There's something about a solid relationship with the good lord above that I just can't help but question. Seeing as I'm the kind of person that usually doesn't believe anything until I see it with my own eyes, I wouldn't consider myself a god loving follower. Of course I have to judge those of you who do place so much belief in the big guy and have come to make some basic classifications of reasons behind why over 80% of the world’s population are a part of a religion. In my experience most religious followers fall into one of these categories.
1) Family followers. Many are grandfathered into the notion that a book full of fairy tales written thousands of years ago is in fact 100% truth. This I can understand to a point. Dumb people usually raise dumb kids. Being raised knowing no better and likely never given the chance to question why it was you believed in such a bizarre combination of stories. Stories which probably guilted you into being a better person and to not give up your v-card until marriage (keeping in mind all religions have loop holes, in this case it's usually the a-hole!)
2) Near death experience. The odd person gets through most of life unscathed by the church life until they have narrow escape with emanate death. Living through something traumatic often causes the victim to start sending thanks in God's directions. Being completely helpless gives people the need to believe in a power greater than themselves, in which case they're not responsible for their own actions.
3) Death. Living through the horrific experience of losing someone you deeply love is something that often forces people to put more thought into the whole god thing. I think it gives people peace to think of something greater than themselves in control of a situation that must make any person feel completely powerless. Legit? Absolutely.
4) A place to belong in a time of desperation. Many social programs including shelters and food banks are ran through churches. What better time to scoop up a newbie to your religion than some who's helpless, homeless and fucking hungry. You enjoyed that goulash? Go ahead and thank old JC, that one's on him.
5) Fear. Why risk it? Is there such a thing as God laying down his rath? Some people don't want to wait around to find out. Not wanting to end up shoulder to shoulder with all the people you wronged in life in a fiery pit of despair (aka hell) is a relevant fear.
Like most of the 20% out there who aren't a part of a cult (aka religion) I like to believe in something bigger than myself when it's convenient for me. If I really want to win the lottery, I send up a quick shout out. If someone had a gun to my head, that’s about the quickest way to turn me into a devout Christian. Realistically though, take a second to think about it. There's a big strong white guy up in the clouds, wearing a loin cloth with a full beard with no chest hair that is responsible for all that happens to the nearly 7 billion people on earth. Oh wait that’s not all, he's also taking care of all the people who have died and joined him in heaven, that’s got to be another couple of billion. What about the animals? Yep, he warms them with his embrace as well. Call me crazy but something about that strikes me as unrealistic.
One of the main things that rage me about church goers is that lack of responsibility they take for their own actions. So you fucked your best friends wife, call it god’s will. You murdered a man with 3 kids and a mortgage? Tell the big guy you're sorry and eventually you will go to heaven and spend eternity eating philadelphia cream cheese without gaining a pound. You shit your pants? My apologies but there is no godly excuse for that. Now I should say that I'm the first to spin the dradle, accept the paid holiday on Good Friday or even sport a skanky Halloween costume (that is a god based holiday FYI) but that is where I draw the line.
So what the hell does my bitter and cynical self believe in? Without sounding like a complete hippie I'm a strong believer in Karma. Seeing as I don't always conduct myself as a stand up human being I would like to think I believe in karma in-spite of the downfalls it has for a person like me. Of course I also believe that both timing and fate largely contribute to peoples good fortune and even more so, their misery. When it comes to death I just can't believe once you die, that's it. That's far too depressing. However I also can't force myself to believe spirits float up to a dreamy and bright place where everything is sunshine and lollipops. I would like to think that if I died I would have the ability to look down and creep on people in a way facebook has never allowed.
I guess what it comes down to is that I'm just sick of people not using their brains. I’m sick of the countless people that believe in this garbage only because they didn't stop to think about how ridiculous the whole idea is. Yes believing in things can most definitely create a positive but aren't there better things to believe in than religion? Believe that you are capable of something bigger than just being a follower. Believe that in the real world saying sorry for your sins doesn't always wash them away. Believe that you’re in control of your own god-damn life. Believe you can do whatever the hell you want on this earth without fearing the repercussions. Believe that G.O.D. & J.C. might be the most questionable fairy tales every told... and believe that if in fact there is a hell, I'll be seeing you there.
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