"If its real to you, it’s money to us!" The UFO Abduction counselor. And the Minister, the Preacher, the Rabbi, the Mullah and the Priest.
A few years back I went to visit an old psychologist friend who was at the time making a good living counseling UFO abductees. I was eager to talk with him to see if, as I suspected, there was any difference between being abducted by aliens and fundamentalist religions. From a distance, and before speaking to him, I had my answer in the T-Shirt he wore, "If its real to you, it’s money to us!"
I feel the need to premise this category with a few comments on religion. Keep religious fervor our of the government and away from me and mine and it’s just fine. I do understand that it is something many require to help them make it through this life.
I believe we have souls that if not filled with something or other, will probably cause us to not have a very good time of it, though the issue is what exactly we choose to fill it with.
Many of us find it quite easy to fill it with love of family and friends, hobbies, sports, politics, music, art and of course GUNS! But many others do not enjoy such easy options and instead require it filled by a glowing globe of supernatural firmament.
That need for the supernatural can be seen as a strength or a weakness, but when it becomes fanatical or forced upon others, it’s the most dangerous thing in the world. Oh you need not ask questions, when God’s on your side.
A few years ago then Governor Jesse Ventura of Minnesota found himself in serious trouble when he wrongly stated that religion was for the weak AND stupid, which is not something one can say in Minnesota – nor anywhere else in this country. In fact, the trouble he gained from that statement was the impetus of him not running for office again. Even rightly stated that it is for the weak OR stupid doesn’t get very far either.
Don’t kid yourself, most of the terror in the world past and present is and has been more about religious faith than anything else. Contrary to public opinion, governments and secular charities do far more than churches in alleviating poverty and misery in the world.
Religious faith cannot be disparaged in any way by either the main stream media or politicians, in fact even individuals speaking privately should be advised to stay silent on the matter for the repercussions.
Faith in what we may ask? A belief in supernatural happenings and deities? Or perhaps faith in each other?
No matter, I never swallowed the former and over the past generation watching the Republican Party turn Christianity into a right-wing hate fest dependent upon unregulated free market selfishness, I’ve lost the latter.
My favorite book is Moby Dick, a fun adventure that takes a hard look at how religion drives revenge. One little clip from it stayed with me and best describes my feelings on the issue.
"Now, as I before hinted, I have no objection to any person’s religion, be it what it may, so long as that person does not kill or insult any other person, because that other person don’t believe it also. But when a man’s religion becomes really frantic; when it is a positive torment to him; and, in fine, makes this earth of ours an uncomfortable inn to lodge in, then I think it high time to take that individual aside and argue the point with him." Ishmael – From Moby-Dick by Herman Melville.