Being First—More Powerful than Right

You know those brands that becomes a household name, even when using the competitions product? Ziplock, Saran Wrap, LEGO’s, and Jell-o come to mind. Proprietary eponyms eventually fade into genericide, losing there luster in sales, but the names live on. Being first is powerful. Staking claims on territory is much the same. Whoever plants their flag first, it can take hundreds of years to get just a slice in return.

Enter religion.

Staking a claim on morality, religion has branded itself as the authoritative source on it. There are better versions available, but morality is synonymous with god and religion. Why? Because they said so—and they have the biggest brand. I need some acetylsalicylic acid—Asprin™️.

But, after unbelief we see morality is a natural phenomenon and find our groove pretty easily. This strivation for balance, homeostasis, civil society, and equilibrium is as natural as cause and effect and our ability to process consequences. We like fairness and we’ll give it to get it—just like other animals.

It’s no secret that a friendlier and more inclusive moral construct is possible, but then the next big lie too has been repeated ad nauseum—and that that, would be too difficult. Not so fast my religious friends. We could work out a rough draft over coffee if it weren’t for the beliefs. Those naggy little seeds that hijacked universal decency and divided us.

We really should do something about this. If the biggest is going to dominate the rules, Islamic morality is just a few years away. Two factions, both wrong, competing to force ideas on the world—and control you and me by legislating them. When that happens, humanism won’t look so bad, will it? Just Google™️ it—on your search engines.

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Ordering Off Menu

Whenever we go out to eat, my wife is constantly out-ordering me. She’ll talk to the waiters and describe some incredible home-cooked meal just the way she pictures it, and more often than not they come back with some fabulous creation while I’m eating something with fries. Her food brain is like a fashion designer—nowadays I’ll just have what she’s having.

These past 2-1/2 months of house building she’s been cooking for 13 people out of the cabin—for both families and a friend, a grandson and the teenagers friends, and whoever stops by. It’s been incredible and a tremendous work load in a cabin with no dishwasher and a very basic kitchen. I don’t think we’ve eaten the same thing twice, and all top notch meals. Thank you.

Religion has no “off the menu” ordering, but it does. I’ll explain. I recently saw a show where this guy and his fiancé are looking for a church. Each week they go somewhere different, check the facilities and get a quick sales pitch explanation about the belief and direction of the church from the pastor. It is semi amusing sickening, but then the couple decides if this is a place and belief they agree with. Then they move on. Trying to find a Christian church that already aligns with what you want to believe is a painstaking process. The lighting, music, and decor must be just right. They will never find what they want, so they’ll either settle for close, or hey, start their own church! What better way to find what you already believe?

After the breakup of AT&T, thousands of smaller telecoms popped up all over the country. New companies emerged with their own way of doing things. The religious monopolies have already collapsed. Each is doing its own thing and is disconnected from the source (if there ever was one) and each church is going the way of the pastor. 45,000 denominations, personalized service, but it’s no longer Christianity—any more that Inland Telephone is AT&T. Everyone is off the menu, they just can’t admit it.

“The key to solving the mysteries of god is unbelief ” whatever you hear in religion, look for the opposite to be true. Very simple observations prove this time and again.