Many believe me to be very harsh against people who have Christian beliefs and values.  I don’t.  What I am against is what some religions teach.

Many of us have been told that God is always watching and that we should fear him.  Why fear a God that apparently loves and ALL of His children?  Is God a voyeur?  If he is always watching, how come he hasn’t interfered in helping the homeless or punishing the greedy?  Many people have claimed that God caused many of the environmental catastrophe’s today because of gay marriage.  To them, I say:  “Why is God only interested in causing devastation in order to drive YOUR point?” These “rule’s” weren’t God’s rules, they were the rules of men who felt uncomfortable or threatened by things they didn’t understand or fear.

In my world, women can practice religion, they can vote, they can decide not to be with their spouses without any recourse of death, they can drive cars, they can voice their opinions if they disagree with their spouses and they can do whatever they want with their bodies without feeling shamed or ridiculed.

In my world, people who are struggling to buy food, eat healthy, get an education and have access to health care should not be told that it is their own fault they are in this predicament.  They should be supported and given a chance to create a better life for themselves and their children.

In my world, people should not be denied to love someone of the same-sex.  Shouldn’t we be encouraging love to flourish and grow so that society can flourish and grow.

In my world, wars would not be a means of showing my disagreement with policies of another country.  I would engage in conversation and dialogue not wave my military might around in order to instil my own countries beliefs.

So what has religion taught me?  It has taught me that there are many people who are puppets and who are afraid to ask questions.  Religion has taught me that there are many followers.  Religion has taught me that there are those who use it to secure their place in the world through politics.  Religion has taught me that you only win through violence and obedience.  Religion has taught me that there is much hate in the world.  Religion has taught me that there is much ignorance in the world.  Religion has taught me that there is much divide and separation in the world.  Where is the love?  Where is the compassion?  Where is the tolerance?

All of the above sounds very anti-love and anti-religion, doesn’t it?  To that I say, “Why is it that what you believe outweigh what I believe?”  I may not believe in what is written in a ‘holy book’.  I certainly do not believe what religious doctrine has preached as the word of whatever God or prophet or idol others believe in but this doesn’t make me any better than those who believe this.

What if there was a religion that made no judgements on others?  It’s okay to be a woman and have a voice.  It’s okay to help others.  It’s okay to be different.  It’s okay that you have a tattoo.  It’s okay that you are Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, Christian, Rastafarian, pagan, atheist or whatever.  What is not okay is to judge, oppress, divide, conquer and hate.

So I ask, which world would you rather live in?  A world that dictates everything you should believe or a world that allows you to ask questions and not be a follower?

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!