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Religion's broken link
Why action and advocacy has been wrung out of religion over the years even though all the major religions profess compassion.
Date: 11/28/2011 6:18:08 PM ( 13 y ) ... viewed 21241 times Along with certain universal truths that religions have in common, there are also strange disconnects that most of the world's major religions also seem to share. Are these proof that religions are illogical by nature or even false or does it point to common historical revisionism of the major religions by more temporal powers..
With very few exceptions love and compassion are central values to major religions including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and others. Yet compassion for the pain and suffering of humans and other living creatures on the larger scale of activism is frowned upon or seen as a lesser virtue in most of these same religions.
How does that make sense? If I'm good to someone I see on the street I'm favored by God but trying to help hundreds or millions is an inferior use of my time spiritually speaking?
The common reason given is some variation of "Why spend your time feeding a man's body when you could be feeding his soul?" But of course higher learning is at odds in the throws of starvation, disease, persecution, addiction, etc.
Yes many religions sponsor various humanitarian missions (whether or not the larger motivation is recruitment or PR). But in all but a few cases these are an insignificant component of their total operations. The exceptions tend to be small divergent sects from the mainstream.
When most of the world lives a cruel existence of poverty (average of $2 in income), tyrannic rule, disease, want and violence - how could anyone believe a loving God would prefer the privileged to spend their time sequestered in prayer rather than trying to ease all this suffering (and his other suffering creatures)?
Of course all of the main religions, monasteries etc are largely at the mercy of the ruling elite. Whether by official government recognition, tax free status, lack of persecution or corporate sponsorship, wealthy patrons, etc - all mainstream religions privately answer by necessity to the temporal power of the time.
And to any ruling elite power ever, an obedient population is always the desired result. So it's not hard to understand how activism, individual empowerment and assertiveness have been wrung out of all major religions over the centuries.
The problem is:
A) This dis-empowerment makes religion un-nourishing, illogical and thus un-sustainable for any sincere seeker;
B) The collective power of the good people which like white blood vessels are needed to keep a balance in the world have been reduced to ineffectual; and so
C) The quality of life for most of the world's population continues to plummet to ever worsening levels - as greed, evil and cruelty go increasingly unopposed.
As it turns out - doing God's work here on earth is a lot easier to understand than agreeing on who, what or where God is. And of course our creator gave us empathy and a conscience to lead the way (though both need to be exercised and prioritized).
Wouldn't it be great for everyone if we could all somehow take up God's work now and save the details for later?
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