Blog 832 – 12.02.2017

Freedom From Religion

I believe the U.S. Constitution in the First Amendment states that Congress shall make no law establishing a state religion or abridging anyone’s right to the free exercise of religion or words to that effect.(See the picture above for the actual words) But, I would like to talk about what I believe is the right that everyone equally has to freedom from religion.

In one of my favorite movies, Unfinished Life, starring Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman and Jennifer Lopez, there is a scene near the end of the movie where grandpa played by Robert Redford is correcting his grand daughter for being rude to a guest in his home and he says to her, “ I think my granddaughter should know how to treat anyone nice who comes to my door unless it is some simple sonofabitch trying to sell his angle on God and there is just no excuse for that.” I laughed the first time I heard that and have the scores of times I have rewatched the movie. I did say it was a favorite. For many years I was one of those simple salesmen trying to sell my angle on God. Sorry about that. Why is it that we think we are duty bound to convince others to believe as we do and to argue and debate often heatedly that our way is the right way, the only way to believe, that our take on God, our religion is the only true one?

Why, do we find it so difficult – To refrain from opposing or harming anyone or allowing others to have there own experiences and to see life (see God) in all things and to honor it (Him/Her)as if our own? Our strong efforts to convince others do not so much speak to our great faith as our great insecurity – who are we really trying to convince?

How much sweeter our own lives would be and the lives of those we touch if we could just trust that all that needs to be known will be revealed to us when we need it and to others as well. There is in the New Testament a great verse that would-be teachers and preachers might consider before the “hard sell.” It says, “You have no need of a teacher for you have the Holy Spirit within you to teach you.”

Yeah, and no need for simple or complex S.O.B’s selling their take on God and trying to make it sound like they are giving away the gift of life or preaching the good news. The good news is that this is still a country where there is freedom of religion and freedom from religion if that is what you choose.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White