The Elephant in the room

The problem with racism is that its opposite, nationalism has been disastrous, particularly in Europe, which has seen two World Wars !! 
The effort to integrate different cultures and extend ones culture to others is an example of the universality of mankind, a noble objective. One doesn't see the nations of Europe at each others throat any more !! Blending various cultures, assimilating the best into one, enriched by the broadening of individual perspectives, was a noble aim. 
The Elephant in the room is "religion", elevating of a belief system to the exclusion of all else, becoming intolerant of other thought processes and modes of life and lifestyle, decrying and demeaning other human beings who do not submit to the thesis. 
This should be is the antipathy of religion but it seems in the Muslim religion to be its life-force in that it bonds the "camp believer" ever tighter to his camp. There is no way in, other than through joining and believing and of course ,"everyone else is then on the outside" - the very opposite of the objective laid out in multi culturalism.” 


We have just finished 4 days of Religious Symbolism with the visit of the Pope.
The news channels followed, to the exclusion of much else this symbolic pageant of a man who represents his church and its belief systems.
We were drawn in to the tight suffocating world of a religion which seeks to enlist through its medieval formulations and reverential awe and obedience, to instruct the masses, the teachings of Jesus Christ. How far from Christs teachings the church has departed is evident in the pageantry and the obsession with grandeur.

Christ a man of the people has become a person surrounded by sycophants and fine robes who sits in a bullet proof car to segregate him from the very people he claims are his brethren. Who’s every step is followed menacingly by six, suited, shaven headed men, in true CIA style, waiting to pounce. The six directed proceedings, not the Bishops who themselves were thrust aside when deemed necessary.

If the Pope feels so threatened mustn’t he look at what he now represents , and to question the trauma in someone who would risk their life and limb trying to kill the Pope.

How false to the ideals of Christ and how staged the events from the baby handed out of the crowd, the Pope mobile stopping suddenly to provide us with the sight of the Papal kiss to the rigmarole of the performance that a pontiff has to perform.

All religions start from the premise the God exists and that not to acknowledge this is sin. The Christian churches allow sin so long as the sin is regularly expunged through the offices of the church, its priests and clergy. they are there to interpret the sins and give redemption

The Muslim religion doesn’t have any, “I think I’ll risk one eye” malarkey, when you sin there is no redemption and the points stay on you licence.
It is the strength which binds the Muslim, there is no second chance.

Christianity based on Christ’s teaching of love and forgiveness has a woolly texture where I can be a devil six days and seek forgiveness on the seventh.

The problem still remains that each church is exclusive and in various ways promotes that exclusivity. Men and women have to make the choice, whether to join and buy into a story, currently on the back foot as science probes into the beginning of the Universe and much of which seems at odds with the stories handed down through the various faiths. Or take the chance and wait to see what is on the other side of the veil (once departed may return no more)