You can never come as you are

 

Ah, the tangled web of human belief—the cosmic carnival where angels and skeptics jostle for a front-row seat. Listen closely, my fellow wanderers, as I weave a tapestry of paradox and wit.

Christian, Judism, Islam, Hinduism, and Wokeism have so much in common with each other. Where to begin. They are have beliefs, doctrines, articles of faith, hive mind, and of course are so open minded that people are not allowed to disagree with them - lest the be an infidel or a transphobic bigot. The Christians control their sheep with hellfire, the Muslims are controled by fatwas, and the Woke are controlled by their metaphorical pillory. I guess it is great for some being one, big dysfunctional family.

🕊️ Christianity: 

God's Omnipotence and Human Free Will: Christian theology asserts God's omnipotence and sovereignty, yet also affirms human free will. This apparent paradox raises questions about divine foreknowledge and human agency. Why would god hate sin, while also knowing the sin was going to happen a millenia before it happened. Why would god be surprised about anything that happens - he knows every choice you will make. 

Love and Judgment: Christianity emphasizes the importance of love, forgiveness, and compassion. However, if you sin or don't love Jesus the way you are supposed to, then you will burn in the flames of hell for eternity. Think about all those poor children that drowned in their cribs when this asshole god character flooded the earth. 

🕍 Judaism: 

Monotheism and Pluralism: Judaism is a monotheistic faith, but it also acknowledges a diversity of spiritual experiences and interpretations within its traditions, presenting a tension between unity of belief and diversity of practice.

Chosenness and Universalism: Jewish theology emphasizes the idea of Israel as a chosen people, yet also contains teachings about the universal mission of ethical monotheism. They are the only religion that does not seek converts, which contradicts their claims of ethical monotheism.

🕌 Islam

Peace and Jihad: Islam teaches peace and submission to God (Allah), yet the concept of jihad (often interpreted as "struggle" or "holy war") has been historically used to justify armed conflict and violence. In short, the most common way for Islam to show its such a religion of peace, is to commit acts of terrorism and beheadings. After all - isn't that what peaceful religions condone?

Tolerance and Intolerance: Islam promotes tolerance towards people of other faiths (ahl al-kitab), but interpretations of Sharia law and historical events have led to instances of religious persecution and intolerance towards non-Muslims.

Equality and Gender Roles: While Islam teaches the spiritual equality of men and women before God, traditional interpretations of Islamic law (Sharia) often result in gender disparities and restrictions on women's rights. Muslims retort our claims of misogeny saying, "but the Quran says heaven is under a woman's feet." My response is: "So what, what matters is what you do, not what a book says. What matters is how you treat women on a day to day basis. So those words mean nothing."

🕉️ Hinduism

Caste System and Equality: Hindu scriptures affirm the spiritual equality of all souls (atman), but the caste system historically entrenched social hierarchies and discrimination based on birth, posing a contradiction between spiritual ideals and social realities. If all souls are spiritually equal, then why are the untouchables left on the fringes of Indian society? 

📢 Wokeism - Social Justice Ideologies  

Inclusivity and Exclusivity: "Woke" ideologies advocate for inclusivity and diversity, yet some manifestations exhibit exclusivity towards dissenting viewpoints or individuals who do not conform to ideological norms. A person cannot claim to be inclusive when they willfully exclude all people who think differently. So wokeism is truly an exclusive club, only those who agree with their views get the VIP WOKE membership card.

Tolerance and Intolerance: While promoting tolerance and understanding, wokies display intolerance towards differing perspectives or engage in cancel culture, which contradicts principles of open dialogue and freedom of expression. They claim, "whelp, people who say (insert pejorative here) things which disagree with my worldview, then I have the right to be intolerant towards them. Well, I have to concede that intolerance is not new to Christianity, Islam, Judaism, or Wokeism. Birds of a feather. 

Equality and Identity Politics: "Woke" movements advocate for social equality and inclusivity, aiming to address systemic inequalities. These movements however emphasize identity politics, which essentializes individuals based on superficial characteristics (race, gender, sexual orientation). They place individuals into categories and boxes, while erasing personal autonomy, individualism and agency. When it comes to woke identity politics, you are nothing more than the box that you belong in. Moreover, you do not have the agency to think your own thoughts, because the woke are here to tell each person what they are supposed to think, depending upon the box they have been sorted into. 

Justice and Due Process: Advocates for social justice often seek systemic change to address inequality and discrimination. Yet their woke movements prioritize activism over due process and the presumption of innocence. Kyle Rittenhouse comes to mind, a young man who was clearly innocent, clearly defending himself when the town his father lived in was being burnt to the ground by rioters. The woke decided that Rittenhouse was guilty of murder because he was white, male and conservative leaning. The facts leading up to the killings are irrelevant to the woke. The woke condemn people on accusations alone, much like medieval judicial systems. Such practices may create contradictions in the pursuit of justice, potentially infringing on the rights of individuals and undermining principles of fairness and procedural justice.

Empowerment and Victimhood: "Woke" ideologies aim to empower marginalized groups by raising awareness of systemic injustices and advocating for social change. However, a heavy emphasis on victimhood narratives can inadvertently perpetuate feelings of helplessness and dependency among marginalized communities. The woke do not empower the very people they claim to care about. The woke love the suffering, just like mother Theresa admitted that closeness to suffering brought her closer to god. The woke do not want to foster resilience and self-empowerment,  especially among the homeless. They want these groups to be in a  perpetual state of victimization, limiting opportunities for personal agency and growth within these communities. 

Freedom of Speech and Censorship: While valuing diversity and inclusivity, some "woke" movements advocate for censorship or deplatforming of ideas which they deemed offensive or harmful. This essentially means freedom of speech is only for people who agree with the woke. Freedom of speech is not for people who disagree with the woke. It is worth noting that Christianity, Islam, and Judaism also prohibited the publications of any text that went against the core values of their religion as well. In fact, Christians went so far as banishing or burning at the stake any person who published something against Christianity. The woke use the same strategies - without actual execution. But the woke would behead anyone who disagrees with them as easily as a Muslim would behead someone for spreading what they say are lies about Muhammad. 

The impact of contradictions within religious doctrines or ideological movements on individuals, especially those who have lost their sense of identity, are profound and enduring. They are the reason I write these types of blogs because the woke experience disillusionment, estranged, and unable to feel like they can be their true selves. Its like being in a room with people, and never being able to speak freely for fear that something you say will offend someone within ear shot. When I think back to the individualism in Kirk Cobains music, yes he did care about gay rights and certainly women's rights, but it did not encompass his identity. He was about coming as you are, being who you are. Religions and social justice movements will take away your ability to really come as YOU ARE.