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"Christian" group prays for singer, George Michael to die
http://www.spinner.com/2012/01/04/george-michael-christian-group/
It's situations like this that justify my escalating aversion to organized religion.
Given my Catholic background, and otherwise religious upbringing, every random now and then I get a twinge of uneasiness with this independent position I've grown into, but stories like this one confirm for me that it's fine to have taken my own spiritual path. Religion is too often used to justify less than equitable, civil, or even sensible behavior toward others. Some use religion to fit their own agenda, which a lot of the time has nothing to do with what that religion is supposed to be about.
When did it become "Christ-like", or Christian, to pray to God/ Christ, to take back one made in God's own image? If I'm to believe what I'm told the Bible says I should believe, God put George Michael here. Who are these Christians to tell God to take him back? The Book says we are all made in God's image. Does that not include gay people? Women? Minorities? The biased? The Unintelligent?
And furthermore, just who determines what that image is?
Did these same people pray to God for the death of the guy who a week or so ago killed and dismembered that little girl he was supposed to be babysitting? Did the Christians light candles and send up requests for the demise of Bernie Madoff after he made off with all those people's savings, not mention their basic trust in their fellow man? And did religion not figure into the reason some of those people gave and continued to give their money to Madoff to make off with even when the "Trouble Ahead!" signs were flashing?
In keeping with religious beliefs, abortion clinics are blown up, sometimes killing and maiming doctors and other health workers in the process. Abortion doctors have been targeted for death. How is that in keeping with God's will, or even pro-life? I watched in confusion as people of various religions cheered the death of Sadaam Hussein. They prayed, celebrated, supplicated themselves, thanking their God for taking him. Hussein might have been a total low life who wreaked havoc in his own country and around the world, but that religious reference/rule book I was made to study in my early days clearly informed me that vengeance is not ours here on earth. We don't call the shots; that Higher Power does. Sadaam went when his time came, and his time came because that Higher Power said it was time. Period.
Politicians run on the "Christian" or "Family Values" ticket, hoping to sway the vote in their favor (fit their own agenda), then it comes out the private lives they lead are anything but Christian or in line with family values- whatever they really are. Almost every religion has found a way to try to keep women and girls "in their place". Religion on its own hasn't done a whole lot for most of the problems in this world. For a long time, for me, it's been looking like quite the opposite is true. In fact, I've begun to cringe when someone feels the need to announce to me how 'Christian' they are. It's usually not very long before the true measure of that Christianity shows itself, a thing I might not have noticed had it not been brought to my attention.
I gave up on the clubs some time ago; I don't care to be included. I've decided the best I can do in this life is give my best, treat people right, be as fair and impartial as the situation allows, help others when the ability to do so is there, be right with myself, and put my faith and trust in a power greater than me.
That leaves me with little time for praying for or celebrating the demise of others.
