Just Stop It!

September 15, 2012

Just stop it (Photo credit: smohundro)

There are times when I look around at what’s going on in the world and feel certain that aliens have invaded us, sucked out the brains of much of the world’s religious population and replaced it with grape jelly or something while I was out working in the garden.  This week was one of those times.  (And, lest you feel that I am picking on religion, I feel the same way about the political and economic fanatics here and around the world, too.  It’s just that this week you all seem to be doing the worst of the acting out.)

Apparently, from what we know so far, sometime this year an Egyptian Coptic Christian fanatic made and posted a video of a supposed movie trailer on youtube that purported to tell the “truth” about Mohammed in the ugliest and most vile terms – egged on by an/some American Christian fanatic(s) with his/their own religious ax to grind.  When, after six months on the internet, it had failed to make much of a splash, someone translated it into Arabic, reposted it and made sure it reached the media in several Muslim countries this week.  There it finally accomplished what the previous six month exposure had not.  It fanned the flames of anger and hatred among ordinary Muslims and Islamist fanatics alike – resulting in the attack on the American Embassy in Libya and the deaths of the American ambassador and his three cohorts as well as the deaths of at least two protesters, so far, as the anger spread from country to country.  Well, bully.  You nut cases got what you wanted.

Meanwhile, here in America people seem to be arguing the free-speech rights of these Christian nut cases without much talk, so far, about the free-speech responsibilities that go along with it and with little regard for the free-speech rights of the Muslim populace protesting the affront. Likewise, (at least until President Obama had a little midnight heart-to-heart with some of the leaders) there seemed to be little talk among the Muslim leaders about the free-speech responsibilities that went along with the protests in their countries.  And, both the Christian fanatics and the Muslim fanatics are feeling pretty smug about what they’ve accomplished while the rest of us look around wondering what’s going to come of this, next.

If history is any example, what happens next is what always happens in these situations.  The Religious, political and economic PsTB in all the involved countries(among whom the fanatics of both religions are as much pawns in the game as the ordinary believers are their pawns in their smaller games) will look around to see how it can be used to their advantage in the great game for power and resources they’ve always played.  And we ordinary people – of all persuasions or no persuasion – will be left to pay the price for whatever damage is done by your inability to see how cleverly you are being played to hate each other.

To which I look around and say, Just Stop It.

Every major religion believes their God made mankind in his own image.  Not just Christians or Muslims or Jews or Hindus – all mankind.  Yet, if you really believe this is true, how can you say you love your own God by hating his image in others – turning the one you believe was big enough to create the universe into the small-minded bigot your religious fanatics tell you that you must be to really love your God?

I’m tired of you telling me how big your god is by making him so small.  Just stop it.

Every major religion teaches that their God says not to lie, not to bear false witness against each other.  Yet, if you really believe this, why do you make your God a liar by believing every vile thing your fanatics tell you about someone else’s religion or lack of it?

I’m tired of you telling me a lie and saying it’s your god’s truth.  Just stop it.

Every major religion teaches that their God wants them to be in the world, but not of it.  Yet, if you really believe this, how is it that you constantly let every grifter and con artist  of a politician or religious fanatic use your God to give them power over you in this world?

I’m tired of you telling me that a man using your god to gain power, is the same as a man actually having your god’s power. Whatever God you believe in, they aren’t the same thing.  Just stop it.

I’m an atheist.  I don’t care what God you believe in; that’s your choice and your right.  But, whatever God you believe created you, you have the same brain and conscience that I do.  Use them.  That’s the reason – I presume you believe – your God gave them to you in the first place.  Being religious is not an excuse for being ignorant of facts.

Most of you believe that your God is going to come back and destroy the world, take you off to paradise/heaven/wherever and punish the rest of us.  Fine.   But, I don’t read anywhere, in any of your texts, where he ceded that power and turned it over to you so you could do the job for him.  So, until then, Please, Just Stop It!