Clearing the Air Part I

I really am not sure as to where to start with this whole "clearing the air" thing, so all I can ask of you is to bear with me. Let's just say that the time comes when a person just gets fed up with the whole situation, and is tired of sitting in the background not saying one thing about it for fear of offending others. What I find to be most comical is that the things that actually bind us together as a people are the things that also separate us, but only divide us because these things are considered taboo to even mention. These things are religion and politics. How can we, as a people, come to terms with one another if we can't discuss the things that continue to divide us? Reading in the bible a little more frequently as of lately, I guess I became inspired as I read in some places where Jesus didn't hold his tongue when he was calling the religious rulers of Israel out for what they truly were, which was vipers, snakes, and the children of Satan. Neither did he succumb to shyness when he decided to drive out the business men with a whip that he had made with his own two hands. I think I feel the Spirit coming over me.

Religion. Let me just say, shouldn't there be one soup kitchen for each existing church? Or one place for the poor to sleep with every existing place of worship? I'm sure there are many that will rob the church, or even pull our legs as to their lack of financial stability, but are we to begin background checks on people to be sure for our own sakes as to how poor a person truly is before we help them? I know there are many that help as much as they can, but I'm not referring to these. You know who you are.

Islam. I've just really got to clear my mind of this. For years I've been troubled with the existence of such a religion, but more so with the acceptance of such a religious contradiction. According to the claims made by Muhammad, the angel Gabriel visited him sometime in 570 B.C.E., and gave to him the book we now know as the Koran, heralding in a new "faith." Now, what I don't get is simple. Mind you, Islam is not the only religion to make such claims, and have many followers that believe these claims whole-heartedly. We'll discuss these others later. Anyway, Gabriel is a major figure in different parts of the Hebrew/Greek scriptures. For the record, it was Gabriel that was sent to dispatch information about the one we call John the Baptist, and his cousin, the one the world has known to be as the "son" of the living "GOD." Why would this same angel, Gabriel, tell this young woman that the seed she was to bear is the "son of 'GOD'," and is to bring salvation to the world, on the one hand, but then teach another man more than 500 years later that this Jesus was just a mere prophet. If this were the case, then the whole New Testament is a sham! I truly pray that Muslims will soon realize that their book can't be an extension of the bible, as many claim, as this book is making blatant contradictions of its predecessor. Maybe that's what happens when a religious group forces conversion through warfare, which I'm sure is widely known now by the Muslim and non-Muslim alike. Just in case, too, the word "son" in these scriptures that refer to Jesus as the "son" of "God" is by definition literal. It must be said, also, that the belief of the "trinity" can be of some blame for this campaign called Islam, as Muhammad found it most important to teach monotheism, as he had learned from the existing Mosaic followers during this time, along his travels as a merchant. I also must say, though, the dedication Muslims show toward their faith, whether simple or radical, should really bring shame to those calling themselves "Christian."

This has become quite lengthy already, so I'm going to have to continue this. Next chapter, I'll focus my attention on the Mormon faith.