Saturday, May 14, 2011

An Over-Reliance on Religion

I noticed this comment over at Lucianne.com.  JD wrote:
Off topic, but…

When you get down to the nitty gritty it isn’t about the fraud in the White House, it isn’t about increasing the debt ceiling, it isn’t about obamacare, it isn’t about the gop’s 2012 presidential candidate, it isn’t about the TEA party, it isn’t about rising gas and food prices, it isn’t about homosexual marriage, it isn’t about American Idol or who wins dancing with the stars or who gets thrown off a make-believe-island, it isn’t about the NBA playoffs, it isn’t about the 2012 NFL season, it isn’t about Putin, it isn’t about China, it isn’t about Imadingdong, it isn’t about BHO getting OBL, it isn’t about oil, it isn’t about Turkey going over to the dark side, it isn’t about the United Nations, it isn’t about what the Palestinians want, it sure isn’t about allah.

It’s about the God of the Holy Bible.

After 50 plus years of pursuing the pleasures of the flesh and caring about this world, I, for reasons I can’t explain, actually picked the bible up and read it. I mean, I really read it and continue to do so…at 20 AM when I can’t sleep…read a chapter or two when I’m brewing coffee before going to work…read a couple of chapters during lunch….read all of Matthew and other books on Saturday morning. Then repeat.

My conclusion: what a kick in the teeth. If the bible is a fake then nothing to worry about. If it’s real then hang on, because we are in the biblical end-time and things are going to get interesting.

My advice is to listen to that little, quiet, easy to ignore, voice inside you.
My small, quiet voice within has spoken and it said "this guy is a self-indulgent ass."  Some people use religion like a drug, to shut out the world and its problems and the need to fix them.  It is the ultimate cop-out, the consummate drop-out, the supreme denial of responsibility, all with the imagined blessing of God.

Left the barn door open?  It's not about losing your horse...it's about God.  Kids playing on the freeway?  No problem, just read another chapter in the Bible.  Wolf at the door?  Just open the door and beat the beast senseless with a large volume of the Bible.  Or quote scripture at him until he dies of boredom.

Here's a better thought, JD:  God helps those who help themselves.

7 comments:

bro said...

Why does that guy's opinion anger you so much? He may be on to something. You were just preaching how "Tolerant" you were a few days ago? Are you selectively "Tolerant"

"AMOS 8 V 11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the Words of the LORD"

Stogie said...

Bro, yes I am selectively tolerant. I never tolerate the asinine.

My problem with JD is that, like many Christians, he is too busy preparing for the next world to live productively in this one. So instead of campaigning against Obama, he is going to study the Bible.

You're not like that, nor is your son (my favorite nephew), nor is your daughter. You can study the Bible and still be involved in politics.

Stogie Jr said...

You have to agree with his conclusion Pop! The Bible is a kick in the teeth, no matter what side of the fence you fall on.

Religion and one personal interpretation of it is as different as a fingerprint. To me religion is a personal thing. Everyone faces the mystery in their own way.

The one thing God gave us all is the the ability to chose. Choice is a powerful thing. You are right we can not choose to just ignore evil. We (not me personally) chose to put it there and we must chose to remove it.

No matter what you believe doing good is always the right thing to do.


(Galatians 6:9)

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

bro said...

False religion like Islam makes a great idol. Politics can too. I am interested in Politics, but in the long run it is just vanity of men.

Stogie said...

Stogie Jr, very well said.

Bro, anything can become an obsession, whether religion or politics.

I see guys like JD as being passengers in a lifeboat. The lifeboat is leaking badly and everyone is bailing the water out, except JD. He is just sitting there, reading the Bible.

That reminds me of a story about a zealot Christian whose boat sank and he began to pray to God to be saved. Three boats came by offering assistance, but he refused, saying God would preserve him. He finally drowns and goes to Heaven where he confronts God: "I prayed and prayed, why didn't you save me?" he asks. God replies, "You moron, I sent three boats, why did you refuse their help?"

Politics is power and control, and yes, that is vanity, but it can be a deadly vanity and we need to resist evil in all its forms, especially political evil.

bro said...

In my opinion the bible IS the life boat.

Stogie said...

Bro, now you are just mixing metaphors. Forget it.