For the Record

In case anyone thinks that I am an atheist, let me state for the record that I am not. True, I am leaning in that direction, but I haven't quite made up my mind yet. I do believe that there must have been some powerful force that created the heavens and the earth and everything they contain, but I do not believe that force to be "God" as He has been portrayed by most religious doctrines. I do believe that prayer works, but I believe it works for the same reason Wiccan magic works. When you pray (or cast a spell), you are focusing your energy on a particular goal, then releasing that energy to accomplish that goal. It's the mechanics, not the formula.

And I'm not trying to convince anyone to abandon their religious faith. I'm all for people having a spiritual code that guides them into being better people. My problem is with any code that requires people to surrender their critical thinking skills. What's wrong with examining and questioning things, especially anything as important as how you will spend eternity? Matthew 7:7 tells us, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." But it's been my experience that people who put themselves forward as spiritual authorities welcome only those questions that they are comfortable with answering. If the answer they would have to give involves any form of "I don't know," then you're likely to be told the equivalent of "take my word for it." We tend to be suspicious of salesmen who say that--why should preachers get a pass, when what they are selling is so much more important than a used car or a kitchen appliance?

The advice given to anyone seeking a spiritual "master" these days includes the warning that anyone who asks that you pay them (preferably up-front) for your training is probably a fraud--unless, of course, that "master" is preaching the "Word of God." Again, I have no problem with a priest, minister, pastor or televangelist soliciting money if they really are going to use whatever money people give them to actually help those in need. But how many of them really do? If they are using the money their followers send them to build fantastic churches and amusement parks and buy themselves expensive cars and homes and dress their wives like queens, maybe they need to go back and reread what Jesus had to say on the subject.

I have never understood why "God" needs money, anyway. Especially to build churches to His "glory." After all, He already built himself a more magnificent cathedral than any mere mortal could ever even hope to equal--the Earth itself. I find it difficult to believe that God would find himself in financial difficulty--and if he did, I don't think that, after creating the heavens and the earth, creating a pile of cash would pose much a problem, do you?

Like I said, I'm not trying to talk anyone out of a faith that works for them--I just wish they'd take a little time to think about what it is that they believe, and to look at the leaders they follow and the agenda those leaders are promoting. Is it really your spiritual wellbeing these (mostly) men are concerned with, or the contents of your wallet? Think about it.