Freedom of Religion, or Freedom from Offense?

 Freedom of religion is not free speech for the non-religious, or when speaking one belief set to another, in any way that offends their religious views. ... This is not free speech.  It's a special entitlement.

Check! Once again, during the outpouring of religious views on Jesus at this time, I am confronting this in speaking to religious people, and holding my views to myself. I don't try to offend, but my knowledge and beliefs seem to offend them.

Sorry, this is hard for the "monkey see, monkey do" in me, and likely all of us. I do better when I think of it as it really is; Freedom from being offended or belittled. That's a pretty good description for what is really going on, but then I hear Freedom of Religion again, and my chimp brain switches in once more and I'm out of true context sharing my views about religion, and primarily the majority religion of my country, Christianity ... because like almost everyone, words and sentences matter to frame a concept, and in most people's thinking the concept of  Freedom of Religion means to them that they get to say and share anything they believe within their religion, uncontested and unquestioned, maybe even offensive and belittling to others.  This is not free speech.  It's a special entitlement.

Yes, I have a religion, or maybe what I should call a concept. One of its primary tenets are the downfalls of organized religions, given all the good in assisting people in their lives that they may do. And many do a lot of good for those who need help.

I believe, as the Bible says, and I've heard many times, that man cannot fully or truly know or understand god, and shouldn't pretend to. We look through the glass darkly, as Wizard Paul put it.... Saul was his real name, pssst! The P stands for Pagan while he was working in Rome, living their ways, and trying to fit in without persecution from them - he adopted the Pagan ways. Paul was his undercover name he used to round up Hebrew followers of Jesus (who got the worst of it I'm sure, being subjects and slaves of Rome), and the Roman Jesus'ites in Rome. He persecuted and took advantage of them ... maybe beat them if they got out of line as he was marching them to Roman Justice.

P replacement for Saul also stands for Pretend. When in Rome ... change your name!

Ahh, you gotta love Paul. I know him, from the stories he told in his writings, and all the ones I've seen and watched, and read, not just of him, but of all humanity. We are all overly saturated with human stories, because the best stories we love are the ones about ourselves and others. Second best, for most, 1st best for me most days, are stories about science and nature that exclude humans, or where we are not the primary topic ... Stories that predate humans, preclude humans, and focus on the earth, animals and minerals and rocks! Oh my! The spirals and stars  in them moving through space, and the overall magic of what is. Like god, it doesn't need to be understood perfectly, and maybe will never be ... and the tenet that you don't need to be perfect, only good and doing your level best. Perfect never gets anything done, because it's already finished. You can be perfect when your dead!

Saul (sorry, I can't maintain the Pretense), wrote some pretty good stuff about organizing a Church around the hearsay he was getting about Jesus from the Christians he was rounding up for pay. At one point, he saw another way to play the game and still make something off of it. His "Vision" of Jesus on the road to Damascus in Syria was a pivot point, and possibly him changing his mind about abusing and hurting people (and profiting from their pain). I've seen his like before. He also claimed revelations such as this Vision for what he wrote in his epistles to the churches... add a P for Prophet.

Paul had never seen or read the Gospels (Pseudepigrapha), since they had yet to be written, and were in are a lot of discrepancies with what he wrote, and Important information therein, that he never addresses. Not one person who wrote anything in the NT knew Jesus in person, unless any of the writings of Peter can be substantiated, most of Peter's epistles have been determined to be pseudepigraphal ... Written as the person, not by the actual person for more gravitas/appeal. This was news to me as well, as a church member, I was astounded to learn that nearly nothing in the New Testament is from anyone who actually knew and walked with Jesus. They are all secondary sources

Believe it or not, Saul was The Wolf in sheep's clothing that came in shortly after Jesus was "gone", just as Jesus said would happen.

Paul, (The P in his fake name here stands for Public image to non Hebrew Romans (Racist Romans in Rome), Persecutor, later Preacher (Profiteer $), and ePistle!), wrote to the churches. His intention was to build the church organization, with monkey lords! A hierarchy of abuse. The so called Gnostic movement abhorred this, as did Jesus, who railed against those in religious power organizations of his time.

Again, Paul was the wolf of whom Jesus spoke. Jesus was never about organizations, and corporations, no monetizing and mass marketing of his words and teachings (somewhat adulterated, and confused, and definitely corrupted by Saul ... err, Paul.

Hence, I don't trust in the arm of the flesh... especially if the meat wagon (scribe/3rd person) writer is in a position to alter words and text to their liking, or add their ideas and interpretations - remember, Saul never read the gospels. Every body likes a better story (or one that leads advantage). The gospels were taken from oral accounts mostly, and possibly an earlier Q-Source which seems to run through the first three "Gospels", all of which third hand accounts, Mark being the earliest.

Scripture at best is a political document for controlling people's behavior in social settings. I know, a very practical view ... just try putting bums in seats with that!

People need magic in their lives! That's a tenet of my beliefs! We need love, approval, help, others, be they many or few. I take few. But love every one, even if only fellow apes on a fantastic spastic, super elastic journey.

I don't know? You tell me. Can I share or say any of that with others under the Title, Freedom of Religion. Did any of it offend you? Are people free from being offended?