I have just completed my first day of English 307. I must admit that I am truly excited about this class. There is such a diverse group of people with a plethora of different majors and cultural backgrounds, which I feel will spice up some of our discussions. I do worry, however, that my unenthusiastic view on theology and the institutions of religion and government may come out in our discussions and leave a sour taste in the mouths of some of my peers.
I have always thought that religion has been a tool of controlling the masses. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, to name a few, all follow manuscripts that were supposedly inspired by “God,” yet written by man. Man, the only creature on this earth able to lie, and deceive. Even if the "prophets" of the Bible, Torah, and the Quran were truly inspired by a higher being, Man has taken the good and the pure and the beauty of these sacred texts and manipulated the meanings to better suit their individual needs, specifically regarding politics.
It sickens me that the government of this nation, for example, is able to implement laws based on moral issues, when we are supposed to have a little thing called, “the separation of church and state.” Not to mention the fact that in this country, most laws in effect, are based on Christian theology, not taking into consideration the ideologies of other religions. I do not feel that any institution, be it government or a religious affiliation, has the right to tell me what I may or may not do with my body, or my life, for that matter. These organizations feel that they have some "God"-given duty to police the people and protect us from ourselves. Well I don’t need protection from any establishment that I neither like nor trust.
This is the one thing that I do not understand about the Islamic faith, or any faith for that matter. They have let politics get in the way of the true meaning of their religion. From the beginning, violence and foul play has surrounded the Islamic establishment. And although, I do not believe in the kind of higher being that is commonly referred to in this faith, I respect the freedom of choice and give kudos to anything that makes people strive to better themselves and humanity as a whole, if that is indeed what it does. Because of this, I find it ironic that the religion viewed worldwide as the most frightening and violent, was born from the heart of a very peaceful and pious man. A man that wanted his people to live prosperously and by “God’s will” in order to establish peace in a conflict-stricken world. This I find to be very interesting, and almost awe-inspiring, however, I cannot accept most of the ideals behind Islam or many other faiths, for that matter, being that within their theology stands more contradictions than truths.
I also cannot understand why Muslim women continue to cover their heads. I have been told that it is an act of piety, yet I was under the impression that God viewed all men and women equally. As a feminist, I find it rather disturbing to think that women have been fighting for years to gain equal status as men in our society and yet women of this faith, in particular, submit themselves to this patriarchal non-sense. It upsets me that all women have been lied to and led to believe that it is their duty to more or less live in servitude to their husbands. I will give the benefit of the doubt, however, and consider this misinterpretation rather than brainwashing.
I also have a problem with people making war in the name of their God. How idiotic is that? And almost every relgion is guilty of this. Don’t most faiths preach peace and love and the betterment of mankind? Yet here they are, killing in the name of a God whom either does not exist or no longer cares. I am a strong believer that religious institutions and the invisible lines that are only prevalent on a map breed hatred, hypocrisy and prejudice, and I want no part of it.
I do not want my views to be misrepresented or to come across as some sort of Santanist, which would be asinine considering I have no faith that such an entity exists. Don't let the name "Devil Woman" fool you, it is merely a playful nickname. I am a very spiritual person, however, my views more closely reflect those of the ancient pagan religions in regards to their love and respect for Mother Earth. I believe that any religion can give people something to hold onto when the world seems cold and dismal if they embrace the good and shun the evil. Faith should inspire and promote love and acceptance and empathy for the human race, not justify oppression, hatred and racism. Oh this is going to be an interesting class…
2 comments:
Hi! Glad you joined in the blogging. I'm going to link you off my site...feel free to do the same.
I can completely understand and respect your views on the subject of religion, politics, and all the ugliness the two in combination seem to produce. Well, there's really no "seem" about it, is there? They do produce some rather undesirable results. Crusades, anyone?
Lindsay,
I, too, understand your impatience with religion (all religion) that can become so distorted as it is appropriated for political agendas.
The "veil" will become a central concern for the travellers we are studying, especially women travellers (not surprising!). Try not to assume that it indicates servitude to or oppression by men. In some cultures and families, no doubt it can; however, for many women it symbolizes not just devotion but also social liberation. Women who were involved in the first Islamic feminist movement in Egypt in the early 20th century made a point to return to the custom of veiling themselves. The veil as symbol and veiling (or covering) as a practice is very complex and culturally-specific; but to read it as oppressive across the board it to accept a stereotype created by Englishmen who asserted the cultural superiority of the West by emphasizing "the East's" mistreatment of women. The men who made such claims were co-opting feminist arguments for their own use but were hardly pro-women in the practical matters of living.
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