The House of Diabolique vs. Religion

12 . 23 . 01

Like most children and drag queens, I have a fascination with sparkly things. Christmas lights along with gift-giving I enjoy, but the religious aspects of this holiday I do not. And so because this is a Christmas during wartime and there's danger in the air, lets bitch about religion!

The history of religion is that of conflict, violence, and one atrocity after another all in the name of God.

One myth the media likes to propagate especially lately is that Islam is a religion of peace. Bullshit. Islam is no more a religion of peace than Christianity or Judaism.

'People who do not accept Jesus Christ will not go to heaven.'
- George W. Bush

One reason Muslims hate Christians are the Crusades, three centuries of brutal religiously motivated slaughter, and Bush is so historically illiterate that he has referred to the war on terrorism as a 'crusade', initially designating it 'Operation Infinite Justice' - infinite justice being an Islamic term for the will of God.

Pat Robertson, in addition to blaming gays and feminists for bringing God's wrath to America, recently said this:

'Take the Holy Bible from people and they will run amok.'

Strange. Japan, without the Holy Bible, has less violent crime than any other nation in the world. Louisiana has the highest church attendance rate in America and also twice the national average for murders. The Bible toting state of Texas executes retards.

Under Hitler, 'Jesus' prayers became mandatory in all schools. Abortion was a crime. Homosexuality was criminalized. 'Degenerate' art was banned. Hitler put into practice everything religious Republicans want in America.

Hitler loved being Roman Catholic and was confirmed as a 'soldier of Christ' by the Catholic church. Hatred of the Jews was promoted in Germany by Catholics and Lutherans. In his book Mein Kampf Hitler wrote:

'I am completely convinced that I am acting as the agent of God. I am now a Catholic and will always remain so.'

Hitler was never excommunicated, although a man named Martin Luther was, not for preaching hatred against Jews (which he did also), but for simply translating the Bible into German.

A quick scan of the top 30 most frequently challenged books in libraries includes Harry Potter and I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, but not Mein Kampf . Mein Kampt has also never been banned by the church, although the entire works of Hobbes, Voltaire and Sartre have.

As for Jews, it is ironic that a people so persecuted throughout the last century (due to religion) now slaughter rock-throwing Palestinian teenagers. United Nations rulings against Israel's excessive uses of violence are routinely vetoed by the United States. In 1982 Ariel Sharon, Israel's leader, allowed extremist Lebanese Christians to massacre hundreds of unarmed Muslim refugees, women and children in Lebanon. The violence in the Middle East is due to the religion of both sides.

In Northern Ireland, violence is rooted in Catholic/Protestant differences. The war in Bosnia-Herzegovina was among three faiths - Muslim, Roman Catholic, and Serbian Orthodox. From Moses to the Crusades, the Inquisition, Henry VIII, Salem, slavery, the Holocaust and Kosovo to conflicts in Cypus, India, Indonesia, Kashmir, Kurdistan, Macedonia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Chechnya, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Tibet, the world is saturated in religious violence.

The fact is that historically speaking and to the present day, religion has caused more violence than many of the things that religion condemns. Ironically, one thing most religions share is to condemn homosexuality and atheism.

And yet no wars or major atrocities have ever been inspired by homosexuality or atheism. One notable murder in the name of both (Leopold & Loeb) comes to mind, but for that one there are thousands more religiously inspired murders in downtown Manhattan alone.

The religiously pious would reject my arguments by saying that those who commit violent acts in the name of God are perverting God's teachings. But who is to say what God's will is? The Bible and Koran are full of contradictions. In truth everyone practices their own faith, obeying those rules that suit them and defying others. Most Christians in the United States use condoms and yet the Pope condemns their use. The Koran forbids suicide and yet countless thousands of Muslims consider suicide bombers to be martyrs.

God is up to interpretation. There are as many Gods as there are people on Earth.

I savor a Godless love.

Jesus or machines?

The House of Diabolique - taking the Christ out of Christmas.

Merry Christmas everybody!