I have been rereading Mark Twain’s “Rouging It.” In the book, he is pretty tough on the Mormons. He said, “the Book of Mormon is chloroform in print.” He didn’t know how Joseph Smith stayed awake to translate it. Twain was tough on all organized religion but especially like to poke fun at the Mormons and Christian Scientist. I have some good friends who are Mormons but I have to agree with Twain in much that he says. They are not a lot different than David Koresh and the Davidians. The government killed and burned the Davidians out of their stronghold. I guess the Mormons have been persecuted almost as much as the Davidians but so have a lot of Christian groups. Early on, the Christians were fed to the lions and suffered many other horrors such as burning at the stake and crucifixion. It’s not just the Christians who are slain for their belief. The Muslims kill each other as well as the rest of us infidels. Jews top the list for persecution and let you know it. The Nazis killed about 6 million Jews and God has killed quite a few in spite of them being his chosen people. Even with all the museums reminding us of the Holocaust, some folks deny that it ever happened. Recently, a catholic priest denied the existence of the Holocaust and of course the President of Iran claims it never happened.

Every religion claims it’s the only way to salvation. I have had Catholics and members of the Church of Christ look me straight in the eye and tell me I’m going to hell because I don’t belong to their church. As a kid growing up in the Baptist Church I thought going to hell was because you drank whisky, smoked or danced. The Baptist have eased up on the dancing part and science has taken care of the smoking. Baptist have given way to committee meetings and preaching about the blessing of money and other such things. I have always had the impression that Methodist were more of a social club and there hasn’t been much to change my view. Episcopalians want to think they are a more sophisticated Catholic who are intellectual and embrace modern concepts like homosexuality. The Catholics pretty much keep their homosexuals confined to the priesthood. I could go on and on about; those who handle snakes, speak in tongues, faith healers and TV evangelist who cry a lot. Hindus are a quiet, peaceful bunch who are killing us in another way. They have used the economic gun and have taken all our jobs through outsourcing for a paltry wage. I have said enough to put me in jail for years and make all my friends mad.

Here is what Mark Twain said about religion and man. “Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion--several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn't straight. He has made a graveyard of the globe in trying his honest best to smooth his brother's path to happiness and heaven. “

As I sit on the porch and contemplate all this, it’s very confusing. It seems that the best thing to do is accept your faith like a child and hope for the best. Maybe everyone is right and there are many paths. The New Age bunch are going to conquer the world anyway and we will all become part of the wind and other such things in the universe.