Well, that was fun while it lasted. It seems the older you get, the faster Christmas flies by. But there's only so much family and commercialism on can handle in a week long period anyway, so I suppose it's a good thing.
I went an entire week without reading a single news article, watching a single news cast, and the only real political discussion I had was with my semi-crazy uncle about the coming chaos is the U.S. should the Republicans take the Oval Office in 2012. I'm finally old enough to be asked my opinion on these matters, but I'm not sure I want the distinction.
A cousin of mine is born again. The best analogy I can think of when explaining this to people is to tell them they used to be part of the local Baptist church... but even the Baptists thought they were loons so they started their own congregation. I can handle being told many things in life; I'm wrong on politics, wrong about science, wrong about a T.V. show, but I absolutely can't stand being told the set of bullshit beliefs I had instilled in me as a child are the wrong set of bullshit beliefs. I'm sorry if this offends, but... oh hell, no I'm not.
It really bothers me that by their own clergy tell them they are not to consort with non-believers, whether they may be family, lifelong friends or what have you. Religion, if it has any use at all should be the glue that holds people of all creeds, colours, and backgrounds together. Instead it is being used to tear families, friendship and even geographical regions apart at the seams.
Last Christmas, I received a copy of Marcy McDonald's "Armageddon Factor" and it has sat on my bookshelf since. It's not a matter of lack of interest in the subject, it's the fear of what I know I'm going to find in those pages. I have spent a great deal of time trying to understand the born again mentality over the years, from my ex-wife's family, to my cousin from Michigan and beyond. I know what the end game is, and why Israel is so important to these people and it makes me question their ability to think clearly and responsibly, especially those with the power to end the world with a push of a button. George W. Bush spent 8 years telling people that God spoke to him and guided his decisions. How he could blame God for his cocaine induced hallucinations is beyond me, but if it gets him through the day, then I'm all for it. The problem lies where the foreign policy is dictated by your theology.
And here in Canada we have the HarperCons, some of them with the same born again beliefs supporting Israel not because of the implications for democracy in the middle east, but because they believe that Israel will be the site of the second coming of Christ and they will all be raptured up to heaven to leave us non-believers to burn and suffer during the end of days. Jews, Muslims, Catholics, Hindus, we are all going down together according to their prophecy. You see they want all the Jewish people to be in Israel, not out of concern for their safety, or the prospects of democracy, but because when Jesus returns, they will be given a choice; convert, or die. You couldn't make this shit up if you tried.
Which brings me to my next point. These religious types are more and more involved in politics everyday. Here's my question. Why, in 2011, do we have an entire sector of the economy (organized religion) that has more power then just about any other sector with the exception of Wall St., and big oil, yet they pay no taxes? If governments are serious about balancing budgets and avoiding cuts, shouldn't we start by taxing the shit out of these people who want their faith to be the basis of policy? No guarantees of course, but it's a good start. Organized religion is big business, and there's no shortage of super churches popping up all over the place, lets raise some revenue by taxing these real estate holdings and income. If the religious institutions had to pay their share, they might think twice about calling for war with Iran for Israel's sake. After all, who would Jesus bomb?
Enjoy the last couple of days of 2011, the next is bound to be on hell of a year. May you live in interesting times...
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