When exactly did the phrase "organized religion" become an epithet? This linguistic shift has troubled me over recent years.
Whenever God comes up in big a discussion, some seemingly rational person will look at me, lean in dramatically and sagely say, "I don't really believe in 'organized religion.'"
The speaker makes a special point to speak with such condescension and surety that we might as well have been talking about alchemy or the medical value of leeches.
Merely mentioning the phrase seems to be intended to end discussion rather than continue it. It's quite strange; the two words themselves don't seem to bear any inherent evil. Religion's good for the soul, and who (besides anarchists and College Republican softball teams) doesn't like a little organization? So, let's continue.
The speaker will invariably follow up with, "Nobody should be able to tell you how to worship God." This is beyond weird.
First, it ignores the fact that there are plenty of actions that can be performed in the universe, and most to all of them have a "correct" way to be done. So, if you were to paraphrase the sentiment as, "Nobody should be able to tell you how to drive a car," then... let's just say that's the sort of thing my mother used to smack me for saying.
Following this statement logically through would mean that it is man who decides on the method of worship, not God. This subverts worship's status from a "religion" to a "hobby," like whittling or collecting DVDs.
And while my DVD collection is, in scientific terms, "totally freaking awesome," I'm not going to get down and pray to it any time in the near future.
With the atmosphere provided by today's intellectuals, it's fairly understandable for many people to arrive at this misguided conclusion. For years, atheists have tried to claim that mankind's worst atrocities have been direct or indirect results of religion's influence on society.
They may be able to shove the mess of Taliban, the Inquisition, the Crusades and "The 700 Club," but the irrefutable fact remains that history's greatest nightmares have been under the most secular and atheistic regimes of the world.
By body count alone is this true. The occasional report of an errant priest's perversion or a fundamentalist with a sniper rifle is a drop in the ocean compared to the millions sacrificed to the anti-religion altars of socialism and communism.
But that's not what I'm getting at today, although most respondents will rail on this point. If you want to be an atheist, go ahead - nothing I write in this paper is going to stop you. What really chafes my caboose is when people try to have it both ways.
If you're going to believe in God, at least understand that the sovereign of the universe might just have some rules for you to follow. Getting mad at churches, mosques, synagogues, etc., for telling you how to worship is like me getting mad at Borders because I have my own personal relationship with Stephen King.
"If I want to buy his books for half-price while wearing no clothes, then it's not Borders place to tell me how to conduct my own personal business!"
Silly analogies aside, if you're going to call yourself a believer, believe in a higher power than yourself. At least give Him the mighty power of organization.
Want to be heard? Post your opinion in the forum below.
Eric Spratling is a journalism junior. Reach him at eric.spratling@asu.edu.
