Saturday, September 03, 2005
The Answer To Our Prayers
People who have read my posts may have noticed I have a bit of a "thing" about religion. Maybe it's because I've learned about all the various detriments of religion to humanity. Granted, religion is great for those who have lost their way, or don't have a way to begin with. Most of our moral culture comes from religion. For those who were never taught the difference between right and wrong, religion is at least a starting point. So is "All I Really Need To Know, I Learned In Kindergarten."
It's the ritual, dogmatic stuff of religion that gets in the way of our treating other human beings well (and animals, too, incidentally): that person doesn't do like I do, I have The Truth and am good so that person must be bad, my holy text says this and that are wrong, blah, blah, blah. It's like one big buncha social clubs! Us against them!
And how 'bout all the bad stuff precipitated by religious differences? Wars, genocide, bigotry. Oh, and a little thing called The Inquisition! The Salem Witch Trials! Manifest Destiny and the subjugation and destruction of Native Americans! Wow! The list goes on!
So I decided to start my own religion. Dig this: all major religions (and most minor ones) have this thing called "The Golden Rule." Of course, not all call it that, and it's phrased differently from culture to culture. But the gist is the same: treat other people how you want to be treated. It's simple! Even morons can grasp the concept!
I'll call my religion "The Holy Order of The Golden Rule" (HOGR) or "The Golden Rulers" or something. You don't have to pray in a certain direction; you don't have to skip pork chop night on Fridays; you can even practice your own religion and be a part of the HOGRs, even if you're an atheist. Especially if you're an atheist. The only tenet you have to adhere to is The Golden Rule. That covers just about every situation.
If you find yourself without an easy, black-and-white answer to a troubling moral situation (such as those that religion purports to supply), just stop a second and think, "How would I want to be treated if I were that person?" WWGRD: What Would Golden Rulers Do?
It all comes down to perspective. Look at life from another person's viewpoint, and you'll be amazed how understanding you can become. If everyone in the world has become a self-centered, money-grubbing, screw-everybody-else dinkweed, see how you stand out from the crowd being a kind and generous person. And the best part is, it doesn't take much. A kind word, a helping hand, just recognizing a person as another human being will do it. You want to be a hero helping victims of 9/11, the Southeast Asian Tsunami or Hurricane Katrina? Fine. But try saying "hi" to the neighbor you see every day in their driveway before work--but ignore--once in a while. Remember the Golden Rule.
It's tough to make the world a better place. It's a little less tough when you try to make your world (and the world of those around you) a better place.
If man continues in the direction of enlightenment, his religious practice may, in the end, attain some semblance of human decency. -- Mark Twain
It's the ritual, dogmatic stuff of religion that gets in the way of our treating other human beings well (and animals, too, incidentally): that person doesn't do like I do, I have The Truth and am good so that person must be bad, my holy text says this and that are wrong, blah, blah, blah. It's like one big buncha social clubs! Us against them!
And how 'bout all the bad stuff precipitated by religious differences? Wars, genocide, bigotry. Oh, and a little thing called The Inquisition! The Salem Witch Trials! Manifest Destiny and the subjugation and destruction of Native Americans! Wow! The list goes on!
So I decided to start my own religion. Dig this: all major religions (and most minor ones) have this thing called "The Golden Rule." Of course, not all call it that, and it's phrased differently from culture to culture. But the gist is the same: treat other people how you want to be treated. It's simple! Even morons can grasp the concept!
I'll call my religion "The Holy Order of The Golden Rule" (HOGR) or "The Golden Rulers" or something. You don't have to pray in a certain direction; you don't have to skip pork chop night on Fridays; you can even practice your own religion and be a part of the HOGRs, even if you're an atheist. Especially if you're an atheist. The only tenet you have to adhere to is The Golden Rule. That covers just about every situation.
If you find yourself without an easy, black-and-white answer to a troubling moral situation (such as those that religion purports to supply), just stop a second and think, "How would I want to be treated if I were that person?" WWGRD: What Would Golden Rulers Do?
It all comes down to perspective. Look at life from another person's viewpoint, and you'll be amazed how understanding you can become. If everyone in the world has become a self-centered, money-grubbing, screw-everybody-else dinkweed, see how you stand out from the crowd being a kind and generous person. And the best part is, it doesn't take much. A kind word, a helping hand, just recognizing a person as another human being will do it. You want to be a hero helping victims of 9/11, the Southeast Asian Tsunami or Hurricane Katrina? Fine. But try saying "hi" to the neighbor you see every day in their driveway before work--but ignore--once in a while. Remember the Golden Rule.
It's tough to make the world a better place. It's a little less tough when you try to make your world (and the world of those around you) a better place.
If man continues in the direction of enlightenment, his religious practice may, in the end, attain some semblance of human decency. -- Mark Twain
# posted by Wildpig @ 10:18 AM 
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