Intollerance @ MindSay 
http://www.msnbc. msn.com/id/ 26677884
PARIS - Pope Benedict XVI condemned unbridled “pagan” passion for power, possessions and money as a modern-day plague Saturday as he led more than a quarter of a million Catholics in an outdoor Mass in Paris.
Benedict was making his first visit as pontiff to the French capital, renowned for its luxury goods, fashion sense and cultural riches.
“Has not our modern world created its own idols?” Benedict said in his homily, and wondered aloud whether people have “imitated, perhaps inadvertently, the pagans of antiquity?”
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I admit that I am a pagan. I've been one for almost my entire life, and (having been blessed with varying results I might add) with a religiously diverse family both by blood and extended, I find the following comment made by the Pope to be offensive and of great concern on a variety of levels not only for myself but for others as well.
Firstly - the Catholic Church has more wealth than any pagan denomination that I am aware of. I struggle every month to make ends meet and have no leprechaun who helps me guard my pot of gold I ASSURE you.
Secondly - the rise of intolerance under the last two Popes (the last one called the rise of 'new age' return to Goddess based religions the single most threat to Catholicism) to also be of great concern and should be to every non-Catholic Christian as well as any and every non Christian.
Thirdly - the viewpoint that Catholicism is the only one true church and all others are destined to go to whatever hell is reserved for such individuals is the kind of mindset which has been used to justify numerous wars and persecutions under various leaders and religions since before the time of Jesus. To have a prominent religious leader come out with a statement like this gives weight and credence to other groups who use messages of hate to promote their own agendas. There are many uneducated (or those who choose not to educate themselves) individuals out there (I refer to them as sheeple) who will follow any leader and their beliefs blindly. The ones who vote the party ticket without thot because they've been a Democrat all their life or the ones who will follow a cult leader's dictates blindly and drink the poisoned cool-aid.
Lastly as an intelligent caring human being this offends and horrifies me.
Most people I met that discovers my atheistic non-belief asked me if I'm just angry with religion. Why will I be angry with religion?
On a secular view, religion is the binding together of a community in thought and action or that thought and action of an individual which that person considers of supreme importance or "ultimate concern".
My view on religion is the same with Emile Durkheim. According to Durkheim, "The idea of society is the soul of religion."
So, religion and human society co-exist.
Religion is a part of my nation's culture and heritage. Myths were fueled by religion. Most of our folk songs and epic chants like that of the Ibalons, the Sudsud of the Tagubanuas and the Aliw of the Ifugaos are formed by tribal religious beliefs.
Religion also give nostalgia. It gives color to my predictable daily life. It yeilds wonders on some mysteries I'm pursuing to know.
But there is the "Dark Side of Religion".
Religion have cause humans to be tortured, maimed, denigrated, discriminated, hated and murdered. It kills and cripples mankind. Today, every religious organization was designed to gain political and economic power.
As Blaise Pascal said, "Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction."
Fundamentalism and Intollerance
The late Pope John Paul II adressed this issue when he said "Religious fundamentalism is our greatest threat to world peace."
Thomas Jeffeson warned us, "People must not attempt to impose thier own truth on others."
In the case of Christianity for instance, there are 2.1 billion Christians and 38,000+ Christian sect all competing to be known as the "true" Christian church, as what a Christian radio program anouncer one said, "If you are a Born-Again Christian, you will go to heaven. If you following another religion, then by default you will go to hell."
The most serious reason for this is the rigid belief in the "two option theory" - that there are only two possible alternative and no other options.
Adherents believe that:
Their own faith is the "true" faith.Other religions are false and evil.Their own interpretation is the "only" valid explanation.By eliminating "others", you are doing God's will.
This belief is the major cause of terrorism and anti-intellectualism that flood human society today.
If true religion ever to exist today it must be all about love and compassion to all humans, rather than a desire to control and dominate using fear and ignorance. It's about equality, tollerance and reason, not superstition. And it must benefit all of us, not only the few.
And I don't need to go to church just to learn that.
