I have not read all the religion inspired articles from the start on News24, but those I have read lately are very weak. It seems most of the authors are hunting “pot stirrer” badges or thumbs on the website. Some of the content is so overly controversial and grammar absolutely non-existent that I would love to see these articles before the spell checker runs through them. I would imagine a lot of visitors (with an I.Q.) to News24, totally ignore the “My story” link just by reading the titles.
So you don’t have to be a scholar to have an opinion, but it helps explaining it. This is mostly why we have institutions that teach us about religion, journalism, languages and philosophies. I also know a few people who love shooting off their mouths whenever there is an audience around the braai, exposing their inadequate knowledge about subjects and still being bullish about it. They usually are too ignorant and thick to notice the dead stares they get.
When debating or airing an opinion about such a personal matter as religion, one should firstly know what your position is on the matter. It obviously helps to really believe in your position because we tend to fare better in argument when we have passion and facts.
Religion has always been an argument leading to chaos, war, murder, hostility or contempt. One cannot win an argument or debate if there are no facts to be presented. No, the bible does not produce this; neither does any other written material because man used his grubby feelers to pen it. Thus religion argumentation always runs out fruitless, leaving the participants dejected, upset, resilient or plain nasty.
I live among Christians, Jews, Muslims, Pagans, agnostics, atheists and tree huggers. Nobody has ever successfully challenged me into an argument and we all get along fine. Well, I sometimes wonder about the tree hugger, but she is quite a pure soul…
Sunday the Jehovah’s were knocking on the door again to ask if I knew where I was going. “Sure” I said, “going to meet all the dead rockers who spiced up my youth”. Needless to say, you don’t rid yourself that easily of these “lighthouse” people. I mean, they were the ones parking in a cell for 2 years while we all did national service, they have some resilience. That is why I equally respect bible punching Christians, suicide bombing Muslims and laughing Buddhists, they all have conviction, belief and the utmost faith – something I could not master in religion during my time on earth.
The thing is - I respect every living thing. From the shrub I so carelessly pull out of the earth, to the CEO of my company. I always had a “live and let live” attitude and cannot judge another’s actions or motives. Not that I agree with all of them and will sometimes totally disagree. I learned to accept the things I cannot change.
I also don’t agree with the current government’s (non-existent) leadership style, the culling of seals, the genocide in Syria, the 160 DSTV channels with nothing on and the rice predicament in East China. Alas, there is not much I can do about it.
So, believe in your God – whoever you think he may be – but don’t try to force him upon me, I will see my own way clear.
Having said that, please don’t bash other religions with blasphemous phrases, you may never know when Karma catches up with you - and don’t ask me who she is, that is an article for another day.
Rammsteen
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