Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and
to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
 |
| CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION |
The Ol’Buzzards rant on religion.
Most liberal thinkers are appalled at the extreme rhetoric
coming from the Republican candidates – but let’s send the chicken home to
roost. These extreme social views are
not the product of Republicanism; but are the direct doctrines of
religion. Religion, for millenniums,
has taken a pass on its responsibility for the bigotry, ignorance and violence
that has exist in the world, and still exist to this day.
The early Greek’s brought us philosophy, science, government,
colleges and courts of law. The Roman’s brought
us modern roads, infrastructure, cities and law. The consolidation of the Christian Church
during the sixth century brought us a thousand years of dark ages: a time when
knowledge was restricted, science was considered heresy and The Church
established theological dogmatism as law via the inquisition.
During the 17th century The Church gradually lost
is strangle hold on Europe , due mainly to the
invention of the printing press and the back to back plagues that spread across
the Christendom. But as late as 1600 Giordano Bruno was burned
at the stake (bound, his tongue in a gag) by the Catholic Church for publishing
the Copernicus theory that the sun was the center of the universe. In 1633 Galileo was threatened with torture
and death on the stake, forcing him to recant his findings of a sun centered
universe. It wasn’t until 1820 that the
Papal Inquisition was dismantled; and 1822 that The Church finally acknowledged
the sun, and not the earth, was the center of our universe.
Even today religion opposes science, knowledge, free
thinking and free inquiry at every turn.
It indoctrinates its followers from childhood with fanciful stories and
the promise of life after death. It is
the source of bigotry against other religions, gays, women, atheist and
individualism; and it is the driving force that underlies most wars and
genocides.
Today, in the United States
The assassination of abortion doctors
Hatred of the Moslems
The fear and condemnation of gays
Vilification of women seeking abortions
A drive to control women’s sexuality
Attempted restrictions on everyone’s sexual freedom
A drive to legally control the bodies of women
Legislation of religious ignorance in schools in place of
science
Attempted censorship and restriction of books, movies and
tapes
An attempt to legislate zygotes as U.S.
And a concerted drive to transpose the United States
And the list goes on ad-nauseam; anywhere you find bigotry,
racism, sexism, female-phobia, intolerance and ignorance you will find an
undercurrent of religious dogmatism driving the army of the righteous.
I have no qualm with people attending churches, and people
choosing to believe in gods (or goddesses.)
I don’t even have a problem with Jehovah’s Witnesses knocking at my door
(I am polite to them, but don’t let them in.)
I do have a problem when self
proclaimed holies strive to legislate their religious cant as the law of the
land. I object to “IN GOD WE TRUST” on
our money; and prayers - and swearing SO HELP ME GOD at government
functions. I object to religion and
religious doctrine being taught in public schools.
Religion belongs in the homes and in the churches for those
wishing to partake; but not in our government and not in my face.
The Ol’Buzzard
The only downside to being an atheist is there is no one to yell
to when I have an orgasm.
face it..religion is bad..faith or spirituality is good.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the religious nut bars have set the agenda for too long. There are devout liberal Christians and devout liberal Muslims but the religious right would say otherwise and burn them or cut off their heads. Being a devout liberal atheist or devout liberal agnostic is no help against these people either.
ReplyDeleteA well written rant. I may borrow from it with appropriate credit.
The only downside to being an atheist is there is no one to yell to when I have an orgasm.
Q: What does a woman say after great sex?
A: Thank you, Blog Fodder.
Alternate A: Some men will never know
The Vatican executed hundreds of people during the 19th century by papal edict. The preferred method after 1800 was the French inovation of the guillotine, but if the pope was feeling testy, much more grisly and entertaining methods could be employed. The Vatican used capitol punishment for any offense the pope saw fit. Probably, over half the executions were for religious related ideological transgressions.
ReplyDeleteThe last executions took place in the 1880's right before the Italian Army occupied the Vatican. Actually, the Vatican Death Penalty was reinstated in 1929 through 1969 but it was never used. That was the Mussolini effect. He let them have the power again.
Why do atheists have so little voice in political discourse?
I will quote my main man, Dr. Biggee Dee D Dawkins who said, "Indeed, organizing atheists has been compared to herding cats, because they think independently and will not conform to authority".....YO!
Amen. God save me from organized religion!
ReplyDeleteThe theocrats are scary. What needs to be done is to spread the word to all the Bible-Bangers that what if their religious views aren't being followed. When they call for things like prayer in school, ask them whose prayers will be the ones used??? Of course because they all believe theirs is the one true way, so it'll be according to their cult.
ReplyDeleteEver since the FuckingRepublicans started courting the Bible-Banger vote this country has been going down hill. We need to convince the Bible-Bangers that they have been played all this time. The party has strung them along with their wedge issues, but if they were to actually deliver on their promises the party is afraid they'd lose the Bible-Banger vote.
I tried telling my cousin that the FuckingRepublicans were playing him on both the religion and the military issues, but it fell on deaf ears. Still doesn't want to believe he has been played for a fool!!!
I did a long reasoned comment and blogger ate it.
ReplyDeleteYou may know, or can guess, where Oklahoma's vote went yesterday. I saw a clip on TV yesterday of a woman who had just voted, talking about how "we vote from our hearts here", meaning how we vote with God. That's the problem with lack of education in poor areas, people simply can't think and so religion rules their lives and they in turn work hard to make it rule everyone else's. It really is terribly sad.
ReplyDeleteAmerica is a society that's always considered itself to be destiny's darling. Having bought into that narrative hook, line, and sinker, there are a lot of people living in the US who are very angry now that the whole edifice is showing signs of immanent collapse. In the face of a cosmos that fails to cater to their sense of entitlement, a number of people follow religions that make believers feel special, promise them some version of a pie in the sky, and generally offer them a ton of excuses for not doing anything real.. other than shouting out their blame and intolerance.
ReplyDelete