Pill Box

We've been here in Anchorage since the 14th. I miss home. I can't wait to take Ella home, but it's going to be like February or March before we can. She's doing pretty good though. I say I miss home and I think of material things. Wish I had my video games. Wish I had my car. But really, it's the routine, the life that I miss. It isn't those material things at all. And I don't miss it all that much anyway. I just sort of wistfully think of it from time to time. I'm sure, as soon as we get home I'll be talking about missing the great restaurants and stores available in Anchorage.

So the lady that said, "Luck has nothing to do with it, it's all up to god in my mind." said it again to my wife and I in the elevator the other day. I was talking w/ Jonny and mentioned something I'd read from Richard Dawkins. He questioned, "Why does religion (any religion) automatically demand respect?" Jonny said that it's more about not disrespecting someone. That's why you should not say anything offensive about their religion. But, why should it be offensive to say, "In my mind, god has nothing to do with it. I wish you good luck." Of course that lady would take offense if I said that. But why? Why do allow people a break at work 2-3 times during the day to go pray if they're Muslim? What if I were super into weightlifting. Could I get breaks to go lift or eat so that my routine could be just right? In the Army, you're not allowed to wear a necklace of any kind, unless it bears a religious symbol. Why is that? You can't have facial hair because you need a good seal on your gas mask. However, if you're Muslim, go ahead, we don't mind your beard. Oh, and you Jewish guys, you go ahead and wear the yamaka for holidays. I'm not jealous. There's nothing I feel they're getting that I'm not. I'm not owed anything. But why this constant fear of offending someone's "religious freedom?"

Freedom of speech doesn't include shouting "Fire!" in a crowded movie theater. Likewise, freedom of religion doesn't include getting whatever the hell you want as long as you declare it as part of your religious practice. We've all heard of people letting their children die of disease when medical cures were available. They wanted to let god take care of it. It's always a big controversy. "Where should we draw the line?" you hear people say on the news. Well, lets draw is really far back. Lets say...when your religious freedom bothers anyone, or disrupts anything, it's no longer an option. Have a church, masque, temple. Have gatherings and bible studies, and whatever. But when it interferes w/ business, peoples health, world peace, isn't that important enough that it deserves to be dealt with?

Dawkins had another good point. Mainstream religion allows for extremist religion. Faith without evidence is considered a virtue. The more you blindly believe, the more saintly you are. Most people see through this stuff, but some don't. Mainstream religion encourages people to become extremists.

So, is it really so offensive to just mention that it has more to do w/ luck that god? I mean, even if I were wrong, I almost feel obligated to nudge her that direction. What about those people that let their children die? Those kids didn't get to enjoy their freedom of religion. It was imposed on them and they paid the ultimate price. Well, for my little girl, I want all the luck in the world. And anything else good out there...ncluding modern medicine.