Friday, December 16, 2011

Pervasive in our Society

Religion is so pervasive in our society that I am unable to go to the doctor without encountering some nut that starts “testifying” in the waiting room. I was quietly waiting for my turn when this woman began to tell us all about how her “god” had provided so well for her. She said we must refuse to be sick and then we would be well. She said that she had not had the flu in 7 years because she had “faith”. A gentleman to my right said that all the faith in the world wouldn’t stop the flu; if you got it, you got it.

She then proceeded to tell us how her mother had been very ill and she had “prayed” her well. I asked her why she was at the doctor’s office. Oh, just for a checkup after surgery, she said. Really? So the doctor must have had something to do with her recovery, I said. Oh you know, she said, my god works through the doctor. The gentleman to my right said, well; seems strange that an all powerful being would need the help of a mortal man. The lady on my left, laughed out loud.

I ran across an article today that I think deserves attention. I find it refreshing that more and more people are coming to reason against all odds. The pressure is great in the US; not so much in Europe or Asia but here: We are drowning in religion.

I’ll speak to this quote from the article:

“Until the beginning of 2003, I was a believer. The belief was not taught, but came naturally to me as a consequence of the environment I grew up in.”
What are we doing to our children when we “protect” them from reality in favor of tradition and superstition? It is time we grow up in this country. We do not need the myths of old; we need reason and rationality.

Our educational system is laughable when we are 25th in Math and 17th in Science. Look here if you doubt my word. I understand why we are behind Finland but South Korea? Come on, we haven’t had near the problems that country has had. In my mind it is only one reason: religion and its grip on our population.

From the above article:

“The nature of religious belief is so insidious, that it needs to pervade, to spread like a cancer away from its source. An astonishing majority of the population of believers is deeply busy in trying to disseminate their odious doctrine to others, and none-too-gently, too! It is more often ‘My religion is better than yours, so convert or die’ kind of treatment, or it is done on the sly – ‘Want medical care? Come to Jesus’ kind of way. Religious indoctrination has progressed to such ludicrous levels that the ‘faithful’ often pull out the ‘religious belief’ card at every possible instance to explain their intransigence and imperviousness to common sense. They are trying – very actively – to spread their brand of stupidity to education, healthcare, politics, and other walks of life. If this is not actively countered, it will end up destroying our basic humanity.”

3 comments:

Anakalia said...

I think that a lot of silly people have clouded the view of the so-called religious. True followers of God are actually interested in knowledge as we are called to be good stewards of our minds. The problem is that so many call themselves Christian based on the idea that they attend church every week, they think they earn their brownie points by 'witnessing' in the hospital lobby, I don't think half the people who say they are Christian actually are - its just what most Americans call themselves by default. A Default claim on any particular religious belief causes discrepancies and differing worldviews. I'd rather talk to you, an atheist, all day than talk to someone who tells me they are a Christian when they don't even understand what that means.

Education is so very important and I think its a shame that our country has become such a sad state of affairs where this is concerned. But I don't think this can be blamed on any religion, but rather the fact that school has become about policy and politics. Kids spend 8 hours a day shuffling between class, listening to other kids get away with being undisciplined and taking role. Kids are wasting time studying the fine art of how to fill in bubbles rather than really diving into information and literature and history and just STUDYING. I learned far more after graduating school than I ever learned while sitting behind a desk because the system is broken.

Thank you for your posts. I enjoy them, wish we could chat in person!

Interested said...

I spent many years in the field of education and I have watched as our country has "dumbed down" the curriculum to the point that I felt embarassed to teach it to the kids. I don't blame religion for that; though teaching creation in school doesn't help. I do blame parents who don't read and teach their children to read for pleasure. Children must see adults doing what we want them to do. Reading is a fundamental right that every parent owes his/her children. If every parent spent just 15 minutes a day reading with their children...well, what a difference it would make. Two of my daughters claim to do so but the only thing they read is the bible...come on...give the poor kids a break. Read something fun once in a while. I'm not saying don't read the bible but please, there is so much more to read; wonderful books that help children to learn about and understand the world around them. But I know you know that Anakalia.

rick b said...

Hello Interested, First off, Merry Christmas.

Well you know me well enough by know to know that I will say if I think Christians or so called Christians are idiots.

I think Christians who claim we must never get sick or if we pray we will never get sick dont know what the Bible really teaches and maybe never even read the Bible.

One of Jesus friends died and He cried, Did his friend Lack faith? Jesus was Killed, Did Jesus lack faith to avoid being killed?

Jesus disciples spoke to Him about a man born blind, did the Guy or his parents lack faith? The Bible is clear, as Christians we will still face Hunger, death, sickness etc.

As far as school goes, My 3 kids are all home schooled, and they are required by law to be tested every year to prove they are. The Government sends a outside party to test my kids. All 3 kids are 1-2 full grades ahead of what they should be. So in other words if my child is in the fifth grade, they really should be in the 6 or even 7th grade. My oldest son loves to read books so much that when he was in the 7th grade he was tested at a reading level of a graduated college student.

My son reads all sorts of books, not just the Bible. He reads all the hardy boys and Nancy Drew books, the little house on the prairie books, and two new authors that he loves are James Patterson, who wrote Maximum Ride books and now a new author James Dashner or at least new to us. I figure my son has read roughly 500 books maybe more from cover to cover and can read as many as 1000 pages from cover to cover in one day if he really likes the book. The kid is so smart my parents bought him a WII game system last year for Christmas, he hooked it up in full working order with out reading the directions, and he just turned 13 last year when he did that. He just turned 14 two days ago.

Like I said, as far as creation and evolution, We teach both sides and allow people to think for them selves. You claim Creation should not be taught in schools. I dont see it taught in schools, I only see evolution, and people who teach Creation or try and teach both sides lose their jobs or get in serious trouble. I say teach all sides or dont teach it at all.

I'm not afraid to teach thigs I dont agree with or believe in, so long as the other side is taught. But to keep it one sided on either side is not being honest and pushing an agenda.