Religion and Sex
Lomanno (lomanno@ix.netcom.com)
Sun, 18 Oct 1998 10:46:06 -0400
Jim wrote:
> But, within the context of my experience, a good orgasm does the same
> thing :) So what do we use to judge between experiences?
>
I don't think an orgasm has ever made anyone a better person by
providing insight into the nature of the world (although they may have
thought so at the time). In fact, orgasm is a good analogy because
that's how I think of religion (more specifically, ORGANIZED religion).
It's something that people do to make them feel good about themselves,
to make them feel like they "belong," and for some, to make them feel
self-righteous (please note, I'm not referring to anyone on this list).
But the feelings that come from orgasm are not real; they are NOT "love"
or "respect" or "transcendence," although many tend to think so.
Organized religion, to me, is that "fake" feeling that everything's
alright with the world just because god is there. I don't need something
separate from myself to "judge between experiences." I can judge for
myself; I know the difference between right and wrong, and I don't need
the threat of eternal damnation to make me a good person :)
I believe all the answers to the world lie right on this earth. We are
born here, and we die here. I don't need to know anything beyond that.
Like I said, I'm agnostic. Our spirits may go somewhere else. But that's
not really my concern. All I want is to learn what I can about the world
while I'm here, to be the kindest person I can be, and to try to make
the lives of those around me a little better. Now would, say, the
Christian god send me to hell for these things simply because I don't
believe in him specifically?
--Kari