July 28, 2007
Many Christians condemn almost everyone in the universe that do not share their belief system. Many of them think that the Holy Bible is right and therefore to them, what they try to reason according to their biblical ideology is right as well. But what they do not realise is that they are trying to exclude other correct possibilities or ideas that the world has yet to offer. They are simply trying to put a barricade between them and the World, simply because the World is such an unfriendly place. Although one should wake up to the fact that nothing in this world is fair or just, one should also realise that not every single or foreign idea is of the devil. Neither can they conclude that there is an absolute answer in every case study or circumstance. There can never be a complete "yes" or a complete "no" in any given situation.
Religion is religion in itself. And by mixing religion with Science is the most ridiculous idea anyone could ever come up with. This is because religion and science are two very different subjects. In fact, both of them are strongly opposed. If one believes (I mean
strongly believes) in a religion, then Science is of no importance to him or her. But what is missing in such a person's life, is the ability to come to terms with Reality and the effectiveness of the wonders of Science and what it can do to Man.
What really made me uncomfortable is the fact that monotheisms such as Christianity, Catholicism or Islam strongly disapproves homosexuality, thinking of it as a sin against God. Whereas, according to Scientific discovery, the origin of homosexuality is also biological and psychological. You can read more about them
here. So does that mean if someone has a birth defect or developmental disorder during puberty, causing that person to be homosexual is condemned because of his or her sin? Wouldn't it be God sining against Himself if one has a birth defect leading to homosexual behaviour, since He "created" that person?
So all homosexuals need to be "set free" because the homosexual behaviour is the product of a devil's work? Erm, what about birth defects or developmental disorder? And if God created that person to have such defects, is God being the devil as well? In this case, how can homosexuality be classified as a sexual sin? Shall we call it a biological sin instead?
Generational curses, as coined by Reverand Mike Connell, is another term which I'd like to address it as biological influence of the genes. Certainly, we all have some features that are somewhat similar or identical to our parents because we are related to them by blood (DNA) and flesh (biological features). This is due to the passing on of genes from parents to an off-spring. So, the off-spring will inherit certain traits, which their parents might possess. It is inevitable that some traits, be it a good or a bad one, would manifest themselves in the later stages of life. Such manifestation is largely determined by external factors.
Idolatry, according to the Holy Bible, is a major sin regarding image. It is usually defined as worship of a cult image,
idea or object, as opposed to the worship of a one and only true God. Well, how does one define worship?
Worship usually refers to specific acts of religious praise, honour, or devotion, typically directed to a supernatural being such as God. While atheists do show appreciation to certain ideas or facts, they certainly do not worship these ideas or facts. Atheists or Agnostics are people who have an idea of what they believe in, but certainly, they do not insist that their ideas are always completely correct. This is because there can be no absolute answer because of a domain called the unknown, or should I say, mysteries. These hidden mysteries that form the unknown domain of the world are largely unrecognised by the limitations of our senses.
On the contrary, many Christians strongly insist that their ideas or ideology is hundred percent correct, even on the face on this earth. Worse, according to many of them, nothing could ever change their beliefs. Try talking to them about the issue of death - on why do some humans have premature death, or infant mortality. The reasons for such misfortune is environmental, sociological and biological. However, the religious response to such misfortune is the blame upon the devil for such atrocity done to the poor soul, and the praise upon God who took that person's life because that person has fulfilled his or her purpose in life.. and the rest is unknown. What purpose can there be if that person has yet to achieve his or her dream at such a very young age? What purpose can there be if that person is only but an infant? To die an infant's death is unknown to Christians because their God cannot provide a satisfying answer or conclusion to that cause. Well, if Science cannot give an answer to a problem, what makes one think that religion can? If Biology or Psychology cannot provide a complete finding of the other unknown areas (97%) within the human brain (because we only use on average 3% of it), what makes one think that religion can make us any cleverer?
If one only chooses religion over Science (the latter, which bares tons of evidences that covers almost every aspects of our lives), it is of no difference than living in lalaland. It is like what Einstein called it,
"the opium of the people". Indeed, religion acts as a drug that controls the minds of many, causing them to sub-consciously exclude reasoning along with Scientific evidences.
The issue of religion and Science is still in debate till this day. Various subjects of debates are also indirectly related to the above two strongest social institutions. In conclusion, Science is opened to various reasonings as well as constructive criticisms. Unlike religion, Science is opened to challenges and its theories are opened to criticisms and are always updating themselves over time. Religion, is no doubt an institution that forbids skepticisms and challenges of its individual teachings or doctrines, although it is turning unproven facts into unshakable truths through the power of their individual authority. This institution solely promotes the value of non-thinking called faith. Whereas, faith, is the expression of our common human desire - the desire to know more, the desire to understand and to seek for a vision or a dream. The reason why we have faith in ourselves and the things we do is the product of our optimism. Without sheer optimism, it is futile in our efforts to attain our desires.
There are many things that are still unknown to us in this world. For most theists, they do not seek to understand them or to discover more about them, because they already had the answer. And their answer lies in the Holy Book, while everything else to them, is redundant and unimportant. In sum, it is basically an ideology that simply puts a "shut up" sign in front of any Science laboratory.
God help us.
