Religion!!!

I’ve been Wiccan since my early 20’s, though I now consider myself more as a Pagan with Wiccan tendencies. It was an arduous journey to find a religion that felt so right to me. In a way that was good: It made it a certainty that the religion I found would be one I could live with, and be one that would make me a better person than when I started.

Wicca’s one rule: "And you harm none, do what you will" is one that cannot be twisted, or misinterpreted. You break this rule, and you pay the price threefold. It’s that simple.

My religion is not my life, but instead shows me how to live it… It helps me to choose which is the right path to walk down, and what is not. Wicca teaches us that everything in the universe depends on everything else to exist. All things are interconnected to one another. Nothing is more important than any other thing. We all equally deserve to live our lives in peace.

Back when I was unconsciously searching for a path to follow I found that there were always some major flaw(s) in the religions I looked at that I didn’t care for, and couldn’t live with. You know: Being treated like a second class citizen (My husband is my equal, not my master), harming your child in the name of your religion (Circumcision, only treating medical conditions/diseases of minors (who cannot truly consent to follow any religion at all anyway) through prayer, etc), having to proselytize to non-believers, etc. Stuff like that. I could go on, and on, but you get the picture.

Being part of a religious minority has given me a unique point of view on the issue of religious freedom in America today, and it seems to me that some people feel it is their "right" to force their beliefs upon others. Why do this? What good is gained from it? In my opinion, none. What is gained instead is hate & bigotry… Those aren’t exactly family values, are they?

Plus, if people are barred from forcing their beliefs upon others, then it’s considered an "attack" on their religion. This is fucked! There is nothing wrong with being devoutly religious as long as you realize that not everyone follows your religion, and they should not be expected to follow its practices. Trying to force all schools to teach creationism, outlawing gay marriage, prayer in schools, banning abortion, etc, are just a few examples of people trying to force their religious views on others. Just because people don’t want your beliefs/practices forced on them does not mean that they are attacking your religion. Grow the fuck up. Realize that everyone has a right to their own beliefs, and also have a right not to be harassed by people with differing ones.

I have absolutely no right to dictate to anyone what they should believe, and others have no right to dictate that to me. I respect other people’s beliefs, as long as those beliefs do not harm others, and I expect the same respect. Is that so hard to do? I guess it is, because no one seems to see anything overtly wrong with shoving religion in a person’s face, and trying to convince them that the path they are following is the wrong one. It’s that lack of respect for the validity of someone else’s beliefs, mine included, that upsets me the most. I firmly believe that there is "no one true way", so what’s good for me isn’t necessarily good for someone else. The sooner other people realize this, the happier I’ll be.

November 25th, 2005 Posted by: Ash

Entry Filed under: Ash