Religion

Who knows why but every once in awhile I think about religion. Maybe I miss the comraderie and social aspect, maybe I’m trying once again to find a label for what I believe. I don’t believe in the Christian god. I have no memory at all of ever believing in god. We are all born atheists, then we are brainwashed into believing whatever our parents believe.

Recently I took a couple of online quizzes to see where I fit in. Both said said Universal Unitarian with Pagan undertones. So, I looked up UU and read about what they believe. Basically they believe anything you want but you’re jumbled in with people who do believe in god and people who don’t. People who do believe in reincarnation and people who don’t. It’s basically a jumbalaya of beliefs all thrown in to one church, some which completely contradict each other. How does that work? What sort of church service would you have with people who believe in god and atheists in the same congregation?

So, I’ll throw out what I believe here and see what comes back to me.

1. I don’t believe in a god you have to worship. Worship, jealousy, hate, revenge, sacrifice, murder, enslavement, oppression, discrimination, coercion, blackmail and sexism are attributes of human beings. No god I would worship would have these traits. Gods who have these attributes are made up by greedy, controlling, narcissistic, sociopathic men.  I don’t believe in a god that has ever or will ever have anything at all to do with people. I do believe in a “oneness” for lack of a better word.

2. What is the origin of the universe? Don’t know, don’t care, although I suspect this planet was seeded.

3.  What happens to us when we die? I do believe in the soul. Maybe soul is the wrong word. We have energy. Energy never dies. I do believe in reincarnation. I do believe we have lessons to learn for each life. I do believe we come back with little to no knowledge of our previous lives. I cannot believe in a god who gives us one life, throws some people down into a starving life in Ethiopia and says that’s it, that’s all you get.

4. Why is there evil and suffering? As stated above, I believe we each have our own particular lessons to learn from life. My lesson in this life is different from my next door neighbors lessons. Some people’s lessons are to experience true evil. Some people’s lesson is to experience victimhood. Some is to experience mass loss, hunger, abuse, poverty or success, being artistic, helping others etc.

5. Is it necessary to worship? No. That is a man made concept. I do believe it is necessary to respect and honor but not gods. The earth and everything on it and each other.

6.  Is there heaven or hell? No. Those are man made concepts designed to control people. They are threats.

7. What are my beliefs concerning abortion, divorce, pot, LGBTQ (and whatever else)? Whatever. It’s your life. They are your lessons. I have no right to judge you, tell you what to do or say you can’t do it.

8. Do I believe the Bible is a religious text or the word of god/Jesus. No. Most of it is either horrible, boring or contradicts itself. It’s a group of books a bunch of guys in Constantinople put together to control the people. It’s been changed so many times it’s not funny and basically it only needs one rule. Don’t be a dick.

So what am I looking for? We are social animals. Most of us are not hermits. I’m introverted and don’t care for participating in groups but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to feel like I belong. That doesn’t mean I want to find a small group and dance naked in the moonlight revering the earth either.

I need ideas.