Well I’ve tried to keep it fairly tempered, but as I’ve hinted at, I don’t have much truck with religion. That’s my personal belief, and I hope religious people can respect that, the same as I respect people that choose to have a faith. After all churches are rather nice places, and we are richer for them!
Far as I can tell people are religious for all sorts of reasons, some as a guide to life (albeit sometimes a selective one), sometimes as a crutch to get them through life, others simply want a ticket to the Kingdom of Heaven; some just like to think they have all the answers!
But at the same time, I do get rather miffed being told I am a bad person for not believing in what they do. Or, some of my friends, who are lovely people, are going to hell for the way they are. If there is a God, he made them, and it does seem rather ironic and somewhat cruel that such an all loving being wants to damn people forever. There are mere humans with more forgiveness and mercy. My understanding is the idea of Heaven and hell came from the Romans, not the original Christians.
There are several principal problems for me:
1. Who made God, if God many everything?
2. There are around 4000 religions; they all believe they are right, which one should I pick? After all, if I get the wrong one, I’m going to hell anyway. Most people choose theirs through an accident of birth.
3. If good people are rewarded, and bad people are punished, we should be on an evolutionary path, where the good are living wholesome and easy lives. Bad people shouldn’t be able to obtain positions of power or fortune. But we know, very decent people have terrible lives, and very bad people can have good lives sometimes. Although I still believe people should behave morally, because we are all somewhat vulnerable and ought to be able to understand if we are inflicting suffering on others. To me, that's where morals come from, not written words.
4. There remains a fundamental lack of proof.
5. Some religions have been involved in terrible atrocities. I cannot join a ‘club’ which is part of that morally for me, same as I don’t use companies that are irresponsible or involved in exploitation, cruelty etc
It is however not for me to tell other people they are wrong. And at all times, I remain waiting to be convinced otherwise.
