I don’t write a lot of posts about religion because it is such a touchy subject that can be so easily taken the wrong way when read online, but once in a while I read something great and have to share it. I am not anti-religion. I refuse to live in an ANTI way. I am FOR peace, not against war. I am FOR equality, not against hate. Because for me and many of you readers, life is better when we focus our attention on what works, not what fails. So for all you struggling with balance between religion, faith and atheism this is for you.
I just read ” A Back-and-Forth Between Two Black Atheist Brothers” and couldn’t agree with the two writers more. They hit a very sensitive but important nail on the head. Other than the obvious destruction of culture or genocide, colonialism has a nasty history of forcing religion onto those that survive a take over. It’s a great way to continue your beliefs, but it also takes away the rights of natives to hold on to their own beliefs. Forcing your beliefs on another is just flat-out wrong. My favorite line in this back and forth is here: “We would be interested in us!” One of the most annoying things about religion for me is how it steers people away from individual freedom, responsibility and growth.
Individual freedom means respecting yourself as a unique individual who is capable and allowed to make your own choices. Individual responsibility means not blaming your mistakes or creating a scapegoat out of a god or deities, Individual growth is learning to love and respect yourself completely and not reliant on your “creator”.
We all have our own ideas so please leave a comment below, but keep it polite or it won’t ever get published. There is no room for intolerance here.
What do you think about religion, is it good, bad or somewhere in between?
Why do you feel that way?
Individual Empowerment 