gambrinous with griffonage

In this previous post, I asked my lovely readers to ask me questions for each of six topics:

1. Friends (answered here)
2. Sex (answered here)
3. Music (answered here)
4. Religion
5. Love
6. Blogging

This post contains the answers for the questions that were asked under the "Religion" category.

And I'm answering most of these questions from the Christian point of view, as that's the major religion I'm most familiar with, it's the majority religion where I live, and I had been a part of previously.

RELIGION

Are all people born innocent, or are some damned right from the start?

— Cubby

By born innocent/damned are you speaking of the christian concept of "Original Sin"? To damn a human from birth is just the beginning of organized religion's attempt to seize control of an individual's life.

All people are born... human. Thanks to variations in chemical and electrical composition some humans are more "off-balance" than those around them. Whether that alters the tendency of them to be more or less "innocent" will probably a matter of debate between scientists for generations.

Are you religious at all?

— Dale Who

Not any longer. I don't feel that there's a hole in my life that I need to fill with some mystical mumbo-jumbo.

But I do take showers and wash my hands religiously.

Do you think that being gay and religious can be possible without conflict?

— Richard

I think it depends on the religion, and the established attitudes in said practitioner's religion.

Is there anything you miss about being involved in the church of your youth?

— John

Not one thing. Except maybe the communion bread. I always liked eating a whole box of that because it tasted so good.

Are you religious or, if not, are your spiritual?

— Will

I am no longer religious. And I don't know that I've ever been spiritual.

Why do you think people are so desperate to hold onto and perpetuate religion, despite all the damage it causes, harm it does and lies it spreads and, more specifically, why do you think gay and lesbian people continue to want to be part of religious organizations that continue to attack and reject and despise them?

— Sean

Sean, I'll have to break your question into parts:

"Why do you think people are so desperate to hold onto and perpetuate religion..."

I believe some humans need a crutch to justify the things they do and the things they feel bad for doing. Organized religion is that crutch for many. They can blame the things they do on other "beings" [i.e., "The devil made me do it.", "God told me to do it.", "I was possessed."] and not take responsibility or accountability for their own actions.

"...despite all the damage it causes, harm it does and lies it spreads..."

To quote Brian Warner (aka Marilyn Manson): "I'm not against god. I'm against the misuse of god, and the victimization of people through guilt and these ideas of sin."

Humans typically like to feel better about themselves than those around them. And they like to be part of "the majority" that makes them feel good, even if the things they do are actually bad. Mob mentality at its finest.

To me that sums up what christian religion is about. And that is why I want no part of it.

"...why do you think gay and lesbian people continue to want to be part of religious organizations that continue to attack and reject and despise them?"

I personally think because it's familiar: it's something that most of them grew up with, and I think they long to be part of a larger community, even if it's one that is both damning and damaging.

And because the gays don't have regular weekly meetings.