Mankind has always worshipped a ‘god.’ This is understandable. If you have ever been in a forest, if you have ever stood on the shoreline of the ocean at sunset, if you have ever looked closely at a newly budded rose, if you have ever stood out in the rain or during a light snowfall, you marvel at whatever entity created such beauty.

However, when you read about the starvation in Africa, the endless wars around the world, the fact that in our own nation there are 560 billionaires, 10.8 million millionaires, and yet we have approximately 45 million Americans struggling to survive below the poverty line, when you realize that our current government is filled with prejudice and hatred, it is hard to believe that the same ‘god’ who created such beauty continues to exist today.

Religions and spirituality are not synonymous. All religions were created by men. There is no reference in the New Testament of the Bible that Jesus Christ began the Christian religion. Men created organized religion to control other men and become powerful.

Whether it is Christianity, Judaism, the religion of Islam, or any other ‘faith,’ they have one thing in common; they deny freedom of thought, and restrict several actions. They are all cults.

This is my primary reason for refusing to support organized religion. I don’t believe that I need instruction from another man about how to live my life, how to be spiritual.

If you believe that I am one of few Americans who have such beliefs, you would be wrong. Approximately 65 million people share my thoughts and principles. Also, for your information, new converts to Christianity are declining while Americans choosing the religion of Islam are growing in numbers previously not experienced in the United States. This is likely the result of the hundreds of times our younger citizens have witnessed the hypocrisy of ‘Chrisitian’ leaders and ‘Christian’ politicians.

Claiming to be spiritual does not make it so. The actions of our representatives in Washington speak volumes. They lie constantly; their only gods are money and power. Trump’s administration is the most corrupt in America’s history. The right wing continues to bow to the demands of the unconstitutional Christian religious right whose “beliefs” have divided our nation. This is unforgivable and is absolute proof that few men and women in America actually believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ.

If you think about this honestly, you know that I am not wrong.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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