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June 22, 2007 at 19:54:06

The Bush/Religion association is destroying religion

by W. Christopher Epler (Bill)

www.opednews.com

 

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The Bush/Religion association is destroying religion

*****************************************************************

Religion before Bush was given a free ride. People played the game. Recovering Catholics were everywhere and cult fanatics were indulged with humor. It was like having an eccentric and frequently toxic older relative in the human family who everyone was tactfully waiting to die.

Science has been taken far more seriously than religion by the cutting edge of human civilization for the last few hundred years.

But then along came an Armageddon death-wishing president and his intellectually challenged army of Muslim haters. And lo! Another "Crusade".

It has always been tacitly understood that genuinely spiritual people are religious in name only. They may "go to church" and even send their kids to religious schools, but they understand deeply and passionately that religion is for children and authentic spirituality is for grown ups.

These people are always kind (not war obsessed), intelligent (not Bush-brained), and sane in the solid, existential sense of the word.

So for true spirituality, institutionalized religion has always been a rather meaningless side show -- something which may have once had civilizing value, but only for as long as people trusted arrogant social authority more than then own hearts, intelligence, and intuitions.

Indeed, this was the essence teaching of Jesus Christ (so quickly lost by the cassock folk). Listen to your heart because your heart "is" Jesus.

So for centuries, Christianity (to take that as one example) carried around the dead weight of crushingly expensive institutions, the neurotic theologizing of celibate (or intensely repressed) men, and psychotically self righteous worshippers of violence. After all, the history of Christianity is chiefly the history of war after war after war.

And here we go again. Nutcase religious fanatics are pushing for World War 3. The Middle East is now the springboard into civilization-death for Homo duhians who actually think the world is going to go boom in the next week or two.

However, THIS time, the religioso war mongers and mass murderers are openly seen as being grounded in infantile religious cults. It's one thing to engineer the death of Mother Nature and the human species if you're very far behind the scenes, but if you're right up there on network news proving to the planet that institutionalized religion is fundamentally blood thirsty and stupid, your survival status is in question.

The morale of all this is that Bush's intimate associate with religious fanatics and the cause and effect between war and religious hate machines may mark the beginning of the end of institutionalized religion.

Religion, in short, is turning out to be a suicidal luxury the human condition can no longer afford.

*****************************************************************

W. Christopher Epler

more from Bill at  <http://theliberationofrealism.blogspot.com/>


 

www.theliberationofrealism.blogspot.com

A liberal American, PhD mathematician, bipedal Earthling.

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20 comments

electronic technician, truth seeker
Bob Gormleyelectronic technician, truth seeker

Yes

Yes,

    I think you got it right Bill.

There's a big difference between "going to church" and

spirituality ,isn't there? Bush is a classic example of what spirituality

is not.

by Bob Gormley (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 911 comments) on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 7:30:51 AM
 


A liberal American, PhD mathematician, bipedal Earthling.
W. Christopher Epler (Bill)A liberal American, PhD mathematician, bipedal Earthling.

thanks

And the funny thing is that most people who realize this core distinction never have to work at it to learn it -- it's just life common sense.  They also don't throw the baby of spirituality out with the bath water of instiutionalized religion. 

Bill

by W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (217 articles, 44 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 482 comments) on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 10:02:54 AM
 


electronic technician, truth seeker
Bob Gormleyelectronic technician, truth seeker

You Got It

aaa

by Bob Gormley (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 911 comments) on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 8:22:41 PM
 


Robert Chapman is greatly interested in developing political awareness among as many people as possible.
Robert ChapmanRobert Chapman is greatly interested in developing political awareness among as many people as possible.

I was in church yesterday

I was in church yesterday and the Pastor recounted an encounter between a church goer and someone who doesn't and the non-church goer stated that he didn't go to church because it is full of hypocrites.

The church goer riposted that there is always room for one more.

We are not perfect and I won't even go with the bumper sticker slogan only saved, because the bad behavior of many religious people has discredited even that.

All I can say is that church gives me a place to be hopeful that God is forgiving.

 

by Robert Chapman (28 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 557 comments) on Monday, June 25, 2007 at 9:40:11 AM
 


just a concerned citizen.
k kellyjust a concerned citizen.

destroying religion?

good. 

by k kelly (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 182 comments) on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 11:23:32 AM
 


A liberal American, PhD mathematician, bipedal Earthling.
W. Christopher Epler (Bill)A liberal American, PhD mathematician, bipedal Earthling.

cool

ha, ha --  I can dig it

by W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (217 articles, 44 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 482 comments) on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 1:04:06 PM
 


Bob is a retired engineer and lives in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He contributed significantly to the post-Challenger redesign of the solid rocket boosters for the space shuttle. He has taught engineering at several universities and was involved in the design of Offshore platforms. Since retiring his main activity has become writing directed at ridding America of its fascist president and the right-wing corporatism he represents.
Robert R. ReglBob is a retired engineer and lives in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He contributed significantly to the post-Challenger redesign of the solid rocket boosters for the space shuttle. He has taught engineering at several universities and was involved in the design of Offshore platforms. Since retiring his main activity has become writing directed at ridding America of its fascist president and the right-wing corporatism he represents.

Spiritually is replacing Religiosity - Not a minute too soon

BRAVO!  ... I'm reminded of the last line of the musical production of Les Miserables - "To love another person is to see the face of God"

I too sense a movement away from traditional, mind-numbing "religious" Christianity toward a more self-fulfilling, non-creedal expression of spirituality. The Unitarian Universalist Church is a place where issues like this are openly discussed. 

Even within the Christian church voices of sanity are speaking out. In particular I commend to all thoughtful people the works retired Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Shelby_Spong). He has written many books (all worth reading) and has a weekly bulletin that you can subscribe to. I refer to him as a Christian Agnostic, and don’t believe he would quarrel with the designation.

 

by Robert R. Regl (11 articles, 0 quicklinks, 25 diaries, 12 comments) on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 11:48:00 AM
 


A liberal American, PhD mathematician, bipedal Earthling.
W. Christopher Epler (Bill)A liberal American, PhD mathematician, bipedal Earthling.

let's hear it for the Unitarians!

Yes, the Unitarians have been holding this line for years and Godspeed to them.  Spirituality is one on one with the real. 

by W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (217 articles, 44 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 482 comments) on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 12:33:41 PM
 


I'm 55, registered Independent, service worker who has lived through the Vietnam debacle and am disgusted with the Irag disaster.
BillTI'm 55, registered Independent, service worker who has lived through the Vietnam debacle and am disgusted with the Irag disaster.

Thanks Bill for the great article

I hope more people are finally starting to figure out the religion has done more harm than good, created more deaths than saved lives, and is used more by hypocrites like George W. Bush to validate their murderous policies than atheism or agnosticism.

by BillT (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 16 comments) on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 2:29:14 PM
 


A liberal American, PhD mathematician, bipedal Earthling.
W. Christopher Epler (Bill)A liberal American, PhD mathematician, bipedal Earthling.

thank you making me feel less alone

Every response like this gives me hope that spiritually committed humans (decency, kindness, rationality, sanity, etc.) may hold the line once again against the "forces of evil". Laws and constitions are meanless unless they are validated by individual, spiritual human beings. Hopefully, spirituality is an irresistable force meeting a movable object, e.g., the Bush/Republicans. Without this grounding, politics, law, constitutions, etc. are like checks which have nothing in their accounts. Our hearts, intutions, and intelligence are the gold without which all the social rituals are meaningless. Politics and institutional religions are fluff. Only our spirits can deal with this Buh/Republican Heart of Darkess.

Bill

by W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (217 articles, 44 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 482 comments) on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 3:24:33 PM
 


electronic technician, truth seeker
Bob Gormleyelectronic technician, truth seeker

Thank You!

You got it! Your not alone!

by Bob Gormley (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 911 comments) on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 8:24:37 PM
 


&&&&&&
HL Bumpkin&&&&&&

Even a total failure gets something right once in a while

I am so glad the Pope is on Dubya side.

by HL Bumpkin (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 53 comments) on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 6:22:11 PM
 


Been around the block a few times.
Blue PilgrimBeen around the block a few times.

what we have here

is a failure to excommunicate! :-D

by Blue Pilgrim (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 998 comments) on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 7:53:59 PM
 


electronic technician, truth seeker
Bob Gormleyelectronic technician, truth seeker

Blue Pilgrim

"The Force is strong with you youngpilgrimwalker, but you are not a

Jedi yet!"  Sorry.... couldn't resist. That hood reminds me of a Jedi outfit.

by Bob Gormley (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 911 comments) on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 8:26:47 PM
 


A liberal American, PhD mathematician, bipedal Earthling.
W. Christopher Epler (Bill)A liberal American, PhD mathematician, bipedal Earthling.

wow

Now THAT is a great line!

by W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (217 articles, 44 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 482 comments) on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 8:09:26 PM
 


A 'senior' world citizen concerned about how badly our shared domicile is being ravaged by imperialists, dominionists, neo-cons and evangelists.
syed mahdiA 'senior' world citizen concerned about how badly our shared domicile is being ravaged by imperialists, dominionists, neo-cons and evangelists.

"The Bush/Religion association is destroying religion"

It's only now that Americans are feeling the pains of 'organised religion' or Religion Inc. Whenever and wherever, religion has either got mixed up with the State by making the State's existence or the Powers that the State's governments usurp from the State dependent on made justifiable through selective interpretations of religion, HELL breaks loose; both within and beyond the geographical limits of such states. We, in the Middle East have been at the receiving ends of theo-States, ours and those in Europe, for as long as we can remember, one millenium plus of the same s..t! The Omayyids, the Abbassides, the Fatimides, the Crusades and more recently the Zionists, the Wahhabis/Salafis, the Shiites and the Evangelists/tele-Evangelists/neo-cons! It's high time the World gets rid of ALL, all of them!  

by syed mahdi (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 123 comments) on Monday, June 25, 2007 at 6:41:28 AM
 


A liberal American, PhD mathematician, bipedal Earthling.
W. Christopher Epler (Bill)A liberal American, PhD mathematician, bipedal Earthling.

well put

well put

by W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (217 articles, 44 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 482 comments) on Monday, June 25, 2007 at 7:52:09 AM
 


Robert Chapman is greatly interested in developing political awareness among as many people as possible.
Robert ChapmanRobert Chapman is greatly interested in developing political awareness among as many people as possible.

The Bush/Religion association is destroying religion

Mr. Eppler's comments that religion has previously been treated unseriously is spot on.

The one good thing that has come from the President's overt religiousity is that religion is back in the public square and we can openly discuss public policy in religious terms.

I view this as a good thing, because religion still is the major institution for forming and disseminating common values.

It is good to hold religious leaders accountable for what they preach and in all too many congregations and denominations the attitude has been that the laity are there to pray, pay and obey.

By bringing religion out of the church and to the people, the voices of dissent and democracy have swept through the transepts like a holy gale.

We Christians will pray for guidance both to be faithful and represent our creeds well and truthfully and to be faithful to the needs and concerns of the rest of the community.

I find it hard to find contradictions in Christ's message of universal love and forgiveness and a healthy, compassionate and service oriented ethic in public policy.

by Robert Chapman (28 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 557 comments) on Monday, June 25, 2007 at 9:50:52 AM
 


A liberal American, PhD mathematician, bipedal Earthling.
W. Christopher Epler (Bill)A liberal American, PhD mathematician, bipedal Earthling.

great phrase

Mr. Chapman,

"pray, pay, & obey" 

says it all, doesn't it.

thanks for the great phrase

 Bill

by W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (217 articles, 44 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 482 comments) on Monday, June 25, 2007 at 4:26:38 PM
 

 

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