Hi, dear Hivers
I am going to rant about a subject that most people avoid so that they do not hurt sensibilities, especially these days. Ironically, when it comes to religion in a country that is mostly Catholic, but which is been controled for more than 20 years by a gang of heretics who attack their country's mother church, which is run by a bishop with hard-to-hide sympathies for the leftist ideologies, and that church, far from separating from the agresor, which also subjects, persecutes, and kills it's herd, actually seem to grow closer as things get even worse, one cannot help but wondering, wtf!
Even if you are not a religious person in Venezuela you cannot help but wonder, what the hell were they thinking. Today was the end of Easter, as it is celebrated by catholics (resurrection Sunday) and we have several instances during the week of religious ceremonies being conducted at or with the support of the military or people wearing some law-enforcement uniform.
In any other place that might be a source of joy and thanksgiving, a proof of faith, devotion or union between civilians and the military. However, in a country like Venezuela, where men and women in uniform have contributed for 20+ years to the destruction of their culture as we once knew it (economy, education, health, social life, traditions, security, everything that makes a country a country has been destroyed and they, those in uniform have been the executing arm to keep people, their fellow brethrens, oppressed and in fear), to see a religious image (the virgin, Jesus, whoever) being displayed across town on a police vehicle, the same police vehicles used to intimidate students, profesional men and women, elders, etc., so that they sheepishly accept a tyranny that actually screws everyone just the same (every single police officer comes from humbles homes where there are people starving), makes you want to throw up.
I find it hard to believe that the catholic church could not provide their own parishes with vehicles (it is rich enough). I know they are using the pandemia as an excuse to militarize everything, we also know that it makes no difference for people's safety how many uniforms you put out in the streets. People are equally exposed and they cannot stay home longer that a day without having to go out to find something to eat.
The state is not helping and religion is certainly not helping either.
I respect people's right to express their religiousity and I actually admire and envy their faith. I wish I could suspend disbelief and skepticism and just trust a super natural force that knows better (actually knows it all) and wants the best for the just and innocents and will punish the wicked, but the historical evidence overwhelmingly denies such possibility for me.
In any case, I find it very insulting that some people here from both the government and the church can just pretend that we are all men and women of faith, that we can get along with each other, that God is everywhere and loves us all... Because there is no fucking way a loving God is with any of these people in uniform. They have sold heir souls to whatever devil is running the show and they do not even try to hide it now.
No matter how many virgins they drive across town .
Thanks for your reading
All images are mine, you have probably run into them on twitter.
It's really challenging when things start to mix that have no business of mixing. I find that politics and government itself is becoming more of a religion, with people defending their beliefs just as strongly as they do in mainstream religion. I think it's happening now more in many countries around the world, with the church fusing more into government than before, though it's always had a really strong hand in it.
I agree. I think that religions become as a training camp for political fanaticism. People trust politicians against their best judgements an against empirical evidence of their reliability or good will with the same pasión they believe in an all powerful god who year after year, decade after decade, century after century decides that the time is not right to use his powers and do some justice while convincing some skeptics.
In Venezuela I think that the leftist ideology will eventually control every religious institution. They do it now by force and intimidation (with some exceptional voices speaking up here and there), but if they remain in power the time will come that their ideologues will actually occupy every space or position
Well I can sort of understand where you are coming from. It is sad that so many people were duped by the false ideas that socialism creates. It makes everybody equal? Well yeah they are equally poor and in the same state of desperation. Church can help and suspending disbelief isn’t it. It helps to lay a set of ground works that help you navigate life. Yet this too can get perverted when government sticks its finger into places it doesn’t belong, like religion and businesses.
I agree. I actually see the value and need of religious exploration. I've seen it change people's life, but institutionally they can screw up big time and serve the wrong causes.
One thing that in my opinion has hurt the cause of freedom in Venezuela is the overwhelming belief that God, not people, will fix things. That causes a social and political paralysis that turns people into passive believers while the government advances its agenda and worsens everyone's living conditions and he prospects of future recovery.
Thanks for stopping by
This is true. God have men the power and free will to chart their own courses.
Shades of Europe in the Middle ages. I totally get your anger at the hypocrisy. It's part of why I turned my back on religion.
Yes. One sees here the way religious leaders avoid pronouncements hiding behind the discourse of peace and brotherhood, fully knowing that really evil people are destroying other people's lives, and one cannot understand the lack of vision of the church, not even as one more political actor that needs to make pacts, and gain followers etc.
The poorer people become the less they can contribute to their church and to their fellow brethrens. And yet, the church, like the state, seem to benefit more from the abjection of the masses and see no contradiction in washing the face of the military at every religious celebration.
I find it really hard to digest and can't understand how anyone can see a follower/defender of the tyrant as their equal when it comes to sharing religious spaces