I Hope So, I Really Do

I've said it before and I will say it again and again...Religion is the most important topic, it is the most important issue that must be dealt with, like, right now, and the decades to come. Women's issues, GLBT, secular society, the battle for the classrooms (history, science), the economy, anything, absolutely anything can be associated with religion and it's aftermath that permeates the entire society; both public and private.

I have also mentioned that we have to look no further than the local newspaper, or any newspaper for that matter, to see how prevalent and constant religion is in our daily lives, whether we are believer or not. Par example...

Today's Sacramento Bee (certainly not my favorite of all the dailies, but it is my local rag, so there) has so many gems, err, examples. Iranian President, I'm a dinner jacket, said that two planes couldn't possibly bring down the twin towers (WTF). Sounds like he has been watching those self produced online videos. The C.I.A. wants to place ads in Arab newspapers; why I do not know. There were complaints at a prayer rally in a public school (ya think), Suicide, bullying and probably the gayness in NJ, anti-gay group gets a new chairperson, but to them it is a chairman because the bible says so, all those executions-n-stuff, Lady Gaga needs to meet with the awesome black president to talk about bullying, Palestine and that really important statehood thingy, Troy Davis-that is all, fines for full face veils in France, etc...

OK, I think I proved that point. I wasn't even done going thru the paper, there was still sum-mo. It really shows how prevalent religion is in the news, everyday. Hella kids bully the gay kids, whether they are gay or not, how did those kids learn to hate on the gay kids-the bible. Anything to do with the middle east is religious. It is Christian v. Muslim, us v. them. The supposed good guys, v. the evil bad guys (and fo sho they feel that way also), and the very important to me, the battle for secular society (I didn't include the 25ft cross), the religion free public square-schools, government buildings etc...I wrote the other day that many people believe that God controls the economy and what about Israel?Palestine right now. Wow, that is the heaviest of heavy shit.

It doesn't matter if you are religious or not...it effects and affects you. It is a part of your life. You didn't choose it, it was forced upon you-you had no choice in the matter. This is why it is important to question the beliefs of those who are running for president. This is why the battle for the science and the history classroom is so important. More and more we have to compete with the China's, the South America's, the India's, etc...They are getting advanced science degrees and advanced computer information science degrees while we battle to teach creationism as equal to evolution in public schools.  Most people (I'm committing the logical fallacy that I mentioned earlier) who believe have not read the bible (I can't believe I just did that. yuck). A simple and narrow religion is catch phrasing, sound biting and conditioning people to believe talking points like the president is not a Christian, global warming is not proven, evolution is just a theory, God wants you to be rich, etc...

The remedy for all of this is right in front of our eyes in the form of the daily paper. If as a whole society we can acknowledge that religion is a totally important factor in our daily lives and see what an impact it has daily, on everyone, then wouldn't people (finally) question the whole thing, question religion-what it is and what is does and how it does it.

I hope so.