When I pull a face...

When I pull a face, it usually means that I have had a negative response to something that I have read or heard about and which invokes disapproval in me. This disapproval rises from my own life experiences, in particular my experiences with main stream religion, and in one case, not so main stream religion. I love the peace and quite of a church or cathedral; I like the sacred space. I like church music such as that written by John Tavener, Thomas Tallis and Claudio Monteverdi; I even like some of the older style church hymns. I like church architecture; from beautiful stained glass windows to the dazzling geometric shapes used in the mosques of Islam. What I do not like, is the human part of it; the preaching, the proselyting, the 'subjective truth' of those who think they offer 'the one and only way' and are thereby judgemental and dismissive of those who think differently. I acknowledge that not all behave this way but certainly there are a lot who do and I don't want them knocking on my front door, thank you very much. Only recently I was reminded of my distaste for this sort of thing when watching news reports on the current Iranian election problems and where the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali khamenie, said in support of President Ahmadinejad, that he would not be responsible for any deaths and injuries sustained by protesters from his police and militia because they (the protesters), in ignoring his 'divine' directions, have brought this state upon themselves. Throughout history theocratic governments have come and gone and most, if not all, seem to leave a bad taste in the mouth; not necessarily because of the religious belief itself but because of the human(s) who use it for his/their own ends; to gain power and to have unrighteous control over the masses*. Over you and me! So, to my way of thinking then, the Iranian situation is an example of how the few, through the use of religion, control the many even though the many want change and want a say in how they are governed. It all makes me pull a face.

* An exception to the rule would possibly be Tibetan Buddhism.