Insanity is a dish best served microwaved

George Michael…

 I went to family dinner tonight.  Towards the end of the dinner we got into the discussion about religion.  This is a topic I tend to avoid because my lack of knowledge on the subject and just my feelings in general towards it.  Well we were discussing religion in a very civil manner.  I expressed my dislike for organized religion and that faith was a completely different thing.  After discussions about the Bible and God, I was drawn in.  Not passionately like most subjects, I was moving gingerly hoping that no one noticed I was moving.

Here’s my issue… I’m not sure where I stand with faith.  I have faith, but I don’t know exactly what I have faith in exactly.  Is it God?  A reason that things happen for a reason?  Divine Intervention?  I just don’t know.  I just know that organized religion is not always good as it does more harm than good.  We as humans have been in countless wars over religion and it really hasn’t proved anything.  I have also seen religion abuse its followers and take advantage of their faith.    It angers me to see this happen because most of the people that are taken advantage because those people are so desperately seeking help for their problems.  It’s just sad and there seems to be no repercussion for those who cause harm–at least not here on Earth.

Which leads me further into question… if there was a higher force or God, why would so many bad things happen to its subjects?  Why were some of his people given everything in the world (US) and some many born into poverty.  Wouldn’t he want all his children to live equally?  Why would he allow so many of his people die in senseless wars in his name?   Or why would he create disease that take the lives of so many people who lived a good life?  I fully understand why people must leave this world who are older and have lived a full life.  It’s all the children and people in their prime of their lives that I don’t understand.

Faith, as my friend Susan noted, is a personal thing.  My faith is very personal to me.  I believe that everything on Earth has value and meaning.  I think every day I awake is a blessing.  I am thankful for the sunshine and air I breathe.  I believe animals feel the same pain we do, that we are not superior, just more advanced.  I believe that every human has worth and can contribute something to our world.   I believe our Earth should be cherished and not abused.  I believe everything happens for a reason and will eventually make you happier in the end. 

Do I have to justify my beliefs and faith to anyone.  Absolutely not.  Do I push them onto others–no way.  What bothers me is to hear people tell me and others that we are going to burn in hell because we don’t believe what they do.  That’s not very faith based thing to say.  What that tells me is that is they think they are right; there is no room for interpretation or thought.  It saddens me.  I would hope that no matter what we choose that if there is a higher force, we would all be right.