**This was my post today on a discussions thread for my Philosophy of World Religions class.
Honestly, these readings[in my philosophy of religion book for school] made me upset. And I am fairly certain my post is going to upset some others.
I was raised Catholic. I go to a Lutheran church. I will baptize my children Catholic, (I signed a contract saying I would do so, in order to marry in a Catholic church) I have eternally struggled with my faith and what my belief system is. Since I was a child, I questioned everything about the faith I was brought up in. And why shouldn't I have? I recently commented on a post saying, I feel this is normal for many people. To question their faith, or religion. We are after all, built to be a curious people. Otherwise, if we weren't made to question why, or why not, would we then not have had scientific, mathematical, or technoligical advances?
My questions often included; If God was so forgiving, and loving how could he "send" anyone to hell? If he loved us all so much, why let there be suffering of innocents? And who is to say that the religion I was adopted into, is the ABSOLUTE correct one? I for one, am completely unwilling to condemn millions of people, especially children to hell simply because my religion tells me to. Who is to say any one of our religions is THE religion, and the rest are false? Who really is qualified to make that decision for the rest of the world? I know, God right? But any religion will tell you that, or that their way of life and rules to live by are THE way.
I cannot blindly follow a faith that tells me to condemn so many fellow human beings, based off of a book and a bunch of people telling me that that is the way things are supposed to be. I mean, I was born in Korea, (South, for those of you who are wondering....) and adopted by a nice caucasian couple who happened to be Catholic. I know other Korean adoptee's who were adopted into Baptist, Lutheran, non-demoninational, or "other" faith based households. In no personal decisiveness of our own, we were brought up in the religion our parents told us we were. How is it then okay, that because from the age of infancy that some of us are allowed to go to heaven while others are condemned to hell because of our parents decisions? And it wasn't even up to us how we were raised. As is the case for all children, I know. But the difference is, if God has a plan for us all, would he not then try to place all children in need of parents with parents who follow His word? Apparently not. He lets some of us be brought into "sinners" homes, therefore condemning us to hell, giving us no chance.
I mean, I just don't understand the justification. I do not understand the grounds. I do not understand how someone could so comfortably religiously exile people to hell. In all honestly, I feel like Christianity, or any other religion for that matter really aren't that far off from the extremists who we call terrorists. They BELIEVE they are doing God's work. They BELIEVE the people who die, deserve it. They BELIEVE in self sacrifice, and that they will be eternally blessed by blowing themselves up in God's name. Why? Because there are non-believers. Because there are people who, what break their religions rules? That makes it alright then. No? Then how is it right that "you" say I will go to hell? Because I am a non-believer? Because I break your religions rules? Case in point. Obviously, not as extreme. But theoretically the same.
I could seriously go on about this for days, in a million different sub-categories. Like stem cells, abortion, marriage/divorce, arranged marriage, infanticide, death penalty. This is never-ending. And there are an endless supply of opinions. Some call them religious beliefs, yet some of these beliefs have been modified over the years to accomodate certain phenomenons. Like divorce. Once basically unheard of, now considered, sadly, normal. Even those who are religious people, who follow the very book that says it is not okay to divorce, say "God would not want you to stay in a marriage you can't fix." Yet there is no wiggle room for people of other faith? Complete Hypocrisy.
Religion, is often modified and shaped to accomodate individual beliefs. Yet used as a weapon against those who do not share those beliefs.
Therein lies my conflict with Ultimate Reality being attached to divinity. Whose divinity is the True divinity? I certainly am not qualified enough to say which is so, therefore spitting on the souls of millions.
Honestly, these readings[in my philosophy of religion book for school] made me upset. And I am fairly certain my post is going to upset some others.
I was raised Catholic. I go to a Lutheran church. I will baptize my children Catholic, (I signed a contract saying I would do so, in order to marry in a Catholic church) I have eternally struggled with my faith and what my belief system is. Since I was a child, I questioned everything about the faith I was brought up in. And why shouldn't I have? I recently commented on a post saying, I feel this is normal for many people. To question their faith, or religion. We are after all, built to be a curious people. Otherwise, if we weren't made to question why, or why not, would we then not have had scientific, mathematical, or technoligical advances?
My questions often included; If God was so forgiving, and loving how could he "send" anyone to hell? If he loved us all so much, why let there be suffering of innocents? And who is to say that the religion I was adopted into, is the ABSOLUTE correct one? I for one, am completely unwilling to condemn millions of people, especially children to hell simply because my religion tells me to. Who is to say any one of our religions is THE religion, and the rest are false? Who really is qualified to make that decision for the rest of the world? I know, God right? But any religion will tell you that, or that their way of life and rules to live by are THE way.
I cannot blindly follow a faith that tells me to condemn so many fellow human beings, based off of a book and a bunch of people telling me that that is the way things are supposed to be. I mean, I was born in Korea, (South, for those of you who are wondering....) and adopted by a nice caucasian couple who happened to be Catholic. I know other Korean adoptee's who were adopted into Baptist, Lutheran, non-demoninational, or "other" faith based households. In no personal decisiveness of our own, we were brought up in the religion our parents told us we were. How is it then okay, that because from the age of infancy that some of us are allowed to go to heaven while others are condemned to hell because of our parents decisions? And it wasn't even up to us how we were raised. As is the case for all children, I know. But the difference is, if God has a plan for us all, would he not then try to place all children in need of parents with parents who follow His word? Apparently not. He lets some of us be brought into "sinners" homes, therefore condemning us to hell, giving us no chance.
I mean, I just don't understand the justification. I do not understand the grounds. I do not understand how someone could so comfortably religiously exile people to hell. In all honestly, I feel like Christianity, or any other religion for that matter really aren't that far off from the extremists who we call terrorists. They BELIEVE they are doing God's work. They BELIEVE the people who die, deserve it. They BELIEVE in self sacrifice, and that they will be eternally blessed by blowing themselves up in God's name. Why? Because there are non-believers. Because there are people who, what break their religions rules? That makes it alright then. No? Then how is it right that "you" say I will go to hell? Because I am a non-believer? Because I break your religions rules? Case in point. Obviously, not as extreme. But theoretically the same.
I could seriously go on about this for days, in a million different sub-categories. Like stem cells, abortion, marriage/divorce, arranged marriage, infanticide, death penalty. This is never-ending. And there are an endless supply of opinions. Some call them religious beliefs, yet some of these beliefs have been modified over the years to accomodate certain phenomenons. Like divorce. Once basically unheard of, now considered, sadly, normal. Even those who are religious people, who follow the very book that says it is not okay to divorce, say "God would not want you to stay in a marriage you can't fix." Yet there is no wiggle room for people of other faith? Complete Hypocrisy.
Religion, is often modified and shaped to accomodate individual beliefs. Yet used as a weapon against those who do not share those beliefs.
Therein lies my conflict with Ultimate Reality being attached to divinity. Whose divinity is the True divinity? I certainly am not qualified enough to say which is so, therefore spitting on the souls of millions.
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