Jesus on a Dinosaur

Frankly, other than for funerals or weddings, I don't go to church. I have many friends and family who are avid church goers. I love them and wish them well while politely turning down their requests to join them for worship services. Church is not always bad, it is just not right for me.  I believe that some churches actually benefit our communities. Many church leaders are sincere and hardworking souls.  They put people first and religion second and politics a distant third. If you took away the holy books, these people would still do good for the world. They would feed the hungry, help heal the sick, and prepare a better future for our children.

However, there is an aspect  of religion that truly frightens me. Fanaticism exists in all organized movements and there is too much evil in our various religions. I define "evil" as hatred against our fellow beings and the planet. There are people who  rabidly adhere to the notion that their god is the only god and their beliefs are the only beliefs that people should follow. They will kill and destroy for that belief. I doubt that God really cares which day we go to church or how much money we donate to the preacher or which president we vote for. 

Yet despite these ills, most disturbing to me is the lack of intellectual curiosity that conflicts with established doctrine. There is a  movement in America that promotes "anti-thought" and downgraded education.  Dystopia is a word that science fiction writers would use to describe what may be happening to our world. (From my friend Wiki-- Dystopia:  a society, generally of a speculative future, characterized by negative, anti-utopian elements, varying from environmental to political and social issues.) 

Evil cannot overwhelm us if we are aware of it and take action. We need to expose the greedy charlatans in our churches, news media, congresses, and businesses.  The world is not flat (but the Universe could be flat).  Education from elementary to post collegiate should be free to all people (pay teachers more money).  All religions have some good and some bad elements. Jesus never rode a dinosaur because the earth is more than 5,000 years old. Evolution is real and we are still learning to cope with our existence on a planet that is heating up as a result of our activities.

Creationist Museum: http://creationmuseum.org/

The Ark: http://arkencounter.com/

Interfaith Alliance: http://www.interfaithalliance.org/

Reason and Science: http://richarddawkins.net/