Religion, Faith, and the Lack Thereof

What is religion? What does it serve? What does it accomplish? Is it about faith or about control?

Do you have to have religion to have faith? I think not.

Faith is about having a personal relationship with God, Buddha, Allah, or whatever deity you believe in.

Religion is about exploiting and controlling those who profess faith.

Here is a little breakdown:

FAITH has healed a broken heart, fed a hungry man, clothed a naked child, provided a home for a family, brought nations and peoples together in a common purpose, freed slaves, and saved lives. FAITH IS TOLERANT.

RELIGION has killed men, women, and children. RELIGION had destroyed homes, families, societies, ideas. RELIGION has bred intolerance and hatred for other of a different RELIGION. RELIGION had held back progress and knowledge. RELIGION IS BONDAGE.

I am not against faith in God, Buddha, Allah, etc. People have a right to believe what they will and should never be denied that right.

What I do have a problem with is the link between faith and religion. You can have faith without religion. I believe that anyone who thinks that you must have religion to have a relationship with whatever God you believe in is blinded by religion.

Faith should come from the heart and mind not from a book that was written and influenced by men dead for thousands of years.

And this is the reason why I say all of this.

I do not believe in any religion or deity yet I am tolerant of those who do. I do not think that they should give up any of their rights to practice or preach. I do not try to force my views on them and I wish that they would stop trying to push their views on me.

I try to be a good and moral person. I strive everyday to be a good husband and father. I just don't believe that I need to have faith in anything other than myself and my family.

Religious folk need to focus more on their faith than what is good for others.

I don't need or want your religion and I think that I am doing just fine.

I respect your beliefs now you need to start respecting mine.