp exactly how much evil their parents possess, and, because of this advanced comprehension, run away from home and live out their youth in multiple foster homes? Or, due to the fact that no legal basis for a separation from their parents exits, perhaps they'll be forcibly returned to their hate-filled home. I can't imagine guardians who loathe homosexuals with such passion are tolerant when it comes to offspring covertly abandoning the nest.
I want to reiterate the fact that I am not calling all religious parents modern day versions of Adolf Hitler.
I just want to make sure every parent fully comprehends the amount of power they hold over the growing minds of their children.
Please don't tell your lads that opinions are facts. On their own, let them develop theories about life's unanswerable questions.
Don't give them a Bible and say, "You must believe every word printed on these pages or be subjected to an afterlife of misery."
Instead, hand them a Bible and say, "Please read this and then we'll compare notes."
If I had a child who approached me with a yearning to visit a Mormon temple or Catholic church, I would happily escort them and afterward discuss, in a non-bias way, what we witnessed.
If your children make a similar request, please don't act like you're disappointed. Don't act as if they said the equivalent of, "I have chosen hardcore pornography as my vocation."
Don't only announce, "I'm very proud of you," after occasions in which you learn the conclusions of your children coincide exactly with yours. Declare your pride after instances in which they think for themselves.
Tell them you're beaming with pride even if they have recently informed you that they completely reject the notion of a higher power.
Yes, you'll worry about their souls, but just think how much more secure you'll be regarding their long-term faith if, on their own, they decide to join you at church every Sunday morning.
And if they choose not to believe, do you really think - if there is a god, he or she will punish your kindhearted child for making an informed decision after thoughtfully considering every piece of evidence?
You too could be a member of the Westboro Baptist Church.
I'm sure you think of yourself as a strong minded individual who only reaches conclusions based on sound reasoning.
I hate to burst your bubble, but if your parents - the people that fed you, that nursed you back to health and tucked you into bed every night - had repeatedly informed a youthful you that god would send to hell anyone who engages in homosexual activity, you may have started to believe it.
You may even have started to believe that god would punish entire nations for the crime of failing to execute homosexuals based solely on their inherent preference of bedmate.
The above is not meant to equate all organized religions with the vile Westboro Baptist Church; it's meant to illustrate the potential harm in refusing to allow children to make their own decisions.
Footage of entire families holding up signs reading, "God Hate Fags," at the funeral of an American serviceperson causes my blood to boil. Then I realize the children will one day take on the role of the parent and therefore receive rightful scorn from every rational human being on earth.
But he or she never had a chance.
I suppose it's difficult to excuse this kind of behavior, but what option do the kids have that will spare them from a life of pretending to know full well exactly how vigorously god hates homosexuals and eventually bearing children they will brainwash into believing they have the same connection to the thoughts of the almighty?
Do we expect their underdeveloped minds to grasp exactly how much evil their parents possess, and, because of this advanced comprehension, run away from home and live out their youth in multiple foster homes? Or, due to the fact that no legal basis for a separation from their parents exits, perhaps they'll be forcibly returned to their hate-filled home. I can't imagine guardians who loathe homosexuals with such passion are tolerant when it comes to offspring covertly abandoning the nest.
I want to reiterate the fact that I am not calling all religious parents modern day versions of Adolf Hitler.
I just want to make sure every parent fully comprehends the amount of power they hold over the growing minds of their children.
Please don't tell your lads that opinions are facts. On their own, let them develop theories about life's unanswerable questions.
Don't give them a Bible and say, "You must believe every word printed on these pages or be subjected to an afterlife of misery."
Instead, hand them a Bible and say, "Please read this and then we'll compare notes."
If I had a child who approached me with a yearning to visit a Mormon temple or Catholic church, I would happily escort them and afterward discuss, in a non-bias way, what we witnessed.
If your children make a similar request, please don't act like you're disappointed. Don't act as if they said the equivalent of, "I have chosen hardcore pornography as my vocation."
Don't only announce, "I'm very proud of you," after occasions in which you learn the conclusions of your children coincide exactly with yours. Declare your pride after instances in which they think for themselves.
Tell them you're beaming with pride even if they have recently informed you that they completely reject the notion of a higher power.
Yes, you'll worry about their souls, but just think how much more secure you'll be regarding their long-term faith if, on their own, they decide to join you at church every Sunday morning.
And if they choose not to believe, do you really think - if there is a god, he or she will punish your kindhearted child for making an informed decision after thoughtfully considering every piece of evidence?
When Do the Ten Commandments XP Arrive?
In biblical times, God had many ways to get his message across.
Not so much anymore.
Perhaps he's cut ties with earthlings and is devoting his attention to a newly developed planet in a galaxy far, far away. Sort of like when a sitcom producer leaves an establish hit like The Office to work on an up-and-coming program like How I Met Your Two Dads.
But don't you believers need god to tweak his rules a little bit?
It worries those of us who live our life in accordance with the norms of the society in which we reside that you religious folks are living by a set of principles written centuries ago.
I'm not going to send my children to a school that is still enforcing a code of conduct written before the Axis Powers were defeated. "So my child is required to alert school officials should they see a Japanese American student roaming the halls. Is there a specific number they can text with that information?"
We see how living by ancient rules impacts other societies and I for one have no interest in witnessing American girls stoned to death for fraternizing with members of the opposite sex.
And yes, a father living in America recently murdered his own daughters for being too "modern."
Because persons of all religions are following extremely old instructions, why not just follow the ones that are truly timeless until an update is provided by a trustworthy conduit to god?
I know some religions do an overall better job of conforming to modern times, but since there are extremists in all religions, everyone belonging to the big three should take the advice I humbly offer.
Do not commit murder is the perfect example of a timeless classic. You should definitely not commit murder. And it would be fantastic if you extremists could pay close attention to this one and stop killing people based on their religion or race.
So actually the anti-murdering instruction could use an update to read, "Do not murder anyone for any reason, whatsoever. Even if you read something else in your holy book that makes it seem like murdering someone is serving god, it's not."
Wow, you wouldn't think such a simple command would need revising.
Imagine the atrocities that could have been avoided if this update were provided a few hundred years ago.
Let's move on.
Do not commit adultery.
You should definitely not cheat on your spouse.
Wait a second.
When I say, "adultery" I don't include persons who married an individual they truly loved, but, despite the best efforts of both partners, could not make it work and later on in life found another. I mean, that, if married, you shouldn't have physically arousing contact with a person other than your spouse.
Okay, we need an update on this one as well because we want to make sure people don't get stuck in potentially destructive marriages that could negatively impact children.
I know a lot of religious people will say that you should either abide by the brutal and arcane laws written in your holy books or get it out of the religion, but I don't see these people ruthlessly slaying professional readers of tarot cards. (Look it up.)
So regardless of your religion, perhaps everyone should take it upon themselves to update the commandants to fit their own view of the world. While these updates sort of make the original rules irrelevant, it's important we're not living by outdated instructions.
After all, if the rules of the Old Testament were strictly followed, America would be a more oppressive country than Taliban-led Afghanistan. That's the reason our Founding Fathers were so insistent we separate church and state.
And if people of the same religion can read the same book and come to such drastically different conclusions, it's not vitally important that you stick with the rules by which you've attempted to abide your entire life.
When basic rules that ban murder and adultery need qualifiers, it's time you get an update so us non-believers can welcome people of all religions into our civilized world.
Religious people are fond of saying that it would be impossible to differentiate moral behavior from non-moral behavior had as sense of right and wrong not been instilled in each of us by a deity. But if that were the case, the most oppressive countries in the word would not be theocracies.
So perhaps don't ask for updates, because they may contain more brutality than the originals.
Instead, please vow to harm no one and don't judge your fellow man, as long as your fellow man is abiding by the first rule.
Now those are timeless classics.
Yes, I realize many people do a good job in self-updating the laws they follow, which is why church busses don't go through West Hollywood mowing down homosexuals Grand Theft Auto style. But just imagine how peaceful the entire world would be if you all took it a step further.
Not so much anymore.
Perhaps he's cut ties with earthlings and is devoting his attention to a newly developed planet in a galaxy far, far away. Sort of like when a sitcom producer leaves an establish hit like The Office to work on an up-and-coming program like How I Met Your Two Dads.
But don't you believers need god to tweak his rules a little bit?
It worries those of us who live our life in accordance with the norms of the society in which we reside that you religious folks are living by a set of principles written centuries ago.
I'm not going to send my children to a school that is still enforcing a code of conduct written before the Axis Powers were defeated. "So my child is required to alert school officials should they see a Japanese American student roaming the halls. Is there a specific number they can text with that information?"
We see how living by ancient rules impacts other societies and I for one have no interest in witnessing American girls stoned to death for fraternizing with members of the opposite sex.
And yes, a father living in America recently murdered his own daughters for being too "modern."
Because persons of all religions are following extremely old instructions, why not just follow the ones that are truly timeless until an update is provided by a trustworthy conduit to god?
I know some religions do an overall better job of conforming to modern times, but since there are extremists in all religions, everyone belonging to the big three should take the advice I humbly offer.
Do not commit murder is the perfect example of a timeless classic. You should definitely not commit murder. And it would be fantastic if you extremists could pay close attention to this one and stop killing people based on their religion or race.
So actually the anti-murdering instruction could use an update to read, "Do not murder anyone for any reason, whatsoever. Even if you read something else in your holy book that makes it seem like murdering someone is serving god, it's not."
Wow, you wouldn't think such a simple command would need revising.
Imagine the atrocities that could have been avoided if this update were provided a few hundred years ago.
Let's move on.
Do not commit adultery.
You should definitely not cheat on your spouse.
Wait a second.
When I say, "adultery" I don't include persons who married an individual they truly loved, but, despite the best efforts of both partners, could not make it work and later on in life found another. I mean, that, if married, you shouldn't have physically arousing contact with a person other than your spouse.
Okay, we need an update on this one as well because we want to make sure people don't get stuck in potentially destructive marriages that could negatively impact children.
I know a lot of religious people will say that you should either abide by the brutal and arcane laws written in your holy books or get it out of the religion, but I don't see these people ruthlessly slaying professional readers of tarot cards. (Look it up.)
So regardless of your religion, perhaps everyone should take it upon themselves to update the commandants to fit their own view of the world. While these updates sort of make the original rules irrelevant, it's important we're not living by outdated instructions.
After all, if the rules of the Old Testament were strictly followed, America would be a more oppressive country than Taliban-led Afghanistan. That's the reason our Founding Fathers were so insistent we separate church and state.
And if people of the same religion can read the same book and come to such drastically different conclusions, it's not vitally important that you stick with the rules by which you've attempted to abide your entire life.
When basic rules that ban murder and adultery need qualifiers, it's time you get an update so us non-believers can welcome people of all religions into our civilized world.
Religious people are fond of saying that it would be impossible to differentiate moral behavior from non-moral behavior had as sense of right and wrong not been instilled in each of us by a deity. But if that were the case, the most oppressive countries in the word would not be theocracies.
So perhaps don't ask for updates, because they may contain more brutality than the originals.
Instead, please vow to harm no one and don't judge your fellow man, as long as your fellow man is abiding by the first rule.
Now those are timeless classics.
Yes, I realize many people do a good job in self-updating the laws they follow, which is why church busses don't go through West Hollywood mowing down homosexuals Grand Theft Auto style. But just imagine how peaceful the entire world would be if you all took it a step further.
No Threat Equals No Religion
I often wonder what it would be like to have a conversation with a person I feared would be sentenced to an eternity of horror.
Such a conversation would make me sad. It'd be like talking to a wrongly convicted death row inmate.
I'd ask them, "If your existence will be one of misery for thousands and thousands of years, why don't you take this short opportunity we call life to go crazy. Eat all you want, drink all you want - just go nuts, 24/7. Since things will be a lot better for me after I die, I'm going to rest up in preparation for all the good times and frivolity the afterlife will provide, so thankfully I don't have to live the rest of my life as if it were akin to a last meal."
I can't emphasize how pleasurable it is to talk to an individual about religion without fear that, if I don't convince him or her that my beliefs are correct, they'll forever rot in hell despite the fact that they're a person filled with decency and morality.
So let's examine what life would be like if religious people didn't believe in different outcomes for different faiths.
I think it's safe to say that church parking lots wouldn't be overflowing on Sunday mornings if nobody feared what's on the other side. Perhaps there would be no churches.
If only religious people claimed, "We think our god is the only true god. In fact, our god is so cool that if you don't believe he's the one true god, he'll still allow you to stay with him after your time on earth is through because he loves everybody. Not, 'loves everybody, but if you don't believe in him, will send you to hell, loves everybody,' rather, 'loves everybody, will let all humane persons bunk with him in the afterlife, loves everybody.'"
If that were the case, there would be no big three religions.
A few lost souls would still cling onto to Jim Jones type individuals promising a heaven beyond their wildest expectations, but the people content with life would make the decision to only concentrate on the things over which they have control.
They would focus on enjoying life, helping others, and studying historically accurate facts.
They would think, "If none of the proposed gods give a flying whit whether or not I believe in him, yet one of them is actually the true god, it means he probably wants me to focus on how I can benefit humanity instead of racking my brain in search of answers to questions I can't comprehend."
From the beginning it was never about the truth; it's always been about control.
Throughout history, the church elders have never really cared what you believed; they only cared that you followed their life instructions to a tee. I'm sure a few higher-ups were believers, but regardless of their thoughts on god and his teachings, their main objective was to control your life.
Unless you were convinced at young age to believe such a tale was factual, wouldn't you consider fishy a story about a man saying to another man, "Should you choose not to believe in the god I insist is the only real god, and should you choose not to live exactly as I say, based on said god's specific instructions as previously relayed to me, he will not welcome you into his kingdom of perfection."?
If that wasn't fishy enough, the stranger would then list contradictory rules with seemingly no standards.
But in simpler times such stories must have seemed plausible, because religion grew and grew.
Had ancient people enough sense to reject these so-called human conduits to god, millions of people who devoted their lives to destroying other religions could have focused on the betterment of all mankind, leading to a superior world.
Such a conversation would make me sad. It'd be like talking to a wrongly convicted death row inmate.
I'd ask them, "If your existence will be one of misery for thousands and thousands of years, why don't you take this short opportunity we call life to go crazy. Eat all you want, drink all you want - just go nuts, 24/7. Since things will be a lot better for me after I die, I'm going to rest up in preparation for all the good times and frivolity the afterlife will provide, so thankfully I don't have to live the rest of my life as if it were akin to a last meal."
I can't emphasize how pleasurable it is to talk to an individual about religion without fear that, if I don't convince him or her that my beliefs are correct, they'll forever rot in hell despite the fact that they're a person filled with decency and morality.
So let's examine what life would be like if religious people didn't believe in different outcomes for different faiths.
I think it's safe to say that church parking lots wouldn't be overflowing on Sunday mornings if nobody feared what's on the other side. Perhaps there would be no churches.
If only religious people claimed, "We think our god is the only true god. In fact, our god is so cool that if you don't believe he's the one true god, he'll still allow you to stay with him after your time on earth is through because he loves everybody. Not, 'loves everybody, but if you don't believe in him, will send you to hell, loves everybody,' rather, 'loves everybody, will let all humane persons bunk with him in the afterlife, loves everybody.'"
If that were the case, there would be no big three religions.
A few lost souls would still cling onto to Jim Jones type individuals promising a heaven beyond their wildest expectations, but the people content with life would make the decision to only concentrate on the things over which they have control.
They would focus on enjoying life, helping others, and studying historically accurate facts.
They would think, "If none of the proposed gods give a flying whit whether or not I believe in him, yet one of them is actually the true god, it means he probably wants me to focus on how I can benefit humanity instead of racking my brain in search of answers to questions I can't comprehend."
From the beginning it was never about the truth; it's always been about control.
Throughout history, the church elders have never really cared what you believed; they only cared that you followed their life instructions to a tee. I'm sure a few higher-ups were believers, but regardless of their thoughts on god and his teachings, their main objective was to control your life.
Unless you were convinced at young age to believe such a tale was factual, wouldn't you consider fishy a story about a man saying to another man, "Should you choose not to believe in the god I insist is the only real god, and should you choose not to live exactly as I say, based on said god's specific instructions as previously relayed to me, he will not welcome you into his kingdom of perfection."?
If that wasn't fishy enough, the stranger would then list contradictory rules with seemingly no standards.
But in simpler times such stories must have seemed plausible, because religion grew and grew.
Had ancient people enough sense to reject these so-called human conduits to god, millions of people who devoted their lives to destroying other religions could have focused on the betterment of all mankind, leading to a superior world.
Hitler Taught Me Right from Wrong
Much is made by atheists about the amount of violence in the Bible; punitive violence directed at people undeserving of scorn. Undeserving of scorn unless you think having a keen sense of fashion and maintaining a healthy physique deserves a few stones to the upper torso and head.
This violence wouldn't be so bothersome if Christians didn't constantly ask us non-believers, "How would human beings know right from wrong if no higher power existed to instill morality in us?"
They're basically saying, "An entity responsible for horrific violence is the same entity that tells me it's not okay to punch an old lady in the mouth and take her purse."
How can you say a deity, who called for the execution of homosexuals, is responsible for instilling in modern day humans a sense that harming homosexuals is immoral?
I understand the Bible goes on to preach against adultery and other deplorable behaviors, but it makes no mention of the violence in the Old Testament being a mistake, because God is perfect.
That would be akin to telling others they should admire an unrepentant Hitler because he once wrote that future generations should go easy on the Jew-killing.
I understand the faith angle. You assume God wouldn't want to make it obvious He existed and therefore decided to give a few contradictory messages and perform a few contradictory deeds.
But to disregard the most extreme acts in order to pretend He is the one teaching you right from wrong is simply ludicrous.
You're basically saying that anything modern day society considers to be, "good," God taught you to do. In the year 1800 God told people it was perfectly fine to enslave certain members of the human race. Now that most non-Neo-Nazis living in America frown on discrimination, He teaches you to view everyone as equal.
But maybe you are correct. Maybe if God didn't go out of His way to instill in all of us an inherent sense of right and wrong we'd all resemble the Seinfeld character George Costanza, who, after being accused of sleeping with the office cleaning lady, said to his boss, "Was that wrong? Should I not have done that? I tell you, I gotta plead ignorance on this thing, because if anyone had said anything to me at all when I first started here that that sort of thing is frowned upon..."
This violence wouldn't be so bothersome if Christians didn't constantly ask us non-believers, "How would human beings know right from wrong if no higher power existed to instill morality in us?"
They're basically saying, "An entity responsible for horrific violence is the same entity that tells me it's not okay to punch an old lady in the mouth and take her purse."
How can you say a deity, who called for the execution of homosexuals, is responsible for instilling in modern day humans a sense that harming homosexuals is immoral?
I understand the Bible goes on to preach against adultery and other deplorable behaviors, but it makes no mention of the violence in the Old Testament being a mistake, because God is perfect.
That would be akin to telling others they should admire an unrepentant Hitler because he once wrote that future generations should go easy on the Jew-killing.
I understand the faith angle. You assume God wouldn't want to make it obvious He existed and therefore decided to give a few contradictory messages and perform a few contradictory deeds.
But to disregard the most extreme acts in order to pretend He is the one teaching you right from wrong is simply ludicrous.
You're basically saying that anything modern day society considers to be, "good," God taught you to do. In the year 1800 God told people it was perfectly fine to enslave certain members of the human race. Now that most non-Neo-Nazis living in America frown on discrimination, He teaches you to view everyone as equal.
But maybe you are correct. Maybe if God didn't go out of His way to instill in all of us an inherent sense of right and wrong we'd all resemble the Seinfeld character George Costanza, who, after being accused of sleeping with the office cleaning lady, said to his boss, "Was that wrong? Should I not have done that? I tell you, I gotta plead ignorance on this thing, because if anyone had said anything to me at all when I first started here that that sort of thing is frowned upon..."
I'm a Proud American Atheist
The world was made for freedom. Nature gave human beings the ability to run free. Any reduction in liberty is manmade and should be rejected by persons of all religions, but especially by those who don't believe a deity was responsible for the formation of the universe.
Despite the immense trouble America has had in properly separating church and state, the United States is the greatest country in the history of the world for those who seek liberty.
I have as much trouble with governments who don't allow citizens to worship a god as I do with governments who force citizens to live their lives in strict accordance with an ancient book written by human beings who claimed a direct pathway to the heavens.
I cherish the fact that I can convert to Judaism on Monday, Christianity on Tuesday, Islam on Wednesday, Buddhism on Thursday, and be back to my old atheist self by the weekend.
I am not a Republican and I am not a Democrat because I inherently distrust those who actively seek control over others.
I would encourage those who reject the notion of a higher power to also reject government officials who do anything other than quietly protect your family and construct the roads on which you drive. Those enthusiastic about governing usually believe they are better at making decisions best left up to the individual.
Much like those high-up in organized religion, politicians thrive on instructing others how to live. Religious leaders pretend to use a holy book as the guide by which they teach, but in reality they encourage you to live what they consider an optimum lifestyle. This is similar to how politicians pretend their proposed rules are constitutional, while the rules proposed by their opponents go against everything our founding fathers had intended by drafting that sacred document.
These politicians use the Constitution to manipulate their constituents as David Koresh used the Bible to control the minds of those who believed in his righteousness. It never matters what the document says; it only matters what those in power say it says.
In other words, human beings that seek control will twist any popular writing to make it seem as if they are not telling you how to live based on their own personal beliefs and prejudices; rather they are simply correctly interpreting the words of a wise man or deity.
So cherish your freedom and be weary of anyone seeking power over others, because they rarely have anything on their mind other than career advancement or manipulation for the sake of twisted pleasure.
Despite the immense trouble America has had in properly separating church and state, the United States is the greatest country in the history of the world for those who seek liberty.
I have as much trouble with governments who don't allow citizens to worship a god as I do with governments who force citizens to live their lives in strict accordance with an ancient book written by human beings who claimed a direct pathway to the heavens.
I cherish the fact that I can convert to Judaism on Monday, Christianity on Tuesday, Islam on Wednesday, Buddhism on Thursday, and be back to my old atheist self by the weekend.
I am not a Republican and I am not a Democrat because I inherently distrust those who actively seek control over others.
I would encourage those who reject the notion of a higher power to also reject government officials who do anything other than quietly protect your family and construct the roads on which you drive. Those enthusiastic about governing usually believe they are better at making decisions best left up to the individual.
Much like those high-up in organized religion, politicians thrive on instructing others how to live. Religious leaders pretend to use a holy book as the guide by which they teach, but in reality they encourage you to live what they consider an optimum lifestyle. This is similar to how politicians pretend their proposed rules are constitutional, while the rules proposed by their opponents go against everything our founding fathers had intended by drafting that sacred document.
These politicians use the Constitution to manipulate their constituents as David Koresh used the Bible to control the minds of those who believed in his righteousness. It never matters what the document says; it only matters what those in power say it says.
In other words, human beings that seek control will twist any popular writing to make it seem as if they are not telling you how to live based on their own personal beliefs and prejudices; rather they are simply correctly interpreting the words of a wise man or deity.
So cherish your freedom and be weary of anyone seeking power over others, because they rarely have anything on their mind other than career advancement or manipulation for the sake of twisted pleasure.
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