Sinister: Religion

[Colin Ferguson]

I have quite an ambililent atitude towards religion.  I suppose i could 
class myself as a christian, but i don't know anymore.

Reading the Bible has actually weakened my faith considerably.  I just 
tend to lose interest in a religion where a kind and loving God is 
stirring up armies to beat babies to death and rape peoples wives (read 
Isaiah Ch 13, if you're interested).  Other parts of the Bible condones 
treating women as spoils of war, and punishing (ie. stoning to death) 
children for the actions of their parents. 

When at school, our RE teacher always told us that God has given us a 
consience.  Well, my consience tells me that rape and child murder are 
very wrong.

Christian people have done some great things, but I don't think that 
the almost complete destruction of the indiginous people of South 
America can ever fall into this cateragory.  

I love old catherdrals sometimes, but they also sicken me.  Cobh 
Cathedral near Cork in Ireland is a fantastic piece of archetecture, 
and they will proudly tell you that 16 tonees of gold were used in it's 
construction.  I felt physically ill when I found out that it was built 
in the middle of the potato famine where the people in the surrounding 
area were starving to death.

The attitude of the Catholic Church in Africa also facinates me.  Aids 
is rampant, and overpopualtion will soon be a great problem yet it 
refuses to accept the use of contraception.  I just cannot understand 
opposition of contraception at all.  The Church is encouraging 
humiliating virginity tests to be introduced for brides, as a way or 
preventing Aods!    

Some parts of the Bible seem to make sense, and that what scares me: it 
would be horrible if it was all true.

All religions have their dark side, even the 'eastern' ones (all major 
religions are actually eastern).  Personally, I think the Hindu caste 
system is utterly abhorrent.

OK, that my little rant over with for the day.  I was not trying to 
critisise anyone's beliefs, or to anster anyone's question, just to 
throw in my opinion, adn maybe receive a little advice.  

Bye 

-- 
Colin 
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