I've Got the Will Lord, if You Have the Toe

No matter how I try to ignore organized religion, I cannot ignore the massive pain and suffering organized religions have caused Humanity since the first time someone thought it was a good idea to make up an imaginary figurehead to run things. I say imaginary, because tangible proof of a Heavenly Father has yet to exist.

That declaration I just made might indicate I am an Atheist. If nothing else, it is a basphemous statement that should insure I will be hunted down and mightily smote down in the next thunderstorm. But I am not an Atheist. I am an Agnostic. My pocket Webster dictiionary I used in school defines Agnosticism:

Atheism and Theism depend on contrived and unproven absolutes. The Universe, the planets, and all of us assholes who live in said Universe could have had a creator, but as of this moment in time, it is Faith that people use to support their steadfast belief in a creator or not a creator. Both views depend on speculation.

I have no gripe with either train of thought. Believe what you want. Don't believe what you want. My only gripe is when religious people organize themselves into an organization; Religion can quickly morph into very strict hierarchial systems that can be easily turned into ugly times for millions of people. Oftentimes, religious dogma can be twisted through forked tongue rethoric and become the driving forces of governing systems of brutality and intolerance. It has been an all too common tendency since the beginnings of organized religions. Is there a theocracy existing today that is not draconion in many ways. Organized religion can become communities of exclusion not inclusion.

The extremists of Atheism are no better; though I will say, the numbers of Atheist extremists are miniscule compared to the huge numbers of religious extremists. For most Atheists, it is enough for them to not believe. Any extension of that into action seems to die on the vine.

Over the years and the many thoughts I wasted over Religion, I decided that if indeed we had a creator or creators, the only interest they might have had was to get this whole shit show started. Once they got the ball rolling, they moved onto other projects or maybe just retired to the big bar n grill in the sky where they fed their faces and drank cocktails with umbrellas in them. They don't seem to care what we do. Remember, the Christians believe we were handed "Free Will". That let the God crew off the hook and gave them plausible deniability should we screw the pooch and destroy ourselves. 

Humanity created Good and Evil after milleniums of interactions with each other. We wrote the 10 Commandments. We wrote the Bible and then re-wrote it for white men who decided it was to their benefit, if they portrayed God and his only begotten Son as Blue eyed blonde haired WASPS from Connecticut. Of course not to be outdone, those pesky Babtists down South had to make Jesus into a Chuck Norris impersonator with a strap on Glock and a big buck knife sheathed but ready for close contact battle when the godless heathens managed to get in close.

Organized religion, particularily American Christianity, has become a joke. The different sects can't seem to agree on what makes a good Christian. They look down on each other, yet are not prone to criticizng the worst overreaching of the more extreme groups. If someone claims to be a good Christian, they don't have to live it. All they have to do is claim it.

What makes it so very funny and ironical lately is the Christian Nationalist Right insisting the Pope should stick to theology and leave politics out of his sermonizing. I am guessing this contradiction goes unoticed by them as they also seem prone to excuse the many contradictions found in their rule book, the Holy Bible. Stretching the truth to them is as easy as breathing.

Don't get me wrong. I understand that the majority of church going Christians are fine, regular folk. But unless more of these fine regular folk step up and call out the worst extremes of their religion, the fine regular folk will be looked on as enabling losers who are allowing their religion to be taken over by assholes. 

That is all I have this mornin...... or make that, this afternoon. 

Keep it 'tween the ditches ........................................

_________________________

I first heard this song when I was driving for SHOWCO, hauling Rock n Roll music from arenas to stadiums to wherever and back again in the mid 1970's. I was in one of my country music phases and would tune in to country stattions on my FM radio as I pounded the super slabs. 

I think I was in Arkansas after leaving Dallas. This song came on and played. It struck me so funny, so Country, so much like Texas Redneck High School booster music would; the first chance I got, I found the album on cassette and bought it. Bobbi Bare was one of the old guard country singers who had his share of hits, but never quite made it to Merle Haggard levels.

"Drop Kick Me Jesus Through the Goal Posts of Life" reached #17 on Billboard's Country Chart in 1976. ....... I repeat, it hit #17 on the Billboard Country Chart. But it's classic country like I grew up with and I liked it. I would occasionally get shitfaced and start singing it. It was even more fun if folks around me joined in.

Enjoy.