On Christianity and other Religions

Some thoughts on Christianity and alternative religions.

Some Christians and Christian families are some of the nicest people in
the world. They have Brady Bunch or the Cleavers type of family. For
you youngins, like the Seavers or the Huxtables. Younger? How about
the Griffins or the that troop from 7th Heaven? More likely, and MUCH
more important to Christians, is the perception of having such a family.
Having been involved with and close to a number of families who call
themselves Christian, I can tell you that the ones I've seen usually
have rampant alcoholism, child abuse (verbal or physical), generally
loathing toward other family members, and a sense of "I wish you would
all die." So pleasant. The children are often so out of control.
Into drugs or drinking or smoking at an early age. Not paying attention
to their parents. And why would they? Dad's an alcoholic who is never
home. Mom is pissed off at Dad and takes it out on the kids. Then you
want the kids to respect you? It's ok though. So long as you go to
confession and you are right with the Lord, right?

Many other families that I've known, or just individuals, are perceived
to live in a world of such sin. It's outwardly visible to people on the
outside looking in. They see someone who dresses in all black, for
example. They see a man with earrings or with a rock 'n roll t-shirt of
his favorite band. Even worse, they see a woman with more than one
earring in the same ear or with dark makeup or dyed black hair. Oh my
gosh!! However, when you get to know them and become involved with
their family, you see they have very well behaved children who are not
overly disciplined. They respect their parents simply because their
parents practice what they preach. They may drink, ever so sparingly.
They may even do some recreational drugs that the kids never find out
about. But, they live a life of strict order. Things are meant to be a
certain way with them and so they are. The kids eat a diet that is put
forth by their parents and is adhered to by the children. Once in
awhile there may be some variance to the rules. Bent but not broken!
The children are always dressed nice, too. There may be some
questionable material on their t-shirts or shoes with spikes on them if
they're teenagers, but their clothes are always clean. Neat and pressed
if applicable. Hair impeccably groomed and well defined. The boys are
handsome and the girls are beautiful. Most important of all, there is
mutual respect between the parents and the children. Why is that?
Because the parents haven't been spending their whole lives trying to
convince God that they are something they are not.

As much as a Christian will tell you about their faith and their beliefs
that "God will be my judge", they care very little about that until the
very end of their miserable lives. What they care MOST about and will
DENY the most is the importance of the judgments made by other people
that also call themselves Christian. They can't stand non Christians
because they can see right through the charades and that frightens them,
yet they still try convince non Christians that Christians are better
people as a whole and that they themselves are better people than anyone
who is non Christian.

Entire civilizations have been wiped out in the name of "spreading the
word" of Christ. Belief systems thousands of years predating
Christianity were all but eradicated by those who forced conversion unto
them. Those who refused conversion were killed "in the name of Christ
our Lord".

Today, it's not as bad, granted. Thank God!! The worst they do now is
flood our television with meaningless drabble every Sunday morning.
Once in awhile, they walk around and try to recruit new members for
their church. Usually because their church is broke and is about to be
shut down. Not because they care about spreading the love of Jesus.
How annoying are these people, right? The only time I go door to door
and engage in face to face relations with random people whom I don't
know is on Halloween and only enough to say "Trick or Treat" for my
young daughter who is too young to do it for herself. I think this year
she'll take care of it though if she's not too shy. Thankfully, not
everyone has children or they don't go with them. If everyone was out
walking the streets on October 31st, who would be home to give out
candy?

What, then, is the purpose of Christianity? I think it's a group of
laws and morals to live by to live life as a good person and to treat
others with respect and kindness. Yet, so very few people that call
themselves Christians actually do it. The greatest people I've ever
known were not Christian or at the very least did not practice it or
advertise it. People are nice people if they are raised that way. If
they have happy lives. People who were raised poorly and have lived
miserable lives will continue to pass that on to their children, who
will no doubt be Christians because they too were brainwashed from birth
with a list of contradictory commandments and ideals to live by. Not
contradictory on their own, but contradictory to their parents actions
and the way they were raised.

And another thing. How can God be omnipresent and man have free will?
Isn't that in itself contradictory? Do you actually have any choices if
God already knows the choices you are going to make? We're getting into
some Matrix shit now. I'll save that for another blog.