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Nov. 27, 2006 Something occurred to me recently and I just thought I had to share it with you. I don't think your spiritual leaders are believers in their deities. Think about it for a minute. You look at these Christian leaders like James Dobson and Ted Haggard and Pat Robertson and Ralph Reed. Look at these men and you tell me that any of them are believers in God. Look at them closely and look past their worn crosses and their bibles held aloft. They are driven by their own collective agendas. But what do these people use to get your money, your vote and your time? They use your faith. They tell you that it is for the betterment of mankind and it is what God would want but, let's be honest: The draw of power is so great that some people, as well intended as they once were, use their station, often the pulpit of a church, to get their way. Most people will agree that they don't believe everything they hear and see. But when you are put to the test, especially when it has to do with belief in gods, people tend to give a little more credibility to the speaker. But they don't deserve it. I would believe that most people are good in nature. But they let their feelings, especially with faith, cloud their better judgment. Things like hatred and segregation and the justification of discrimination are not part of the teachings of any god. Why would God allow for the genetic alteration that is homosexuality? Because he wants to test our love? But our religious leaders use our need for classification, or the laying of blame, to skirt around the issues of truth. People feel threatened when things don't go the way they want. But it may not be the original feeling they are working on. Sure, spiritual leaders seem insightful and intelligent and seem to really have a good point when it comes to their sermons. But what is underlying it is an agenda that they will never let you in on, lest you bolt for the door in disbelief. You see, I do not believe that the gods we hold up would condone the actions of our spiritual leaders. Things like Pat Robertson and his actions in Africa, the youthful violence of Dr. James Dobson, the shilling of Native American tribes by Ralph Reed or the behavior of priests in the Catholic Church. So why don't we run from the churches? Why do we keep giving the money we work so hard for everyday to the organizations? These are the self same people that give some money, sure, to charities but will also use your tithing to forward their agendas, regardless of the feelings of their parishioners. Do you realize that churches grow to accommodate more money givers, not to serve the greater good? Sure, it sounds like a double-edged sword but the reality is that the more people show up, the more money that comes in and the more powerful the entity becomes. A spiritual leader feels emboldened to circumvent the law and circumvent their obligations to keep in that position. That is why Pat Robertson spends money on changing the politics of Liberia to keep his gold and diamond ventures going. So, the next time you head into your church, don't forget to bring an ounce of skepticism. don't be afraid to question where your money goes to. Ask them for a breakdown of their finances and where the money goes. If it is not going to spreading the love of god or helping the poor, the ill or the young then stop giving them money. Your money should not be going to fund political agendas or investment accounts or that new Mercedes the pastor is driving around. If you believe your money is going to help the works of gods, then so should it be. It is okay to question your spiritual leaders. Maybe we should do it more often. It's called a system of checks and I believe these non-believers, the ones that use your beliefs to get their way, have had too much carte blanche for far too long. ------------ About the author: Nicholas Olson is an aspiring playwright and former journalist. He spent parts of his high school, college and professional life as a journalist, serving as a military journalist from 2000-06. Mr. Olson is an avid writer and enjoys political opinion. His views are not that of any particular party or of the country he once served: They are his own. Email: nicholasjolson@yahoo.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. Please link to this article rather than copying and pasting it onto your site (which would be unauthorized and illegal). |
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