At the centre of my criticism of the RC church -- or any church, really -- is the confirmation of infallibility on the very human intermediaries who claim to have a direct line to the Dear and Fluffy Lord. I wait, therefore, holding my breath, for the Pope to say 'sorry'. Wouldn't that be the coolest ever?
So, the process of questioning that began a few hundred years ago...of questioning our kings and queens, our politicians, anyone in a uniform, even our parents can be complete. It's time for us to grow up and realize that we can believe what we need to believe (whatever gets you through the night). But don't trust any other human blindly just because he or she wears a long skirt and has mastered the art of looking serious. It's time for us to use our brains.
Now, if we could only get folks to question their homeopathic practitioners....
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Misplaced Faith - the Harper governement's approach to maternal health.
I keep wondering if anyone in the Harper government has ever read anything at all except, of course, the christian bible. I read a lot because I love it and I have thirst for knowledge. Two or three newspapers a day, a host of blogs and opinion pieces from my RSS, scientific journals, and (of course) lots of fiction on the subway. I am moved by what I read. It shapes me, shapes my thoughts and, consequently, my actions. I believe that I am a better person for it.
Knowledge is (if not power) essential to rational decision making, critical in these confusing times when so many of our buttons are being pushed, wantonly, by advertisers and marketers everywhere we look. We need to be in charge. We need to make clear decisions after seeing what studies are reporting, not just go with the gut or first impression. Otherwise, we might spend far too much buying very expensive, but useless, vials of water to treat our illnesses. Or we might decide not to fund abortion rights to women who desperately need our help.
I have trouble understanding the poor souls who shape their opinions based not on fact but on religious dogma. Like Mr. Harper. Now, look. I know that he's figured out that some industries have developed over the last two thousand years. He seems to be aware of the auto industry, for example, and the subsequent oil industry which keeps the west wealthy. No, he's definitely figured that out.
But don't you think it might dawn on him that there may have been developments in other areas of human endeavor and that these developments, if not quite as shiny, could help rid the world of needless want and suffering?
Well, it's not dawning on him because he's got faith. Not faith in a god, really. But faith in the teachings of human beings, the human intermediaries who claim to have a hot line to heaven. Faith in a sorry old book written thousands of years ago.
But Mr, Harper! And are we not frail creatures? Do we not err constantly? Does it not follow that a lot of that book might be faulty? Or how about the very human beings who translated, re-translated, and re-translated it? Could they have made a mistake or two?
No! Because Harper has faith.
It's just our bad luck that he has faith in a this bible and not in what we've learned since. What a backward country we will become if Harper continues to allow that book to shape his thoughts and actions. Oh, wait! We're pretty much already there.
Knowledge is (if not power) essential to rational decision making, critical in these confusing times when so many of our buttons are being pushed, wantonly, by advertisers and marketers everywhere we look. We need to be in charge. We need to make clear decisions after seeing what studies are reporting, not just go with the gut or first impression. Otherwise, we might spend far too much buying very expensive, but useless, vials of water to treat our illnesses. Or we might decide not to fund abortion rights to women who desperately need our help.
I have trouble understanding the poor souls who shape their opinions based not on fact but on religious dogma. Like Mr. Harper. Now, look. I know that he's figured out that some industries have developed over the last two thousand years. He seems to be aware of the auto industry, for example, and the subsequent oil industry which keeps the west wealthy. No, he's definitely figured that out.
But don't you think it might dawn on him that there may have been developments in other areas of human endeavor and that these developments, if not quite as shiny, could help rid the world of needless want and suffering?
Well, it's not dawning on him because he's got faith. Not faith in a god, really. But faith in the teachings of human beings, the human intermediaries who claim to have a hot line to heaven. Faith in a sorry old book written thousands of years ago.
But Mr, Harper! And are we not frail creatures? Do we not err constantly? Does it not follow that a lot of that book might be faulty? Or how about the very human beings who translated, re-translated, and re-translated it? Could they have made a mistake or two?
No! Because Harper has faith.
It's just our bad luck that he has faith in a this bible and not in what we've learned since. What a backward country we will become if Harper continues to allow that book to shape his thoughts and actions. Oh, wait! We're pretty much already there.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
As it happens....
So, some grenades have exploded in Bankok. One person dead, seventy wounded. Shocking and sad. Following the blast, there is violence in the streets.
So on twitter, if I choose to follow, are an army of reporters posting every few minutes. Short, terse notes (it's twitter, after all) complete with pictures of blood in the streets, the damage, rioters being arrested, hard to see photos of police trying to deal with the situation. Live news as it happens.
(The Globe and Mail have reporters there, for example: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/asia-pacific/one-dead-50-wounded-in-bangkok-blasts/article1543209/)
And, then, something weird. As I scroll down and wait for the next update, it's not sad, anymore. It's interesting. You've got me. You've got my full attention. But it's not sad. It's entertainment.
I think I'll un-follow.
So on twitter, if I choose to follow, are an army of reporters posting every few minutes. Short, terse notes (it's twitter, after all) complete with pictures of blood in the streets, the damage, rioters being arrested, hard to see photos of police trying to deal with the situation. Live news as it happens.
(The Globe and Mail have reporters there, for example: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/asia-pacific/one-dead-50-wounded-in-bangkok-blasts/article1543209/)
And, then, something weird. As I scroll down and wait for the next update, it's not sad, anymore. It's interesting. You've got me. You've got my full attention. But it's not sad. It's entertainment.
I think I'll un-follow.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
A fresh start....
After rereading my earlier posts, I've decided it would be wise if I started over with this blog. My interests have changed somewhat over the last two years (uh, meaning my early posts were stilted and flat); so, I thought I'd delete all the crap and start again fresh. Fresh as a daisy (appropriate since it's officially Spring). So....
I am, currently, on The Little Crusade. The Little Crusade is simple: Try to get folks to think critically about people who wear robes and not immediately place their trust in anyone. But, specifically, I mean priests and nuns in the Catholic Church.
I notice today that the RC Church is finally taking the complaints of its assaulted and raped charges and parishioners seriously and is talking about righting these wrongs. Too little, too late, I feel, because the Roman Catholic Church, like me, needs to get rid of all the crap (including its current pope) and start again. Only if it rids itself of those who committed and abetted these horrible crimes does the RC Church have any chance of winning back the love of its flock. That's what I did. Got rid of the chaff. And I only committed the crime of being a bit boring.
I recognize I am a hyper-rationalist. In my perfect world, there would be no RC Church (or any other church for that matter). However, science tells us that millions of folks cannot help but believe in something. All I ask is this: Belief in a god should not automatically confer instant belief or trust in any human representative of said deity. No person who calls herself or himself holy should automatically deserve our respect. They, like all of us, should earn our respect, our faith, and our trust.
So, maybe, if the RC Church dissolved the institution in its current form and its preachers walked out humbly amongst the people, clean and fresh as the flowers outside my window this beautiful Spring day, maybe I could halt my crusade. But as long as there are large political institutions hiding behind the sheep's clothes of religion, demanding absolute faith, obedience, and respect from their followers, My Little Crusade is on.
I am, currently, on The Little Crusade. The Little Crusade is simple: Try to get folks to think critically about people who wear robes and not immediately place their trust in anyone. But, specifically, I mean priests and nuns in the Catholic Church.
I notice today that the RC Church is finally taking the complaints of its assaulted and raped charges and parishioners seriously and is talking about righting these wrongs. Too little, too late, I feel, because the Roman Catholic Church, like me, needs to get rid of all the crap (including its current pope) and start again. Only if it rids itself of those who committed and abetted these horrible crimes does the RC Church have any chance of winning back the love of its flock. That's what I did. Got rid of the chaff. And I only committed the crime of being a bit boring.
I recognize I am a hyper-rationalist. In my perfect world, there would be no RC Church (or any other church for that matter). However, science tells us that millions of folks cannot help but believe in something. All I ask is this: Belief in a god should not automatically confer instant belief or trust in any human representative of said deity. No person who calls herself or himself holy should automatically deserve our respect. They, like all of us, should earn our respect, our faith, and our trust.
So, maybe, if the RC Church dissolved the institution in its current form and its preachers walked out humbly amongst the people, clean and fresh as the flowers outside my window this beautiful Spring day, maybe I could halt my crusade. But as long as there are large political institutions hiding behind the sheep's clothes of religion, demanding absolute faith, obedience, and respect from their followers, My Little Crusade is on.
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