Ultimately, I wish I could organize my blog like a flow chart by topic (vertical) instead of chronologically (horizontal). I would then link today's post to yesterday in depth.
However, this wouldn't be my blog if I left the topic of organized religion without expressing some of my issues regarding this topic--although I doubt this has anything to do with happiness, other than my own. Nor the treatment of BPD; unless somehow elements of religious extremism contribute to the development of BPD.
First, I want to acknowledge that not all religions, and not all religious people are, or believe, or even practice some of the negative aspects of the religious organizations to which they may be affiliated.
Sometimes religion is part of someone's culture, how their family organizes things, etc. And often adherents just go along with how things are without really embracing or rejecting the tenets of their "faith".
That being said, I feel it is important to point out some of the problems I have found, experienced, or observed:
1) Intolerance
It bothers me terribly that so many religions feel they have found the one truth, to which they must try to convert others as their #1 priority.
I detest proselytizing. If what you believe is so great just live it. And let me decide if I'm interested. If I see your life as better than mine, then I might inquire. The only soul you are responsible for is your own, and that is a full-time job. The only truth one needs to seek is one's own truth--which is a life-time activity.
God is a god of diversity. Look around. There is no "one size fits all truth". In my opinion, we're not doing our work if we are not trying to figure out our own truth, rather than accepting some canned formula from someone else.
2) Xenophobia - Fear of the stranger
I would suggest this is the underlying human motivation for devaluing and rejecting others on the basis of religion--to the point of persecution and death.
There is something primitive in the human psyche that wants to kill those who are not, in very basic terms, "fruit of one's loins"--and I think this is more a male gender tendency than a female one.
It is only later brain function development that can override that impulse. So it is always there lurking.
If you can attach a difference in physical appearance and dress with a belief system, and throw in a little oil (or some such disparity in the distribution of assets); you have the perfect reason to kill them off and grab what they have.
Of course, our more modern brains tell us we shouldn't do that; so we have to justify it somehow--sometimes in religious terms (or alternatively, finding phantom weapons of mass destruction). They don't have souls; or they are going to hell anyway; or they have had the opportunity to accept our "truth" and have rejected it; or it is predicted in our holy book, etc. etc.
Come on people. Open your minds. Don’t fear the stranger, learn from her or him. Sometimes other cultures have better solutions than what we’ve come up with; and often, delicious food. So curb your unfounded fear, wrap your head around diversity and acceptance.
The barbarian isn’t at the door. It is in our primitive brain stem.
...to be continued...
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