TheWiseOldFart

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart If you love your religion, and are serious about its teachings, I am not only happy for you, I would fight for your right to practice that religion. However, I cherish the First Amendment which guarantees my right to reject all organized religions, and forbids the influence of religion into our government. It is clearly written, and I demand that my rights are of equal importance to those who claim to be religious. America never was a religious nation, and never should be. Our Founding Fathers left England when King George III removed freedom of or from religion. This is why the first line in the Bill of Rights says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” RIGHT WING POLITICIANS, DESPERATE FOR VOTES, SEEK THE REPEAL OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT There is no doubt that the party on the right side of the aisle is owned by special interests. Their votes are bought and paid for by lobbies, with the use...

Op-e d by TheWiseOldFart   Fact: Religious Extremism is r esponsible for the torture and deaths of more innocent people in hi story than any other.   In its most extreme form, organized religion becomes the greatest evil imaginable. The Crusades and the attacks on 9/11 were both the result of religious extremism.   Religion is a personal choice, and it should remain that way. For every argument favoring a single religion over another, there are a dozen reasons why all religions are based on unrealistic and unsupported claims about places like heaven or hell. All religions were created by men whose goals were control and power over others. In modern times, fake religious leaders use religion to live unrealistic lives of great power, luxury and privilege. Exposing young Americans to any religion by an individual with authority over them is morally and legally wrong.   I DO NOT DENY YOUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS   Don’t misunderstand me. I am expressi...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart I have no doubt that most religious leaders, and their supporters, are genuine. They believe in their faith and their only goal is to share their beliefs in love, compassion, and understanding for all people. I was raised in the Catholic Church. For the most part, the priests and nuns I encountered were dedicated to their work, and lived according to their vows. This story is concerned with the destruction caused by extremists who distort the teachings of the creators of their chosen faith. THE THREE MAJOR RELIGIONS HAVE FAR MORE SIMILARITIES THAN DIFFERENCES Anyone who reads the Tora, the Koran, or the Bible from first page to last, will be somewhat surprised. The principles, guidelines for living a more spiritual life, and other basic concepts are extremely similar with only minor differences. Sadly, ambitious men continue to corrupt these treasured volumes and either rewrite them, or choose only the parts which support their vile, angry, and destructive views...

  Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart If you are a devout Christian, this story is not intended for you. I respect your beliefs and would be willing to do anything to protect your First Amendment rights. This article is focused on fake Christians, those who do not believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ. This is for the men and women who use religion for personal advancement and are nothing more than pretenders. EVANGELICALS AND A GODLESS PRESIDENT I am focusing on Evangelical leaders who created the Christian Religious Right for personal gain. Their organization began under Ronald Reagan, who was a religious extremist. They proved that they are not Christians when they supported Trump in 2016, and are supporting him again this year. Because right-wing politicians support the CRR, they violate the First Amendment every day. This is a classic example of religious intolerance in America. Read the First Amendment and judge for yourself how the American people are guaranteed the freedom to ...

  Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart Long before the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the new land, soon to become the United States of America, was a country based on confusion about religious affiliation and divided about its future. Eventually, our nation’s leaders decided that the term “religious freedom” would protect the right for all of its citizens to practice the religion of their choice or none at all. This was confirmed and protected in the first sentence of the First Amendment. Using Religion as a Weapon However, desperation within the right-wing of our political system has resulted in another form of extremism: religious bigotry. The Christian Religious Right controls the votes of all men and women who call themselves “Republicans.” As the right-wing’s base continues to diminish, they find it necessary to pander to anyone who will support their unpopular agenda. Real Christians Believe in the Teachings of Jesus Christ Let me offer you a bit of honesty. Evangelical lea...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart   99,000,000: this is the approximate number of Americans who reject organized religion today in America. This is the fastest growing number related to studies related to religion in America. This may explain why you and I are seeing an increasing number of ads by Evangelical and other Christian organizations. The steepest decline in organized religion is among those who claim to be Christians. For me, this is no surprise. Just a few years ago, the number of non-religious Americas was about 65 million, and prior to the 2020 election, it had grown to 75 million. I know you’re asking, “why this fact exists.” There are many reasons, as you might expect. However let’s look at the age groups composing these statistics. I doubt that it will surprise you that our youngest men and women, below the age of 21, are the largest group questioning the validity of organized religion. The group with the largest percentage of men and women who practice one faith are seniors....