(no subject)

[balmofgilead]

"Not only did they miss the boat, they were so far away from the dock that they couldn't even hear the foghorn."

-a friend of mine

I feel this way about those who embrace religion Orthodox Judaism (can't speak for anything else with enough certainty) and believe that it's in some way equal to "values" or "morality" or "being a good person." Listen up: values and morality do not stand equivocation and slippery legal reasoning to determine whether something is permitted or not. If you'd like to follow various laws and minutiae and make your life decisions based on [religion's] legal technicalities, if you believe this will make you happier or closer to God or give you a place in heaven, go ahead. An ye harm none, do what ye will, to quote the good ol' Wiccan rede. (I always get a kick out of doing of that). But realize what it IS and what it ISN'T.

And this part is: religion was wrong for me because it prevented me* from being able to feel a sense of communion with [all of] humanity. To me, feeling a basic sense of communion with humanity is a very vital thing and an important factor in living a happy and well-balanced and productive and caring life.

I wrote some things yesterday and today but they're too rough-around-the edges to post. I'll post them tomorrow.

*I'm not implying that it works this way for anyone else; I can't know.

Comments

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

And this part is: religion was wrong for me because it prevented me* from being able to feel a sense of communion with [all of] humanity.

This seems to sum up one reason why fundamentalist and black Pentecostal Christianity in their various forms are wrong for me at this time of my life. The churches I've attended in those camps really seem to stress the idea that they are somehow better than the rest of humanity, even other Christians, and I can't get with that agenda, anymore. In my current church, the leadership preaches respect for all people and all religions, and I much prefer that message. It matches the convictions of my heart.

[balmofgilead.livejournal.com]

An issue I've encountered is that if I call them on it, some people will swear up and down that [insert religion here] does not actually see things that way and then claim that there's some misunderstanding. Or even that it's not that we/they are 'better', just 'different.'

So I've turned it into a practical and personal thing that no one can dispute: living Orthodoxy made it hard for me to (completely and emotionally) respect all people and view everyone as part of the same whole, and I don't want to live that way. [I grew tired of trying to bend and change religion so that I can live according to my values while still being classically religious--I decided that I may as well just live by my values and seek out other people who share them for community and support.]

[(Anonymous)]

http://www.empathicparenting.org/crime/commune.htm