|
|||||
Kickass Phone Rates from 3U
|
|||||
| PLACES TO GO: |
I whole-heartedly agree with the writings of Nietzsche in The Parable of the Madman:
This is probably one of the most often misinterpreted, taken-out-of-context phrases in modern philosophy. More religious zealots have used taken the line, "God is dead", and used it to further their own ignorant ways. (Such as the ever-popular: God is dead. -- Nietzsche. Nietzsche is dead. -- God) Nietzsche was not proclaiming that God didn't exist; rather, he was proclaiming that modern religion and religious experience had killed the original concept and idea of God. Much like a political filibuster, organized religion has whipped, beat, filtered, strained, re-colored, and otherwise diluted the concept of religion and of God. I harken back to the fledgling days of Christianity when the original disciples practiced (from what I understand of history) what I would consider a more "true" form of religious worship. One would get up and speak (a 'sermon' if you will, but unlike anything we know now) and after doing so, the others would comment on his remarks. It was a very interactive, scholar-oriented time of fellowship. They met to accrue understanding, enlightenment, and ideas. Each received something from the others, and the speakers received feedback on their ideas from the listeners. The thoughts presented may or may not have necessarily been scripturally-based; they may have been personal reflections on other ideas, biblical ideas, traditional ideas, etc. The important part is that they were actively thinking and reflecting on the issues of life, belief, and wisdom. Today's modern church consists of a large congregation of passive people listening half-heartedly while an educated religious man pontificates from the podium. Their reaction does not matter -- whether or not the message is received has no bearing on the preacher; s/he is simply there to deliver the message. Questions are not entertained. Ideas are not questioned -- they are simply accepted. Don't like the ideas? Choose a different church. Some people show up for the religious experience. Some for the singing of the hymns. Others because it is socially taboo to not show up at church. And still others because they get to socialize with somewhat like-minded people. That being said, I can still find for myself value in attending church on a non-regular basis. It realigns my mind towards my religious beliefs, gives me time to think and ponder on them, and perhaps catch the rare nugget from the preacher, although that is getting rare nowadays as well. Most of the time, if I wish to ponder dumbed-down mass messages to the populous, I'll watch the six o'clock news. Sometimes it is worth the time and effort. However, I have to honestly say that I have derived more knowledge of God and of my religion from philosophical examination thereof than I have ever gained from my experiences with organized religion. Much of what organized religion now stands for disgusts me in terms of its blockheadedness inability to adjust with a changing world. "We don't need to change," screams the spiritual public, "our message has spanned the generations; it will continue to do so. Why fix what isn't broken?" However, I think that their message is broken, has been for ages, and they still refuse to see it. The problem isn't in the core of the message, it's in the delivery. Preaching for goodness, wisdom, kindness, charity, love, and devotion isn't wrong. Insisting that you accept these concepts, and their complex details, to the letter of the law -- blindly -- is not right. It doesn't allow for any variation within the structure. Moreover, variations are considered to be abberations, not spice. They turn militant against those with differing beliefs instead of just allowing the difference to continue. They do it in the name of "caring for the unbeliever" and "evangelism" but in the course of the action end up condemning and sentencing they who do not follow the straight-and-narrow. The old organized religion doesn't address the modern world and thus it is slowly rejecting it in favor of something that has meaning. |
||||
