The End Is Nigh

The end is nigh, or so we are assured by US lawmaker, Michelle Bachman. Perhaps she is more on the money than we might first think.

Not in anyway she might conceive, I should add. The end will not be one great bang and it is religion heading for the wall, not humanity.

Evidence should be our primary guide, and the evidence shows a slow crumbling of religious adherence, in the western world at least. The reality is religious belief cannot sustain in the glare of knowledge. As to evidence, we are watching the many very public signs of the decaying hold of the mythology. None more dramatic than the frantic antics of the Bachmann's religious right.

There is growing evidence in Australia that following is dwindling and followers  ageing. The result of failing economic viability churches are being closed and sold, various denominations are combining in places where only one minister can be justified.

My concern in this, and I do have a concern, is for those good and decent followers who are increasingly seeing their faith base dwindle. 

I was never quite so anchored in faith, in fact despite having been a lay minister I was a total failure in regards faith and belief. Even so I know it took me many years to transition from church involvement to godless. Leaving was immediate, immediate but finding answers to the many new questions was something I was left to do on my own.

Lets be honest, religious groups are a business model and there is no profit line for those who are no longer involved. They rarely look to residual responsibility as maintaining what is slowly dying captures all the focus.

I will continue to badger the Bachmanns of the world, the entitled Romans who spread their malignancy, those cults and sects which entrap and abuse. Yes, abuse, a word solidly fixed in the mind now with religion.

What I would argue is that godless of goodwill should, must be there, ready to help those who are left floundering as the inedible decay of religious establishments progresses. I'm not entirely sure how to do that, except to suspend judgement and at least be available to discuss and share a tortuous journey. 

  

Forget the church and state debate

Forget the church and state debate. There is a related and far more insidious problem, politics and religion. 

Most western countries have constitutional provisions separating church and state, provisions difficult to overturn. 

Those very same provisions allow religious influences to dominate through the democratic process, while equally allowing for its expulsion by voters. That same process also allows manipulation through the media. 

We are now seeing the effects in the USA with the religious right attempting to hijack the country’s political/social agenda. 

I would be surprised If this inane performance is not embarrassing to the average Christian. For the rest of us it is a frightening demonstration of a believe or we destroy mentality of all the Abrahamic religions. 

With respect to those who are religious adherents lets look at the absurdity inherent in religious/politics activity. 

If there was any basis to the religious claims the concerned congressional Christians would have already resolved this impasse with prayer and the active intervention of their deity. 

Of course life doesn't work like that, reality requires ration problem solving and actual application. 

So lets start calling for the removal of religion from politics. Again, even my Christian friends would probably agree that it's horses for courses  and exposure through political activism only serves to further diminish religions credibility. 

Back on the saddle

I am feeling the time has come to rebirth Grub Street Journal. The effort which was involved in fighting against insanity of conservatism tok its toll. The election, first of Obama then or Labor in Australia signalled the time for a break.

Not to say those progressive governments have been all sweetness and light, but there is a certain reticence when it comes to attacking their fragile existence. 

It seems that conservatism, or more correctly regressive powers are i the ascendancy so that fight should be rejoined.

At the same time, during that hiatus, I have responded to the negative effects of religion, both in its own right and in its effects on public policy.

The juxtaposition of politics and religion is hardly a new phenomenon, but it is high time it was directly challenged. When religions start to contribute, economically, when they are corporatised with all the imposts that involves I might consider their right to a voice. 

Might but in doing so, if that miracle ever occurred, retain the right to challenge the types of inequitable policies they traditionally champion. So expect a bit more input now, a voice against regressive pressures on public policy. As usual I make no apology for criticising the politics of countries other than my own. It is a small world and events everywhere effect us all regardless of national sensitivities.