From: cbe@unlinfo.unl.edu (cbe)
Newsgroups: soc.motss
Subject: Re: Some sad news from Colorado
Date: 17 Nov 1992 17:03:19 GMT
Organization: University of Nebraska--Lincoln	
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: unlinfo.unl.edu

chuck@fourier.ssd.kodak.com (Charles S. Collins 726-9461) writes:

>In article <5220010@hpcc01.corp.hp.com> zampicem@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Mike Zampiceni) writes:
>>Until I see otherwise, I'll continue to regard "organized religion" in 
>>the same way as "organized crime."

>Of course, you are free to believe what you like.  But I must protest
>what I see has terribly shortsighted.

>By classifying all of organized religion in the same league as organized crime,
>you ignore the following groups within organized religions which are working
>extremely hard for gay/lesbian/bisexual causes:

>More Light Churches (Presbyterian)
>Reconciling Congregations (Methodist)
>Affirmation (Mormon)
>Dignity (Roman Catholic)
>Integrity (Episcopal)

>and others.

As far as I can see these are largely *gay* groups within these 
denominations.  While I believe that the parallelism between  
organized religion and organized crime is somewhat offensive to 
organized crime, my disdain for organized religion rests with their 
response to all bigotry and intolerance and their variously tacit or 
implicit condemnation of the different.  Rather than stand firmly, 
voiciferously, and resolutely against these perversions of the 
teachings of their Leader they at best present mild objections.  It is the 
mainline denominations which are, by their deafening silence, by their
refusal to do battle with the demons of hate, and by their acquiesance
to the fundie interpretations of scripture that essentially allow the 
hate-cultists to spawn.

It appears that only when the situation is in extremis, such as in 
Oregon, is there any firm and direct statement of their principles and
condemnation, albeit relatively mild, of the false teachers of their 
faith.  This happens all too infrequently to have moral suasion. 
It would seem that the opposition to the hatred would be continuous 
and forceful.  But then, when we see mainline denominations such as 
the Methodists behave homophobically in their synods, it is no 
surprise that they remain tacit supporters of the intolerance.

As time goes on, all of the organized religions seem to display their moral 
bankruptcy.  The divisions of Islam mirror those of Christianity.  As 
the history of religious institutions appears to reveal, the organized
sects lose the initial true moral basis of religious fervor and become 
establishment outposts dedicated to retaining influence and in many 
cases power.

As Swift observed, "We have just enough religion to make us hate, but 
not enough to make us love one another."  It seems it has always been 
so and there is little reason to suspect it will change.

This is not to say that there are not some religious individuals who indeed 
practice what they preach.  While I don't need even the first ten 
digits to enumerate them, they are truly inspiring people.  But I have
also seen that they eschew organized religion.  Once there is 
organization, there is politics and subsequent corruption.

Colburn Eigen                         H|u> = E|U>

"Truth, in matters of religion, is simply the opinion that has 
survived." --- Wilde