Religion: The Excuse For Violence

Throughout all my years in college, on TV and the internet I've encountered several average and professional opinions.

They all reflect reasons why the world would be better off without religion.

Some people seem to believe that the primary reason why there have been so many wars, conflicts domestically and abroad, is because of the existence of religion.

Religion is believed to somehow compel another person to burn down a village, commit a massacre, and generate terrorist acts etc...

Some people think that religion is believed to fuel hatred and intolerance. That religion is the cause of social divide in the world.

Conflicting beliefs and ideas about worship fosters social unrest and issues. Well, I never could believe that.

I think some people place the blame for their behavior on their religion. I think most people use religion as an excuse to hurt someone else. It is used as an excuse for discrimination and racism.

Each individual person decides to live where they live, how they live, and beside or among the groups they want to.

Don't get me wrong, I realize there are some religions with more followers than others. These dominate the world in popularity, with preaching and spreading their messages. So what. Who said anybody must be apart of these religions?

Sure we have some people who walk around with their strength in numbers and backing, demanding that the world convert to their religion.

This is common, we have people who take it to the extreme. Well so what, even though they do, no one has to change their religion and lifestyle.

I recognize some people are in bad situations. It's unfortunate that people live in some places that are violent and oppressive towards them and their beliefs.

It's unfortunate that people come across different groups of extremists that use violence against others to enforce their beliefs.

But for the rest of us that don't live in that situation, I think religion should not be looked upon as the reason why we bear arms and start wars. As such, it shouldn't be removed from society like a bad disease.

I've read the bible twice. I’ve read the commands from God to one king to another during different time periods.

I recall the wars, the blasphemous things that people were punished for, and the appearance of Him in Ezekiel etc…

Today, or not too far in our past, a self-proclaimed prophet steps forward and says he’s had some vision just like in the times B.C. He or she will say, they’ve been touched and heard the word of God etc…

And I can’t believe it’s never a coincidence to anyone else that, the first thing out of the group leader’s mouth are words that are meant to degrade, discriminate, or hurt someone.

They state their beliefs, fears, oppression, throw a couple of Bible verses in there, racial slurs, and their hatred of the government. Next, their fear for their religion forces them to become a type of militia.

On some given day, prophesied in their own imaginations, there will be a battle. It will be a battle between good and evil. Good will be the people who are followers and evil will be the people who aren't, including other characteristics. It’s as if they read the Bible and stopped only at the wars.

For these leaders and groups, Jesus apparently wasn’t a miracle created by God, preaching the gospel of peace and love. Healing the sick and feeding the hungry. Apparently he was all about taking down Rome, and it's oppressive religions and traditions with his followers turned soldiers.

For leaders that have these types of groups, religion is interpreted as the thing in which they use to justify acts of hatred and destruction. They see religion as the vessel that will contribute to the amount of control they have over their followers. This isn't too different for the terrorist leaders either.

For the terrorist leader, religion is used as the controlling vessel to create subjects. The subjects will commit acts of terror to instill fear into people so that people can be influenced and controlled.

If religion isn’t being used to create followers with anger, resentment against the government, or some other race; it’s used for controlling people. It’s used to control the weak and the people that love and have strong beliefs in their religion.

The leader milks the idea that their precious religion and way of life is threatened. And if anything offends it or threatens it, the followers should be ready to take someone’s head off.

Religion is used to justify this ideology and has been turned into a two-edged sword that can harm the believers. It can harm some Joe or Jane going to and fro in his or her life.

Some people use religion, something so powerful and precious, as a way to justify doing evil things to others. Some people have symbolized religion as an oppressive tool rather than the guidance it really is to having a great life.

The Ten Commandments of the Hebrew and Christian religion have been blown so far out of proportion it’s ridiculous. The bible itself has been treated as a burden to bear.

It doesn’t matter what religion you have, it can be treated as some oppressive vessel that people should be bound by.

The truth is, you have a choice. You have God-given will power, the power to choose your own path in life.

The bible guides you to refrain from doing things that can potentially harm you. Killing can harm you, lying can harm you, and adultery can harm you.

You can get killed by someone’s spouse. People work hard in life, and some people have relationships with the ones they love and it's all they ever wanted.

A man has his wife, his kids, his occupation, their home, and their pets. They are happy and satisfied in their lives. Then here comes some guy that sees a pretty wife, different from the chicks or women he knows. He schemes his way into her life, and why, just for an orgasm or two with her. He would destroy this guy's life and relationship for basically nothing more than an orgasm or two.

The husband would kill this guy. He would want this man to die. And if he could kill him, he would do it with no hesitation. Today, there is religion and the law. A woman probably wouldn't kill another woman. But in a world without religion, just law, a man would kill the man who puts him in this situation or worse, no problem.

The law is only, don't do this or that, the State doesn't like it. Religion is loved and worshiped, and people are compelled not to do this, kill, because they have made a devout promise within themselves not to.

The Ten Commandments are the troublesome and possibly dangerous things to steer clear of in life. And from what I’ve understood, everyone chooses still whether they want to take a certain path or not. Nothing chooses for us unless it's pain of persecution and death.

Some people, upon pain and persecution, decides still, not to renounce their religion. That's the strength we all carry throughout life. The truth definitely is, no one or nothing can make anyone follow or abide by any commandments, laws, or rules.

Society can say this and that, but there are constitutional rights here in America, to America’s credit. There are also God-given rights to everyone, which in laymen terms states, one can live however and whatever lifestyle they want.

Violence is a part of human nature. It doesn’t have to be, and that’s up to every individual person.

Religion is not the driver of terrorism. Terrorism is based on individual choices also, and it's sad to see that to some this isn't true. They think their abiding by a proverb yet their listening more to a leader they believe in or fear, who actually has them like a puppet master with strings.

If someone wants to be an atheist; they should be an atheist. If someone wants to prostitute, they should prostitute. If someone wants to be a Christian or Muslim, they should be a Christian or Muslim.

The majority of the world doesn’t care or bat an eye long enough to judge. And even if they do judge, so what, ignore them, and what they say will naturally go in one ear and out the other.

I'll do this rather than allow them to convince me to look at a religion like it’s some type of condition I'm forced into.

For some of us this is so, and they have to fight oppression and violence everyday.

For others that aren't in this situation, like me, word's of wisdom; just move on pass it.