Religion and Society

I hate for this to come out sounding like a history essay but recently, with the discovery of the "Gospel of Judas", I have had some thoughts about religion.

When I was younger I was very pious. Then I started to question everything around age 17. I didn't fully give up believing in Christianity (the religion I was raised with and 3/4 of all Americans are). But I have serious doubts and reservations about all religions (particularly Christianity).

For instance, it bothers me that people take the Bible literally (the Bible is a collection of acknowledged allegory parables, i.e. fiction, cautionary moral tales). I understand it may be hard for people who are raised to believe the Bible as literal fact but as my father (a devout Christian) says, "If it gives them comfort, why should it matter?"

Indeed. But with 3/4 of America and many societies in the world (a large part of Europe, South America, Africa, and Asia, and Australia) as Christians, a huge population of Islam (in the same continents/countries), Jews, Buddists, Taoists, Etc. there is much power to be gained through the sacred name of religion. Through power fear is generated.

Certainly through several past centuries saying nay to religion would be enough to end your life. Although killing people (or sacrificing if you prefer) for their beliefs may not be openly acceptable today, ostracizing them would be (albeit with only a small minority).

Despite all this, I am starting to observe a significant change in society and their attitude towards religion. More and more people are questioning religion's authenticity, particularly with Christianity. Is God real? Will I go to hell and burn for eternity if I have sex before marriage? I don't know and no, I really don't think so.

There have been more and more people questioning Jesus and who the 'man' was and why the early Christians felt they needed to supernaturalize him, their religious beliefs, and their Church. What I have been observing in the last few years is that questioning all of this, God, Church, Bible, Torah, Qu'ran, etc, has become acceptable. I think this is great!

Why do people believe so vehemently in something that man has created? That is invariably flawed and distorted through centuries of debate, change, and turnover? Anyway, I'm just happy to see that people are questioning why instead of accepting an institution that is outdated.

Perhaps I am too negative and my father is correct, "Why bother if it makes millions of people happy?" But does it? Make millions happy? With the recent occurences in Iraq, Iran, and not so recent occurences in Israel/Palestine it doesn't look that way. Sometimes the cynic in me just has to wonder, "Why bother at all with the pain of religion? Let's just move to Ibiza and party in peace on the beach." Is that cynicism, escapism, or positivity? Anyway, it doesn't matter. Religion is always going to be a powerful force in the world and I'm relieved that now we're openly "allowed" to question it without being deemed a "heretic" or being told I'm going to hell.

If that's the case at least I'll be with my friends!