Just like many people, I choke when I hear a good rendition of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken”. I still talk to my friend General that left this earth in 1998. I am not without spirituality. But the religious mania in today’s world is more than sufficient cause for concern. If a pilot on a commercial aircraft can suddenly ask the passengers to raise their hand if they are Christian, that is frightening. One would wonder is this guy a religious nut with a plan for a fast route to the afterlife, or is he just an over zealous and insensitive jerk? . That means one person has religious freedom and the rest must wonder what is going on. Religious freedom means you don’t hound me on an airplane. Religious freedom means if "you found the way" keep it to yourself when operating aircraft.

But what do you expect. Forty percent of Americans claim to be “Born Again Christians” and our President professes belief in a religion that preaches a concept called Rapture. You know, Rapture, that big event that evangelicals believe every true-believing Christian, and every child under the age of 12, vanishes in an instant to a better place. All others will face the Tribulation. Such fantasy seems as believable as Santa going down every chimney on Christmas Eve, except not nearly as much fun.. In this world the Christian and Muslim Gods seem to be a blood thirsty bunch! Convert or kill seems to be the war cry. The Muslims would call me an infidel and the Christian might say a heathen. I guess the golden rule is do unto others as you would have them do unto you provided they are willing to wrap themselves in the same idiotic dogma. And we have a growing acceptance of public money going to religious charities. So I can only get a bowl of soup or medical care if I want to listen to your dribble about Jesus and salvation. This is what we mean by Faith Based Help. You know, like Hawaii, where we brought in the bibles, along with disease, guilt, and a total lack of understanding of the native life.

The religious right wants government out of religion, but not the other way around. They are obsessed with converting you to their way of thinking. I recall that some time ago, I was sitting on my porch and two of God’s crusaders appeared riding up on bicycles. They were from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As they approached me, it did not take them long to reveal their mission. They quickly got to the meat of the matter and asked the big question: The Mormon equivalent of "Was I Saved?" I reflected a moment, and then told them this was not the appropriate question. Looking curious, they asked me to explain. I said, well, because it was not me that has 30 seconds to vacate the porch or meet my maker. And so they quickly departed and my opportunity to be assured a spot in the afterlife was again forsaken.

So along comes Wacko Mel Gibson to spread his version of the truth. And the sheep flock to absorb the gore. Adolph Hitler visited the 1934 performance of the Passion Play , giving it his eager blessing. In the words of the leader of the Third Reich "It is vital that the Passion play be continued at Oberammergau; for never has the menace of Jewry been so convincingly portrayed as in this presentation of what happened in the time of the Romans," Hitler continues "There one sees Pontius Pilate, a Roman racially and intellectually so superior, that he stands out like a firm, clean rock in the middle of the whole muck and mire of Jewry." So there you have it, the Passion play as seen by the man responsible for the biggest Genocide in history. Of course Mel's father denies the holocaust ever happened! And today's Evangelicals are happy to promote the movie to anyone that will listen. I heard one minister say it is a film everyone must see. Now I say that is rubbish! “The Bear” is a film everyone must see. It promotes compassion for nature and life. It is warm and kind and its message is respect for nature and living things. In spite of what the Jesus Freaks say this world was not put here for man alone. The world is not a garden solely for man’s exploitation. “Gorillas of the Mist “is a movie everyone should see. It says there are beautiful things in this world that man, in his hurried and self centered ways, is only too eager to destroy. And of course “Cloud, Wild Stallion of the Rockies” is for sure a movie everyone must see. It shows that in spite of all their struggles with nature, Man remains the wild horses’ greatest challenge to survival. These movies really tried to do some good and Mel Gibson was not in any of these. But I heard one person say it is good this movie came out when it did, the devil was making us all talk about gay marriage and Mel got us off that subject!

But the world will go on spending an inordinate amount of energy on disseminating hate and calling it the religion of Jesus or Mohammed. Religion is and has always been more about Power than Truth, more about Control then Compassion. It has often been used to propel one people against another. Religion has stifled both the Arts and the Sciences. Remember how long it took to accept that the Earth was not the center of the Solar System? Remember the price Galileo paid for being a free thinking human being? In the past a man might kill and maim thousands of people and yet become the Pope! So it seems crazy to call him the Holy one! Even today the Pope goes into an impoverished, over populated country and preaches against birth control. On the other hand we have raving lunatics calling themselves Christians making sport of shooting at abortion doctors. And then there is Jerry Farwell who feels compelled to worry if some cartoon character is gay and is so worked up over gay marriage he put up a site onemanonewoman.com. Sounds to me like Jerry needs a woman himself. Of all the serious problems in the world, for a grown man proclaiming to be in touch with God to get wound tight over the sexual preference of a cartoon character seems, well, a tad trite! It encourages the kind of idiots that gave the movie "Good Boy" a horrible review because one of the dogs lived in a home with two men. Seems that Religion and Peace on Earth are in total contradiction.

A key disturbing factor is the notion that Man is made in God’s image. It is the ultimate rationale for treating all other creatures as something God put here for man to use as he sees fit. I guess the wolf, the elephant, and the buffalo are not in God's image and if we see fit to hunt them to extinction, then that is in keeping with the will of God.

I think we have entered another Dark Age where Religion Rules. We still have those wanting to teach Creationism in the schools. Truth be known, God is a magnificent stallion. Dawn told me and she is his prophet. God bless her. Pass the plate. Need to fill the coffers ! Majo indulgences sell for $1000 and up. Forgiveness for the rich only!