Foreword
In my last piece (F for Fear), I wrote that I would go on to continue on the subject of religion. I apologize for having people wait far too long for this time to come. I've been delayed by certain projects but also because I've been arguing with myself whether or not I should do this. This is by far one of the hardest decisions I've ever made, not because I'm afraid of the subject but because of my personal relation with friends and loved ones who might get offended or decide to avoid me after this.
I'm also aware that for my friends who are still in the CFC-community, this is the period of conferences. It might seem ill-timed of me to put these writings out just in this period of conferences, but something I didn't plan out. I'm also writing these pieces so that those who know me from the CFC-community can get an understanding as to why I left the community, but I am hoping to start a new kind of community with you all... I will explain more on that in the next chapters.
This subject is ineffably deep that my writings about it will have to be split in several chapters, in consideration of you the readers (be in mind that these chapters are just the condensed versions of what I can talk about, there's so much more to know and share about).
To not make so much fuss of the countless points I have of this subject, I've condensed the writing to five simple chapters, all based from my observations and individual studies for several years. I've done my homeworks, and I urge others to do the same. Not for yourselves, but for the rest of the world that we affect more or less every day of our lives.
Before I begin, I want to get one thing crystal clear: I am not trying to bash anyone's beliefs or offend anyone, I am only trying to bring awareness to this subject... in an attempt for all of us to move on, together.
1. To Believe Or Not To Believe
That is the question... but what is the answer?
All my life I have, like every single person on this planet that lives or ever lived, been questioning and obsessed about the meaning of it. In my opinion, we will never know, but we do possess the advanced underestimated characteristic of understanding. And through this we're on our way to getting the right grip of life's meaning.
But there has been a specific force that has pulled mankind back from this understanding, although ironical that this specific force is teaching us to find this understanding.
At first may seem innocent and humble, but digging deeper into it will only show that it's got its own double-standards; double-standards that are kept subliminal. What makes it even more shocking is that the people who claim they believe in this or that religion have little awareness of the double-standards it has.
I know many would question me instantly on this last point, and without much bickering around I would like those, who think of questioning me to lay forth my arguments or evidence, to go and question themselves and the book(s) they read.
And when I mean read, I mean read. Reading something, anyone who's fortunately capable can do that. But reading and understanding with a conscious mind on all perspectives and circumstances with critical thinking is, what I would testify as, the proper way of reading.
Anything you take in everyday should be met with critical thinking; for example, the news you read everyday... do you believe what the news is saying about a certain person who allegedly killed somebody and believe that person's evil without hesitation or do you think that there are two sides, or even more to that story?
Booking
Here's my challenge for you:
1) Nod your head if you've read the book*
2) Now nod your head once again if you've read the book* in its entirety, from start to finish (no cheating!)
3) And nod your head yet again if you've read the book* in its entirety and understood it.
4) Once again, nod your head if you've read the book* in its entirety, understood everything written and had in awareness the Time and Places the contents' been written in.
5) Nod again if you've read it in its entirety, understood it with cultural and historical awareness of its contents and had in mind that those writings and preachings had the people back then in their time in mind.
6) Nod if you've done at least points 1, 2 or 3 but had a critical mind while reading the book*.
7) And finally, nod your head if you've done point 6 and just shrugged after reading the book* and thought it's not important.
How many nods did you do and to which ones?
*religious book of choice
I find it a profoundly arrogant, ignorant and nonchalant statement if somebody says they've read the bible and believe it is true and that it is the word of god. I would like them to then tell me what's so good about it and that's when they start to cherry-pick their favorite bits and pieces until I let them cross-reference with the other not-so-good parts in and about the book they so fondly like and use as a tool of living and being better people.
Question: Who has read the bibles (from start to finish) and still feel it's a guidance to become better people?
And no, it's not a typo... I did write bibles because it's not just one. Everyone's got different versions of their lord, and still within a same group of believers of the same supposed god. And over time in history it's grown like branches on a tree, separated from each other by differences in opinions and beliefs... but still coming from the same root or seed. This division, be it still ever growing, is and will cause more confusion to the ones who would like to learn about it (if it hasn't already confused the ones trying to teach it).
Now some would rather argue and ask if I myself have read the bible in its entirety. My answer is, and I would like to point out unashamedly, NO. I haven't, but I will continue to do so until I'm finished from start to finish. But I've already read enough to be certainly convinced that it is not a proper tool to teach people how to be better and how to live better lives.
If somebody points out to me that I should read it before I judge, then that just means that they've read it and if they will attest that the cruel things that (I've so far) read in the book show how great their god is, then I'm sorry... READ IT AGAIN!
I am blatantly shocked and profoundly dismayed as a human being that people resolve to self-proclaimed sacred books such as the bible, koran, torah to learn how to become a better person when in practical fact all you have to do is BE ONE.
(I will continue on about the last sentence in chapter two)
Location, location, location
How did we get this religion to begin with?
A big thing to keep in mind is cultural and anthropological heritage. Where we started off in the world and the historical events that took place plays a big role on how we perceive certain realities and ideals now.
I'll take the Philippines as example for that is the one I know best, since I am from there.
Born and baptised as christian, or catholic... or both, I have no clue what it was first or that I had been christened at all because I was still a little kid without the right amount of understanding to think and decide for myself and even had no idea who this Jesus-dude was.
That area where my family was from has been affiliated with that particular religion ever since the Spaniards brought it with them when they had colonized us. Hadn't we been colonized by the Spaniards for nearly four centuries then the probability would've been that I, along with everybody else in the country would've been muslims.
Now on a broader scale; had I been born in, let's say, India I would most likely have been a hindu. Or a certain type of buddhist if I were born in a buddhistic country like Thailand. And if I put Time-factors, then had I been born during the Mesoamerican civilization I would've been a Mayan and worshipped a sun-god or perhaps Zeus if I were born during the Ancient Greek era.
Way back in time, settlers moved around without any or little knowledge about where they were going. All they knew was what they knew, they might've had one deity or so but that was what they brought with them to the new settlements. If they happened to cross paths with another group of people it would've been very likely that those groups fought against each other due to differences and miscommunications, and the winning tribe would either eliminate the rivals or take them with as captives and slaves; and then inflict on them the ideals that they had. Over time it would've been very likely that had the captives been, and in normal cases been, women they would've been impregnated by the ones from the winning tribe and so their children would be born and raised to keep the tribe existing. This cycle has occurred in all civilizations and it still is happening to this date.
For certain groups such as the Filipinos, it is nearly impossible to know the exact amount of cultures each one of us comes from since the Philippines is a melting-pot of many ranging from the starting settlers from Indonesia and Malaysia to the later add-ons of visitors/rulers from China, Japan, Spain, America and Great Britain.
One Filipino could have a mixed blood with Indonesian and Spanish while their neighbor could have Chinese and American blood running through their veins. There's also the probability of having one of every; this makes each Filipino, if I should say it, unique.
I'm aware that the essential things about how we got religion, such as feelings, chemistry and such have been left out. But that will be on the next chapter.
I'll end this chapter here, but this is just the beginning. I hope many will read this and my coming chapters... there are four more that complete what I'm trying to get through.
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