Truth is not found in Blind Faith!

George Bush declared that we are in a War on Terror. There are religious fundamentalists who actually hate what we stand for. Unfortunately that last fact is true.

We are under attack by religious fundamentalists. They are right here in America, and they are Christian fundamentalists who believe in the bible and everything in it as literal truth.

There are people who believe free will is sin and a curse on mankind. They deny science as attempts to disprove the biblical word of god, which is why they create their own “science” to prove that creation can be proven scientifically (?).

They deny that homosexuality is genetic – it is a choice and gays can choose to be heterosexual. Most Christians don’t know that Jesus says nothing about same-sex behavior; the Jewish prophets are silent about homosexuality; only six or seven of the Bible's one million verses refer to same-sex behavior in any way -- and none of these verses refer to homosexual orientation as it's understood today. (Source: www.soulforce.org)

We see Christians raise signs which say “God Hates Gay”, “Homosexuals are an Abomination”, and “Die Faggot”. In the U.S. today same-sex sexual relations are currently punishable by a prison sentence of up to 20 years in Rhode Island, Georgia and Virginia. A homosexual can be imprisoned for life in Idaho for making love with a life partner.

Until 1950, all but two states classified same-sex relations as a felony, with only murder, kidnapping and rape commanding heavier sentences. Until 1961, every state in the Union had such a law.

Penalties for homosexual acts in other countries range from ten days' imprisonment in Ethiopia, to a fine and beating in India, to life imprisonment in Guyana. Eight Islamic countries prescribe the death penalty for homosexuality. Incidentally, the death penalty for homosexual behavior was not repealed in England until 1861. (Source: Honolulu Star Bulletin).

In response to a Christian originated attack against homosexuals in the Honolulu Star Bulletin, the Rev. Jan Nunley, Rector, St. Peter's and St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Providence, RI provided this response:

“Starting in the 12th century, homosexuals were persecuted, tortured, castrated, and burned to death on a regular basis in the Christian Church and Christian-controlled States in Europe. The origins of the derogatory term "faggot" lie in the practices of the Inquisition, which bound those accused of homosexuality and piled them as fuel at the feet of those being burned for heresy or witchcraft, since homosexuals were not considered worthy of the dignity of being burned standing up.

“Through the ages "Christians" have persecuted homosexuals with every bit as much of the ferocity that is being shown to Christians in other countries today. IN 2007 the Episcopal Church showed itself to be truly Christian and issued an official apology for its part in perpetuating anti-gay prejudice and persecution, as well as calling for action to defend persecuted Christians around the world.”

John Milton said, "A man may be a heretic in the truth; and if he believes things only because his pastor says so , or the assembly determines without knowing other reason, though his belief be true, the very truth he holds become his heresy."

Further, Martin Luther King Jr. stated, "We must all learn to live together as brothers or we will all perish as fools."

Now is the time for all of us to accept the truth. Jesus spoke a gospel of compassion and love. Modern Christianity has turned this gospel into a message of exclusion. If Jesus died for everyone then he died for everyone. There is no exclusion!

Many modern spiritual leaders believe there is a resurgence in spirituality going on. If you look around, if you listen to what non-fundamentalist people are saying you can hear and see that there is a thirst to understand, to know to transcend.

Modern religion doesn't offer that choice. Modern religion is a business designed to market and convert. Real belief is personal. Real belief is not blind faith. Blind faith doesn't allow in information or knowledge, it blocks everything except the blind, unyielding faith.

A good example of blind faith is the sign "God Hates Gays", or the statement from a purported Christians that "I don't hate gays, God does!" These are examples of blind faith, false faith, un-Christian faith all covered in a layer of bigotry.

Pay attention to the bigotry that is being infused around us. Any opinion that excludes someone is bigotry. And those religious fundamentalists who believe they have the only answer may be surprised to know that the religion they are studying, the prophecy they believe is one of many and is not the only written word. Paul is not the author of most of the Epistles credited to him, and it isn't really known who wrote the four Gospels.

Beside these four Gospels there are no acknowledgements of Jesus from any contemporary historical source of his time. So everything about the Gospels is about accepting a metaphorical story as truth. Unfortunately, fundamentalist Christians turn that same truth into a belief that a non-historical text is also definitive history. Blind faith is never truth

The decisions about what to include and not include in the Bible were made by men, not divine insight. Their decisions were based on which aspects they believed could be true and which aspects they believed weren't. They argued, they debated, it was not a singular theology, it was a negotiated outcome.

Find your own truth, but along the way know that everyone has a right to be here. Everyone is meant to add to the rich tapestry of the human condition. All of us are entitled to the same rights and privileges. Anything less allows the true terrorists, the Christian fundamentalists, win their gospel of exclusion.

Return to http://www.solarzar.com/

Return to http://www.goodvibrationsradio.com/