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Why I Can’t Take Organized Religion Seriously
I’m not trying to be disrespectful with what I’m about to say. But I love organized religion for the show aspect of it. I think it’s meaningful for the human experience, and it’s fun!
I love to see what different cultures feel is sacred.
That’s the magic. It’s like that tale from Aleister Crowley’s Book 4, where two men are on a train. One is holding a box with holes in it. The other man says to the man with the box, “I notice you have a box with holes in it. Is there an animal inside the box?” And the man with the box replied, “Yes, inside the box is a mongoose.” The other man said, “A mongoose! Why would you have a mongoose?” The man with the box said, “Well, I have a brother. He has drunk himself to delirium, and now he sees snakes everywhere. And so I’m bringing him this mongoose to eat the snakes.” And the other man says, “But sir, those snakes your brother sees are invisible.” The man with the box then opens it and reveals it empty. The man with the box replies, “I know, that’s why I’m bringing my brother an invisible mongoose.”
When a person has a visible problem, for instance, they dislike the color of their house. They don’t invite a priest over to change the color of the house through a blessing. They hire a painter. But when people have invisible problems like depression or a weighty decision, they consult a priest or religious leader who has invisible solutions to their invisible problems. These invisible solutions usually come in the form of one or more rituals that slowly create an internal mindset change toward the end goal.
I love watching organized religious services or learning about their practices. I love to see the invisible mongooses of the world. I think it’s fun. But I can’t take it seriously. But on the other hand, I do respect it sincerely.
