On Religion

Today’s Cold Case Files included a bit with a guy who described himself as a devout member of the “religious right.” A poor man, a comparatively wealthy farmer let him stay in his home. The poor, religious person decided that the farmer was mean and shot him in the back of the back of a head with a rifle.

He then disposed of the body, and neighbors approached him to ask what was going on. He fled–taking his Bible with him. He actually hid very well, and was found decades later. Officers said that it was hard to get him to talk about anything other than the saving power of Jesus Christ. He eventually confessed, saying that he felt no remorse for the killing. His reason? He thought the guy was mean, and he was doing the world a favor.

Although I surely remain ignorant about many complex belief systems, could I boldly propose that any time your religion seems to justify killing someone, you’re grossly misunderstanding your scripture? I know the Christian Bible does not condone shooting mean people in the back of a head with a rifle, and I’m pretty sure that blowing up abortion clinics is missing the point, albeit in a very ironic situation. And while I’m not all that familiar with it, it seems that the Qu’ran also warns against blowing up buildings.

It just boggles my mind that religions with basic tenets such as “Love your neighbor as yourself” and “Thou shall not kill” (and the Qu’ran, if I understand it, is similar!) get twisted into promoting such atrocities.

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