Bieng an ex-Somali and i should say an ex-Muslim ( although i never been in to religion thing) i always knew (from my childhood growing up in Mogadishu) religion is man made mythology. Lets take a close look in this very sensitive Subject “RELIGION”
Religion is a very sensitive subject to most of people. Why?, because there is a dark side about religion and nobody wants to tackle it or want to talk about it, because if they do, they will questioning God's existence, not only that, but they will challenge god himself and that puts them in an awkward situation.In their minds, they have to defend God, not questioning God or their faith. They have to die for God if necessarily even if they don’t understand the reason of their actions.Then,They will go straight to heaven. These actions are in common in all major religions.
Religion inspires senseless oppression even today, even in the “civilized” west. Religious leaders have persecuted people who are different from them throughout history, and they continue to do so. Women, too, have suffered and still suffer at the hands of religion. Women, who constitute over half the population, are considered inferior to men; members of minority religions, too, have always suffered at the hands of the faith of the majority. Everyone loves to hate Jews, for instance. Even Christians suffered in their early days (oh how the tables have turned!) and even today in distant parts of the world (as any Christian is eager to tell you).
Reason Vs Faith
The capacity for reason is what differentiates man from the beasts of the field. Reason is man’s only means of interpreting reality. Religion operates against reason, because religion is based on faith, or belief in spite of reason. Reason is logical method applied to evidence offered by reality; faith is belief without method and without evidence. When discussing man’s relation to men, reason offers the method of rational persuasion; faith, as it is contrary to reason, offers irrational persuasion, in the forms of lies, threats, and violent force. The history of religion has been fraught with bloodshed, while the history of reason has given mankind longer, easier, and happier lives. This dichotomy arises because reason and religion are mutually exclusive. Reason reveals truth and reality; religion negates all that reason builds.
When it comes to religious beliefs we have all been sold a bill of goods. Someone did a great marketing job as various religious organizations continue to rake in the dough. Their moneymaking schemes are all based on fear and mind control. The mass population has been manipulated into thinking they will go to hell if they don't go to church every Sunday and tithe at least 10% of their annual salary, or if they don't face Mecca 5 times a day, or slammed their head against Jerusalem wall. Many of their fundamental beliefs are dogmatic and inflexible. This is only the tip of the iceberg.
What scares me most is the fundamentalist's own fear and control issues as they judge other people. Rather than seeing the good in people, these insecure people prefer looking at a person's dark side. We are not perfect people because we live in an imperfect world. This is what makes us human beings. We work on our imperfections in the hope that some day we will aspire to something greater than the sum total of ourselves.I have to respect these brave souls in this forum who are taking control of their lives.
Topic: congrats to all of you