Personally, I'd revise his "weak-minded"
comment. I'd add to it that there are many
believers who simply can't think for
themselves because they're followers.
There's nothing wrong with their minds...they
just have never been taught how to use them.
Religious instruction rarely promotes
thinking for oneself...but rather, tends to
stress "believing" (as if believing in and of
itself is some kind of standard for what is
true or not). Furthermore, there are many
strong-minded believers who simply buy into
the "fear" which is at the core of any
control system. For that's what organized
religion is and has been for a long time...a
control system...based on yet another fear,
but this time by the elite. That fear is
that if left to themselves, the "masses"
would be an unruly mob which would then
threaten the elite perogatives of privilege
and property.
What I'm trying to say is that I think
Jesse was substantially correct...but far too
stereotypical. Religious adherence is far
more diverse and complicated than that.
Probably its "greatest" strength (from the
perspective of the believer) is that it
provides A answer to "the meaning of life."
Millions upon millions upon millions of
people throughout time have utlized answers
to that question which doesn't require them
to reason it through for themselves. Just
last night I was in a "spirituality" chat
room and there was one individual who
continually quoted bible verses instead of
entering into real discussion. Every time
someone said something that challenged his
stance he would quote another verse.
Unfortunately, he/she is all too common among
believers of all faiths. Their system of
thought is a self-sealing and closed
system...with a ready-made set of verses or
slogans used to "counter" anyone who dares to
question their beliefs. This individual
clearly thought he/she had THE answer to life
and couldn't allow anyone to dent it. It
wouldn't surprise me if this individual was a
clear and reasonable thinker in other
areas...although I would tend to doubt it.
Yet, when it comes to standards as to living
his/her life, one set of answers is all they
considered.
Have you ever looked up the word
"religion" in a good dictionary? The "re"
means to "do again" and the "ligion" comes
from the word for tie together or rejoin.
That means religion is the system or
perspective which rejoins together that
which has been separated in the first place.
What is it that has supposedly been separated
or alienated? The core answer is man and
god. Unless one accepts that this separation
is real, rejoining is unnecessary. God is
presented to us as the necessary medium by
which rejoining takes place. Yet, when this
god is examined closely, it appears to have
the same qualities as humans do...love, care,
jealousy, anger, spitefulness, revenge...etc.
Maybe its man that has been separated? Our
base and physical reality has been separated
from our spiritual and good qualities...which
have been attributed to this god. Instead of
seeing that humans contain and are the
totality of goodness and evil, religious
thinkers separate them and pose that god is
necessary for the rejoining of something that
in reality has never been separated.
But...I digress. My point in this
commentary is that finally a non-believer
spoke up...one in the "public eye," at that.
One can't be sure just how many people in
this country actually don't believe in a
god...but there's plenty of us. I'm proud of
Jesse Ventura for having the guts to say
what's on his mind. He put it out there and
some would "have his head" for doing so.
Yet, Christian after Christian can spout off
about Christ, God, and "sinners" without fear
of censure. The fact that in more and more
areas Christians are feeling the heat for
their beliefs, doesn't change the overall
reality that for many, "believing" is still
the norm and non-belief is the deviance. I
feel sorry for them...they've lost
considerable ground...i.e. their ability to
spout off without being challenged. You can
see the backlash all over...10 commandments,
prayer back in schools, etc. These are signs
of desperation...the kind of fear that leads
many back into the swamp that has nearly
drowned their ability to think for themselves
in the first place.
There are many fine people who are
religious believers, but many of these same
people are ready to eliminate anyone who
doesn't join them in their daydreams. Many
profess tolerance for others, but I don't
believe many of them. I'm one of those
non-believers who has never disputed their
right to believe what they want to believe.
What I DO dispute is their self-righteous
attitude when someone speaks about them in
less than favorable terms. They can call
anyone...including members of their own
group...any name in the book. They can
vilify people with different "orientations"
of all sorts. They can condemn to hell
anyone who doesn't believe as they do. But
let one vocal individual say something about
them...well, you know.
In conclusion, thanks Jesse. You've
spoken for millions in one fell swoop. Gee,
maybe there's a political lesson in this for
all politicians. For those of you who
disagree with what I've said...bring it on!
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