Religion: Can't Give It Up

Sorry, folks, but I can't help but feel that religion is the GREATEST danger facing humankind.

• Religion kept Europe in the Dark Ages for 1,000 years. It wasn't until the Renaissance and Age of Enlightenment until the continent began crawling out of the crap. Currently, religion is KEEPING a billion Muslims in their own Dark Ages.
  
• Religion keeps perfectly intelligent people willfully ignorant. Even scientists and good politicians have to play the "religion game" to maintain acceptance.
• Religion makes people act crazy and it gives them another excuse to fight each other.
  
• Religion makes people pious, self righteous, and generally unpleasant human beings.

As humans continue to pollute, poison, and overpopulate the Earth, what is religion doing? Mostly screwing people's heads, giving them false hope, diverting their attention, and moving people's focus to a lie instead of urgent problems.

For humans to achieve long-term sustainability the plague of religion must be eradicated from the planet.

Religion is so embedded in our society that even nonbelievers often defend it and show it unworthy respect. Even my liberal Christian friends defend it by pointing out the "good lessons" and social benefits.

But then there is the Catholic Church, who looked the other way during the Holocaust, is infested with pedophiles, and is led by a nut who tells Africans not to use condoms (even though millions are dying from AIDS). But, the Pope is the head religious leader and deserves special respect by all. Nonsense, the Pope is a shit who likely has a closet full of pedophile cover-ups and is condoning the horrible deaths of millions of people from AIDs. Let's all be frank and acknowledge that Roman Catholicism is one of the worst religions, next to those Islamic fanatics who are always hacking people, murdering and maiming innocent folks with bombs, and generally being assholes, all in the name of whoever. Yes, Islam sucks.

Religion captures people and keeps them prisoners. At the very least, if you break with your family's religion you'll be ostracized. And in some countries you'll be put to death. Not to mention, if you break from the flock they try to scare you to death with hell stories.

So, catch me in hell. I will swim a lap in the lake of fire with Hitler, then I'll practice bomb-making with the Muslims, and then I'll throw some spears with a few of those primitive tribesmen that the missionaries never found. Sorry, tribesmen, I know that sucks.

Am I angry and bitter? Yep, I suppose. Because every day I see the madness all around me, but no one ever says anything because "that's their religion and we don't want to hurt their feelings." And so, the insanity and lies continue. People get their warm fuzzies and their brain's turn into molten lava, and they no longer have the interest, will, or capability to address the world's problems.

Yeah, your parents lied to you as a kid. But, don't be mad at them because they were lied to as well. You see, religion is a powerful social virus -- it infects and once infected it's tough to break free.

But break free you must ....