< rant on >

Sorry, but once again I have to protest against that blanket generalization that religion per se is evil.

That prejudice ("All Indians walk in single file. At least the one I saw did!") is hard to reconcile with what many churches do in the community especially during difficult times, when lots of people are unemployed, homeless, and often going hungry. Or doing such things as providing a haven, complete with friendly social interaction, for "outcast" groups, such as developmentally disabled adults. These and many other things without trying to cram their beliefs down the throats of the recipients, such as making them "pay for the soup by listening to the sermon."

I personally know a pastor who has spent a lot of time in jail for being on the front line in peace demonstrations (now, some people would regard that as "evil") and for such things as acting as a spokesman for a group elderly, low-income folks (living on Social Security) who were being evicted from their low-rent apartment building because the landlord wanted to refurbish the building and turn it into luxury condominiums. Said landlord obviously didn't give diddly-squat for what his elderly tenants were supposed to do or where they were going to live (lots of bridges in the area to live under), and this pastor felt the situation should be called to people's attention.

So they threw him in jail.

But his actions inspired a number of other churches in the area to form a coalition to find, or build, housing for low income people.

While, I might add, a lot of more secular people and groups merely said "Tsk tsk!" did nothing, and just sat around with their thumbs up their—noses.

And this pastor is not the only one, by any means.

One of the legitimate functions of religion, at least according to a bloke named Jesus, is to take care of "the least of these, my brothers and sisters." And sometimes doing this pisses off a lot of people who need to be given a good wedgie!

True, there are many—too many—"Christian" (AND Muslim. AND Jewish) religious groups who have lost sight of what their religion is supposed to be all about (at least according to their "Founders"), but these groups are not as much religious as they are political.

Blame individual groups, yes. But to blame religion in general IS bigotry.

And someone else's bigotry does not excuse your own!

Thus endeth the sermon for this Sunday,

< rant off >

Don Firth