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As I attempt to begin to write this article, I am unclear on whether it would end up as an article on religion, philosophy, conspiracy theory, or just a piece on mysteries and anomalies. However, I wouldn’t let my indecision deter me from expressing myself. After I am done, it would then be left for you the reader, to decide what kind of article you think it is.
It is estimated that there are about 4200 religions in the world today. This number is by no means static, as new religions continue to spring up at various intervals. While it is by no means wrong for one to desire the comfort or satisfaction derived from the belief that there is a supernatural being somewhere who has one’s interests at heart, my concern rests primarily on the consequent belief that one faces some sort of doom/gloom if one fails to believe in such beings. Why would we?
Oooops! We’re all gonna die!
First, everyone would die eventually, and we need no medium or priest to tell us that. Second, what happens after death remains unknown, and as far as reason goes, no one has been able to show that he/she possesses this knowledge.
At this point, one might be tempted to bring up the old “you can’t apply reason in spiritual matters” argument. Well, sorry to burst your bubbles, but most religions do agree that the “Supreme Being” (for each of them) does not make mistakes. Thus, if we were created by some Supreme Being, then surely he/she gave us our faculties of reasoning for a purpose. What more than to apply it in cases like this so we do not end up being deceived into living a life based on fantasies.
Maybe this doesn’t sound as convincing as you would have preferred, so I’ll proceed to my next point…
Black or White, No Grey Areas…
Many of the world religions today, particularly the major ones like Christianity and Islam, do teach that those who are not in their fold would face some sort of doomsday. They also teach that the way to the truth is one, not two or three. Thus, it’s like me saying “brother, its Christianity or burst”.
But then when you consider such a standpoint, you will find that there is a problem. If the way to the truth (avoiding doomsday) is singular, then all those who belong to the remaining 4199 religions are doomed. And that’s not even all; the main problem here is that when you pause and ask yourself, what makes religion A better than religion B, you are at a loss to find an answer. This is because the very same form of arguments that a Christian would use to defend the authenticity of his/her religion is the same arguments that a Muslim/Buddhist/Traditionalist would use in defending theirs as well.
The question then is; why be a Christian, why not an Eck, or a New Ager, or an atheist even.
But Then Religion is the Opium of the Masses…
Karl Marx spoke those famous words many years ago, and they still ring true today. I am a Nigerian, and it is nowhere more evident than in my country. The masses flock to churches and give away ten percent of their hard earned wages in the form of tithes and offerings, only to see these funds in turn used to build expensive schools and tertiary institutions that they would not be able to send their kids to, simply because they cannot afford to. Ironic, isn’t it?
Preachers these days are more or less motivational speakers, and if you know how to hold a crowd with words, you are a guaranteed success in the religion ‘industry’. Add that to the many confusing and blurred facts of history contained in the holy books and you get an entirely different… oh sorry, I meant to talk about that under another sub-heading…
One Big Religious Conspiracy…?
In one of my not too recent posts I talked about the conspiracy of the biblical King David. At the risk of repetition, let me run over a few points I raised in that piece...
Let's start from when he was anointed by Samuel. It was said that Samuel had to take with him an ass or a donkey, so as not to arouse suspicion. This is in order to let people think that he was going to carry out a sacrifice. Point here: not a lot of people knew he was to be king.
He killed Goliath: now this does not make him favored by God. Science has made us realize that David was the advantaged one at that battle. He was athletic, a renowned shepherd who had fought of bears. Plus he was fighting a giant, who according to science, cannot be athletic (one of the consequences of gigantism), and who was armed with a spear. David could basically run around him all day and shoot whenever he liked. We all know he who has a gun would win against a giant opponent armed with a knife. Add the fact that David, an athletic youth, refused Saul's offer of armor, sighting it's uncomfortable weight, to the description of Goliath's armor being ten times heavier. I'd have bet my money on David a thousand times. No way Goliath was gonna win, Favour of God or not.
David actively pursued the throne. Now if you were told by someone powerful that you were destined for the throne, would you simply sit and wait around for it to come to you? Of course not. And David was a good politician, an astute one. He made sure he was known, his war prowess ensured that. Then he sought the hand of Saul's daughter in marriage. A direct assault on the Kingship. When he was told to get a 100 Philistine heads for the marriage to go through, he provided 200. Did you just whisper that it was love? Well, think again. Saul never gave him his intended, and what did David Do? He settled for another of Saul's daughters. Now tell me if that isn't politics.
When Saul began considering David as a threat, David took Jonathan under his wings, a masterstroke of a politician if you ask me. Now, any move of his opponent could be anticipated and countered. Look at your Bibles again and be convinced.
Now some of you would be eager to stone this fact on me: David had a chance to kill Saul but didn't. Now do you think for a second that if he had killed him, he would have ever ruled? Of course not. David desired the throne, but he wasn't stupid. He had to find a way around Saul, but killing him would have put paid to his own ambitions.
Remember Nabal? Abigail's husband who died of...... Let's not speculate too much. But remember the events right? Now David asked for a share of the celebrations, for protecting property that he wasn't employed to... Nabal said no, David got angry and headed for Nabal's home. Abigail meets David on the road, David forgives Nabal for the sake of "beautiful" Abigail. Nabal dies, David takes Abigail as wife. Any suspicions? No? Okay...
The most important point of all for this conspiracy. David flees to the land of the Philistines, Israel's number one enemies. A war ensues between Israel and Philistine. David is prevented from partaking in the war, So he doesn't turn around and stabs his hosts in the back. Now during this war two important people dies; Saul and Jonathan. It is Saul's death that concerns us here. Saul is said to have been injured and weak. And the Philistines were almost upon him. Then he sighted a man of Ai (in the middle of a war between Israel and Philistine, can you imagine!). Anyways, Saul asks this man to end his life, as he would rather not die in the hands of the approaching Philistines. So this man grants King Saul's last wish, and ends his life. Now to the confusing part... This man of AI then proceeds to carry Saul's crown and sceptre (the Philistines probably had no interest in the symbol of victory right? Right!) and the foreigner then proceeds to the land of the Philistines (the most obvious place to go I guess), and hands it over to David.
Now remember in our point one, we noted that David's anointing was done in secrecy, So let's assume that this foreigner was one of Samuel's close advocates perhaps. Either ways, he was the only one who could be asked if there was a foul play, and what happened to him anyone? No one? Well, he died, by David's command, for killing the Lord's anointed (remember point 5?)
Now if this is no conspiracy, then 9/11 and all the other global events cannot be considered conspiracies. For this rugged, do or die, astute politician is respected all over the Christian world, as a man after God's heart.
A lot more is to be found if one drops the religious armour and do a critical analysis of the religious books of the major world religions. Now who is to say that we are not all being roped into a grand religious conspiracy?
But then again, there is the fear of punishment after death. And someone once epitomized this fear in a rational argument... If we believe, and there is no God, then we have no problems. If there is one, we also have no problems. But when we do not believe, we only have no problems if there is no God, otherwise we burn. So we ought to play safe he argued. Well, who to believe then?
I rest my case.
Written for @Onstellar's paranormal writing contest