Monty python were right to take the piss out of religion. The sketch with Jesus delivering his sermon on the mount whilst the Pythons take the piss from a way away seemed just too juxtaposed to be taken seriously - and yet there was a time in my life when I probably would have been offended by such statements. It's taken a long while for my opinions to change, though I might comment that I'm now distinctly anti-religion (though at the same time, not neccessarily anti-faith, which is a whole different kettle of fish).

 

What made me change my mind? Studying the rise of various religions from a historical standpoint probably helped, to be honest. Though it was yesterday, on a trip to Topkapi palace in Istanbul, that I think I realised that I had realised how false it all is. Allow me to demonstrate this with the three tenets of the monotheistic God - Allah, Jehovah, whoever - which are all-powerful, all-loving and all-knowing. Outside the riddle that if God were all-powerful, could he create a rock big enough that not even he could move it, why would an all-loving God approve of religions that purposely create a divide between the clergy and the congregation? Why would he want to put up with the mindless begging, pleading and monotony of the majority of church services? If everyone is equal under the eyes of the lord, then how come certain areas of worship buildings are sealed off to all but the most pious? These are questions I can't seem to find an answer to.

 

It was the point at which I looked at the purported footprint of Mohammed in Topkapi that I realised he was just anordinary guy. Alright,so he had ideas on how to live your life and change for the better, but he was a mortal and has been posthumously deified, much like the roman emperors of old. Who of sound mind would agree that Julius Caesar was a god? Better yet, who would agree that Augustus, his adopted son (the son of god?) was also a God? I've yet to find one. Similarly, the gods of classical civilisation that people worshiped so vehemently are now just stories that people enjoy... might the same one day be said of the Bible or Qu'ran? I think so. Whilst I'm not sure I doubt the existence of God, I state that religion has screwed things up right royally and giving us the paradoxes listed above that might give someone more prone to black and white decisions the notion that it must all be a lie.

 

Like I said - I'm not knocking God here, but man's attempts to make a quick buck and secure their own authority through him. Maybe an addendum to Genesis might read:

 

'And God looked upon the world he had created, and wasn't that pleased at all.'

 

Gaz out.