OK, OK.. I realise that I'm treading sensitive and potentially sacrilegious ground here and that this is my second such denouncement of religion in as many days but topical stimulus dictates my entries here; and religion has agitated my craving for vociferation - so here it is.
I've just watched a BBC4 documentary charting the pervasion and prosperity of gospel music influencing the evolution of pop and rock music - diffusing throughout the 50's, 60's, 70's & 80's in, particularly, Southern America.
To establish my position (not that it necessarily matters), I love gospel. I like the unashamed and unrestrained inhibition of it's brutal lyrical honesty coupled with appealing soulful charisma producing warm, uplifting and, often, beautifully harmonised songs. This was my premise for watching the programme.
The first half hour was interesting. It showed how the white population of the deep South adopted musical stylisations from black gospel singers and provided an otherwise inaccessible sound to the racially-dominant consumers. At this point, though, the programme entered the early 80's era and, with it, the incarnation of evangelist "Mega-churches" came to pass.
Mega-churches are populated by a terribly scary collection of individuals. You can almost hear the baa'ing under their nauseating Texan twang. I would be suprised if more than 90% of these 'disciples' havent been recruited (and I select that word very carefully) by one of three methods:
1. Guilt - the procurement of candidates by making them feel guilty for not following the letter of the bible*
2. Fear - the pressurized induction of those made to fear the repercussions of a lifestyle not sanctioned by the letter of the bible*
3. Coercive parenting - this is obvious. Just as a British father might 'parent' his child into supporting a particularly football team - just multiple the pressure exerted by 10000 and add alarmist abusiveness and pyschological arrogation.
The programme reached it's conclusion with 1000's of mindless bible fanatics bellowing out the 'hit' evangalist song "We want America back" accompanied by fainters, spinners, runners, tongue-talkers and healers.
If religion is owed to the existence of a God, he could do much worse than trying a bit of his remedial magic on religious American fantasists. Noah?
* as interpreted (conveniently) by themselves!
Friday 21 March 2008
Wednesday 19 March 2008
What the bible says about being gay
On my daily trawl of the BBC news website this morning I stumbled across this piece.
I'm not especially familiar with the bible and nor do I wish to be. I was force-fed enough of it's pious brain-washing nonsense as a boy and knew even then that it held no calling for me.
After reading the BBC article though, I sort of debated the issues - albeit briefly - in my mind about what exactly the scriptures alluded to regarding homosexuality.. then I was quickly brought to my senses and satisfied by a brief comment annexed to the bottom of the page:
"All academic really; we will outgrow religion as we've outgrown our belief in goblins and dragons. One day we will just accept our mortality, and get on with the business of living." Nathan, UK
Succinct and unequivocally pertinant.
Religion could be such a marvellous way of providing a sense of community and belonging for like-minded, well-intentioned, moral, upstanding members of society. How different reality is.
It's not even necessary for one to view the complex conflicts religion creates and fuels on the largest scale. Right down at base level - a small parish church in a leafy English village - will demonstrate it's inaccessability. How many church-goers would embrace the arrival of, say, a new "hoodie" attendant among their congregation?
It's dangerous, religiose poppycock masqueraded as a superior lifestyle choice conveying those ignorant enough to follow it into eternal life and happiness.
I'll accept that my remnants will be re-exploded into space in 8 billion years time as bits of iron, carbon etc. In the meantime I'll make the personal decision not to be wicked to anyone and also not to judge the personal decisions of those around me...
I'm not especially familiar with the bible and nor do I wish to be. I was force-fed enough of it's pious brain-washing nonsense as a boy and knew even then that it held no calling for me.
After reading the BBC article though, I sort of debated the issues - albeit briefly - in my mind about what exactly the scriptures alluded to regarding homosexuality.. then I was quickly brought to my senses and satisfied by a brief comment annexed to the bottom of the page:
"All academic really; we will outgrow religion as we've outgrown our belief in goblins and dragons. One day we will just accept our mortality, and get on with the business of living." Nathan, UK
Succinct and unequivocally pertinant.
Religion could be such a marvellous way of providing a sense of community and belonging for like-minded, well-intentioned, moral, upstanding members of society. How different reality is.
It's not even necessary for one to view the complex conflicts religion creates and fuels on the largest scale. Right down at base level - a small parish church in a leafy English village - will demonstrate it's inaccessability. How many church-goers would embrace the arrival of, say, a new "hoodie" attendant among their congregation?
It's dangerous, religiose poppycock masqueraded as a superior lifestyle choice conveying those ignorant enough to follow it into eternal life and happiness.
I'll accept that my remnants will be re-exploded into space in 8 billion years time as bits of iron, carbon etc. In the meantime I'll make the personal decision not to be wicked to anyone and also not to judge the personal decisions of those around me...
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