Religion can be the path to seperation from God.

As a child I was raised Catholic and attended Catholic School.
I can remember getting up early on Sunday to go off to church.
I remember long days in the classroom spent dreaming about my
bicycle and the freedom to come with the ringing of the dismissal bell.
Basically life was carefree but I could not see it for what it was.
For me life was a survival of the fittest. Being the strongest was foremost in my mind.
Being able to be the best. Not my best but the best. The fastest, the strongest, and often the smartest. I would spend hours daydreaming about the fantastic Kung-Fu master that I was.
Revenging injustice on the school yard. In fact there were physical fights all the time in Catholic School. I remember vividly many of the fights I was in. Usually over something stupid. Like when Charles knocked over my plant and spilled a little dirt. That was a great reason to fight. And as I write this I am ashamed of my behavior and very sorry for what I did. He of course was no match for someone as motivated as me. Time passed and then it was Thomas and Fred who were my next victims. I had a huge ego boost from beating them two down.
Then we moved to the country.
Public School. The big boys. I soon learned that I was not so amazing as I had once thought.
There were bigger, stronger, smarter and faster people to contend with.
Amazing thing though, no fights. Was it because of the extended freedom that public school offered? Maybe. But I don't remember the daily school yard brawls. Was it because I was new to town and did not want to be showed up by a bunch of hillbillies? Or did I just grow up?
I am not certain what it was but I guess peace and love sounded far better than war and hate. I guess I became a hippie. 125 Grateful Dead concerts later and that is a solid fact. Though you would never know it to look at me. I have short hair and wear reasonably clean clothes.
I cannot imagine me laying a finger on another person or animal unless in self defense or to eat of course. Is it a coincidence that my leaving Catholic School and stopping attending church led me to more compassionate ways? To feel less us against them and more we and together?
My Dad used to tell me he went to church as an insurance policy against there really being a jealous God. Truth be told I am no fan of religion. I think of it as a business. Their job is to free you from your money and control what you think. Just like Government has become but was never intended to be. Most religions have become downright hypocritical in their views. Killing in the name of God. Waging war over patches of land.
I read the other day that Al-qaeda's number 2 man has urged muslims to avenge the Israeli attacks in the Gaza strip. It is like being back in Catholic School all over again. The senseless fighting and hurting each other. There is more than enough of everything in God's universe for everyone to have everything they need.
When will the people of the earth realize that it is time to grow up and evolve past religious based dogma. These religious leaders are just people too. Not one of them is in greater contact with God than you or I am. They just want you to believe they are so then they have the power and can demand that you think as they want you to think. Not necessarily as they think.
My wish for the world is to lay down weapons and evolve. Untold great things will come when this happens. Perhaps we will even be worthy to wear the title "I am God's Information" and "we are Gods in formation.
What do you think?