What is it that makes us human? There are some universal qualities that we all share. We all share a fear of the unknown, the need for a sense of belonging, the need to gather together, sing, and express our gratitude at the wonder of creation. We need to know that we are not alone in the world, that someone has our back, is there to support us through difficult times, to rejoice with us in times of plenty. We also need respect—both for ourselves and others, which is earned by adhering to a code of conduct.
Throughout history, the very essence of our humanity has been exploited by a greedy few in pursuit of power and profit. Yes, friends, I am talking about religion. Further, religion has always worked hand in hand with governments to control, enslave and exploit, or, when that wasn’t possible, to destroy, entire populations. One need look no further than the tax-exempt status of churches for proof of this fact. Churches enjoy such status because governments recognize the valuable services they provide in recruiting gang members to fight their wars.
Churches do their part by indoctrinating their flocks in the belief that god plays favorites, and with just a little violence for a just cause, will help them manifest their true destiny. Remember learning about Manifest Destiny in school, and how this concept was used to justify the genocide of Native Americans in order to make god’s will manifest?
Brothers and Sisters, we need a new bible—a new common story that unites us all like a song. If we find that we still need a god, to believe that somewhere beyond reproach there exists a being free from sin a that we can emulate, let us create one that isn’t jealous, doesn’t approve of slavery, and above all, doesn’t play favorites. Let us create places free from the agenda of power and control where we may burst into songs of praise for creation, or fall to our knees to weep freely in gratitude or sorrow and be comforted.
We don’t need them—they need us, because they are parasites, feeding on our humanity, leaving us limp and powerless and quivering with fear of abandonment. They offer us protection and solace, but their price is steep—they demand our very souls in return, that we turn our backs on our own humanity to do their god’s will, which has consistently led to war and slavery.
Every time someone has tried to write a new bible, they’ve been murdered for their trouble, so I know it’s scary, but you have to admit that the continuation of the human race depends on it now. We got some pretty good ideas from the last attempt. My personal favorite was this one: Love one another.
What would you contribute to a new bible?
The Big Picture 