Good Friday?

It is Good Friday, one of the most venerated days in the Christian Calendar. The day on which it is said the Romans executed Christ. Many Christians feel this act, this full sacrifice of Jesus Christ, is the greatest love anyone has ever expressed for Humankind. One Christian writer put it as this:

"All of this was done for you and me. The cross is not an example of victimization, it is demonstration of a love that nobody on this earth can comprehend. The cross is not an example of powerlessness, it is the love offering of the strongest, most powerful, most courageous human being that ever walked the face of the earth. The cross is not an example of a martyr dying for a cause, it is God come in the flesh,becoming a bloody sacrifice for His creatures."

So where did it all go wrong?

How has religion become the most negative, dare I say evil force in the world today?

It tears us apart as race. "My god is greater than your god" fuels the hate and violence that is leading this world into destruction. Islamic murderers (not all fanatics but many just ordinary folks, many even kids) scream "God is Great" as they murder to advance their religion. A division between Catholics and Protestants dating back years (most probably can not tell you why it even started) rips Ireland apart. Look at the "ethnic cleansing" of the Former Yugoslavia, done along religious lines, whole villages wiped off the earth. The fighting over Israel is all about control of the "Holy City" of Jerusalem. The combatants, if they stopped and thought, all from the same "family".

In the US, the Christian movement seem to be behind every negative, divisive and regressive act. The church in the US is still the most segregated institutuion in the country. Religious leaders fought racial civil rights tooth and nail. They publicly believe differently now, but I wonder how many are just going through the motions? They still do not allow equal rights for women to be in the constiution but want to ban gay marriage in the constitution.

The US Christian movement is so filled with hypocrisy that it would be almost funny if they were not actively destroying lives and careers. They cling to the "every human life is precious" mantra when opposing abortion and stem cell research but gleefully support state sanctioned murder with the death penalty. They can't see beyond their Bibles to see that stem cell research can save lives. The United Methodist Church preaches "Open Minds, Open Hearts and Open Doors" but conducts "trials" against clergy who bless same sex unions and defrock those who have same sex relationships. The Episcopal church is about to implode over a Gay Bishop. HELLO!!!!! There have been many Gay Bishops in the church, this one just happened to have the guts to admit it and want to live his life as God made him. He and those who voted for his election to Bishop are facing heresy charges. Heresy?? Are Witch trials next??

If you all really believe that Jesus was divine and that his words were God's words..then listen, he railed against hypocrisy and those who but law above love and compassion more than he ever did about same sex Bishops. He never ONCE mentioned same sex relationships.

There was a great scene in the TV series "Queer as Folk" a couple of seasons ago. Caution, the following contains strong language, I don't want to offend..yes I do, screw them:

A young Gay fellow took one of the show's main characters to the church he grew up in to answer the question "why are you so angry against the world"? The preacher ranted about evil Homosexuals and their agenda and condemned them using the words from Leviticus:

You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination." (Leviticus 18:22)and "If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them." (Leviticus 20:13)

"I had to hear this 2-3 times a week my whole childhood while I wondered why I was attracted to men. There was not a day that passed that I wanted to kill, either him or myself" the young man admits. The young gay men leave the service and the Pastor stops them, saying he is pleased to have such "fine young men" (hummmmmmmm????) at the service:

"Excuse me Pastor"
"Yes?", he answers a bit perplexed
"Do you eat shrimp?" the young fellow asks
"what?"
"Do you like shrimp? Have you ever eaten shrimp?" he asks innocently
"Yes I have eaten shrimp" the pastor responds annoyed
"Well you used Leviticus 20:13 to condemn Gay people" right? Is that to be taken literally"
"Yes, the Bible is the true Word of God, what is your point, young fellow"
"well, Leviticus also says that eating shell fish is an abomination"
"Yes......" the pastor replies highly annoyed.
"well, if you can eat shrimp, I can eat dick."

This may have been from a TV show, but it rings true. Christians, Muslims, all religions selectively use their texts to support their agendas. Parts of the Bible for example that are "inconvenient" are just ignored.

I don't have a conclusion. I have no answer. Believe it or not, I actually attend Church on a regular basis. It is with a congregation that flies in the face of the BS that the Religious establishment spews forth. We admit all, we love all, we do and help and do not condemn. We are in the minority. We are constantly afraid of being tried, convicted and put out of business.

Happy Easter.