More than ever, religion disappoints me.
It promises a godly greatness and delivers an unceasing parade of SMALLNESS as human as the measure of such mortal spirit is meanness.
Who do you BELIEVE?
Apologists tell me that I am an anomaly.
*
That Muslim? Her heart is not hateful. Her posture is not a kind of intimidation. Her stare is not a kind of aggression. Her prayers do not name me - enemy. As for her acts of trespass...
what are they but violent?
That Charismatic? Her beliefs are not hateful. Her stand is not a kind of intimidation. Her position is not a kind of aggression. Her doctrines do not pronounce me - demon. As for her acts of false witness...
what are they but malevolent?
That Extremist? Her thoughts are not hateful. Her disposition is not a kind of intimidation. Her angle is not a kind of aggression. Her convictions do not avow me - inhuman. As for her acts of sabotage...
what are they but cruel?
That Protestant, that Catholic, that Orthodox, that Evangelical? Her words are not hateful. Her attitude is not a kind of intimidation. Her bearing is not a kind of aggression. Her faith does not condemn me - damned. As for her acts of wrongdoing...
what are they but vicious?
*
You see
how apologists promise grace and deliver moral abdication?
*
That Muslim? That Charismatic? That Extremist? That Protestant, that Catholic, that Orthodox, that Evangelical?
I am supposed to be BLIND to their acts. Because a professed faith is a defense. an excuse. a justification. a moral "trump card".
I am supposed to be BLIND to their acts. Not because MY heart. and MY beliefs. and MY thoughts. and MY words. are... theirs.
I am supposed to be BLIND to their acts. Because a mantle of religion is a blank check to be violent. malevolent. cruel. vicious. and
loved. so loved. forgiven. so forgiven. in the name of mercy. most merciful. in the name of grace. most gracious.
*
Never mind
that Jewish human being. she cannot be corrupt.
that Buddhist human being. she cannot be abominable.
that Hindu human being. she cannot be vile.
that Christian human being. she cannot wear religion like a fraud, like an imposter, like a FAKING FAKE.
*
Apologists claim that I see not what I see.
By vowing that I see not what I see, apologists conclude that I lie.
That my trespass is violent. my false witness is malevolent. my sabotage is cruel. my wrongdoing is vicious.
*
By my denial of Muslim, Charismatic, Extremist, Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical systems of belief, apologists claim that I deny the truth. By my refusal of Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian systems of belief, apologists claim that I refuse the truth.
By vowing that MY TRUTH is a rejection of what's real, apologists conclude that I am false.
That I am corrupt. abominable. vile. a fraud. an imposter. a faking fake.
*
You see
you are supposed to believe anyone who denies what "religions" insist is true and you are supposed to believe anyone who refuses what "religions" insist is real
cannot be trusted,
cannot be trusted to know what is true and cannot be trusted to know what is real,
cannot be trusted to be honest,
cannot be trusted to be moral.
*
I ask you
can apologists be TRUSTED?
can apologists be TRUSTED to know what is true and can apologists be TRUSTED to know what is real?
can apologists be TRUSTED to be honest?
can apologists be TRUSTED to be moral?
*
Or is it possible
that apologists who promise righteousness and deliver acts of trespass that are violent, acts of false witness that are malevolent, acts of sabotage that are cruel, acts of wrongdoing that are vicious
are SMALL humans;
that apologists who promise sanctity and deliver hateful hearts, beliefs, thoughts, words; and intimidating postures, stands, dispositions, attitudes; and aggressive stares, positions, angles, bearings; and prayers that name enemies, doctrines that pronounce demons, convictions that avow humans inhuman, faiths that condemn and damn
are MEAN mortal spirits;
that apologists who cannot be trusted to be good people are apologists who cannot promise love or forgiveness or mercy or grace, because apologists who deliver an unceasing parade of smallness as human as the measure of such mortal spirit is meanness
are FRAUDS. IMPOSTERS. FAKING FAKES?
*
After all, isn't it possible that "religion" is not a manifestation of "divine inspiration" so much as an execution of mortal invention
of human beings, by human beings, for human beings,
because there is mortal gain to be had by a pretension of "divine creation",
including power, wealth, immortality, etc.
for "believers"?
Epilogue
I am not an anomaly.
I see human beings, "members of religious communities", being human.
I see "members of religious communities" parading an unceasing panoply of smallness as human as the measure of such mortal mean-spiritedness is abysmal.
I see sanctimonious and self-righteous parades WEARING RELIGION like JUDGES IN JUDGMENT.
*
You see
how a "professed faith" that insulates "the faithful"
from scrutiny,
from consequences,
from justice,
is LOUD and PROUD and here and now?
*
I am not an anomaly.
Because it is possible that I am not the only one who DENIES and REFUSES and REJECTS prayers that name enemies, doctrines that pronounce demons, convictions that avow humans inhuman, faiths that condemn and damn.
*
I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE who knows what is true and I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE who knows what is real
is not what "religions" and their systems of belief tell me,
is not what apologists and their claims promise me,
because I am not the only one who knows what is true and I am not the only one who knows what is real
is what "religions" and apologists deliver:
love that DENIES love. forgiveness that REFUSES forgiveness. in the name of mercy that REJECTS mercifulness. in the name of grace that LIES with gracelessness.
M
*
Note
The use of "she/her" is not to exclude "he/him", but rather, to state the obvious, "a pretension of 'divine creation'" is as much "her" "execution of mortal invention" as "his". For all the "mortal gain to be had by a pretension of 'divine creation'" is also "hers".
Or am I the only one who sees "how a 'professed faith' that insulates 'the faithful' from scrutiny, from consequences, from justice" wears "she/her" pronouns like basic b!tches in heat for "power, wealth, immortality"?
M
