Time Magazine's Man of The Year: GOD

One thing's for sure, he sure has been talked about enough. God and prayer have reached mainstream media status. Frankly, when I see a constant headlines like "Man survives Tsunami on raft, Prayer" on CNN, Tabloid cover stories like "The Ultimate Prayer Healing Issue", I think it just cheapens faith all around.

The thing that grabbed my guff was how much the recent presidential candidates talked about "their relationship with the almighty." It's absolutely fascinating how a country could go from completely fearing the influence of a religious body to requiring an open "relationship" with the christian god. When John Kerry came out and said "I'm a Roman Catholic" blah blah blah, I thought back to my mom who told me about how everyone in America was fearing voting for JFK because he was a R.C. and the possibility of him answering not to the American people but to the Vatican.

To me, seperating politics and religion is an obvious thing. Terms like "Greasy Politician," "Can't bullshit a bullshitter," "in industry's pocket", "Clinton" come rushing to my mind. "But Jamie, we can set a new standard of politicians, ones that are so morally rightous." Save it. Would I want God intermixed in a scandals like watergate? The cuban missle crisis? I don't want my politicians saying "we need to build more nuclear weapons" and run on the God bandwagon. I imagine Truman saying "May God bless every man, woman, and child I'm bombing in Hiroshima"

For friends of mine, this must look like from left field because they can say that I am not a religous person. I guess that this is a fair judgement since I do not participate in religious norms and activities. But this is somewhat of a misconception, with reason behind this is key: I don't advertise. Why? Because I can see (and have seen) the evil in "spreading the word."

Sunday school is an interesting place. The ongoing development of kids to do the right thing, to be good people, to be god's humble servants. Once you get old enough to understand death, you raise your hand and you ask "Where am I going when I die."
"Because you're X, you'll go to heaven."
"Where will my friend Craig go? He's Y?" This is always when you see the shortcomings of sunday school teachers...
"You mean to tell me Craig won't be there? He's my best friend?"
"He goes somewhere else." And why? He picked wrong, or his parents started him wrong. After all the lessons, the memorization, the coloring, you mean to tell me that I am required to be better than someone? What about this whole humble thing? The pride being a deadly sin thing?

But the "somewhere else" reply is a fun one to interpret. One way to look at it: Regardless of how moral you are, we are all going to somebodies hell.

It doesn't matter how you cut it, some religion, sect, denomination, cult, or what have you has you slated for an eternity of damnation for a belief that you hold, some value you asribe to, some action you've taken, not being part of the judge's religion, or simply because of the geographical location of your birthplace. Shit, tons of people are going to Jerry Falwell's hell, I know that for a fact.

But if all people of faith who are good and follow their religion exactly get into the pearly gates, then why is my religion better to study than little Craig's if it doesn't matter in the end? I could wear condoms in other religions and still get in.

It's been a struggle these past few months.

Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church came out and told me that if I voted for someone who was not pro-life or was pro-stem cell research than I would not be able to take communion and thereby forfeit a ride to the pearly gates at the end of my life. They of course rescinded these comments a week later. After this controversy, before election day, my church decided to take a less aggressive stance, but ultimately say the same thing, to support the less evil candidate, to only partake in "material cooperation with evil."

The above statement and politicians stronger embrace and showmanship of religion, have left my mind in a moral tailspin. A conflict of Common Law, a code developed even before America to govern all, and Religious Dogma, a code to govern people of faith. Where Common Law and some of religous beliefs are based on Universal Truths. Killing hurts people, stealing hurts people. Easy stuff. Now I'm being told that if I don't help my religions dogma become common law, I could be blocked from entering heaven, when I know people in other religions (or with no religion) in america, good people, don't believe in the same dogma. So we're right and law should state we are right? Where do we get the nerve telling other people that they are completely wrong when our judgements are based on that which is unknown (i.e. faith). Where do other people get the nerve to tell us we're wrong?

"Religion is a good thing...taken in moderation" ~Coleman - Trading Places