Elton John – Ban religion
Elton John in an interview published Saturday said, “From my point of view, I would ban religion completely. Organized religion doesn’t seem to work. It turns people into really hateful lemmings and it’s not really compassionate.”
While Sir Elton John’s statements may surprise many, they don’t surprise me. I have heard nonbelievers point out all the horrible atrocities done in the name of religion many times before. It’s an easy target. History is littered with men cloaking themselves in religion and using it as a conduit to achieve their own objectives. You see it everyday on the news.
What the news rarely shows and what most people never see is all the good the church does. I am willing to bet that if the media actaully did take the time to look, they would see that no other organization gives more and to more people than the American church. No other organizaion, not the government, not the Red Cross, not Bono, not comic relief, nobody, has given more to aid the victims of hurricane Katrina than the American church.
When 9/11 hit my church had a blood drive the next week to get blood to the people who needed it. I’m sure that churches across America did the same. But, there was no mention of it. Again, I’m sure that the contribution the American church made to the victims of 9/11 would dwarf all those made by all other organizations combined.
Churches around America right now are raising money and putting together Food Drives to ensure that less fortunate people have food for Thanksgiving and Christmas and clothes and blankets for the winter ahead. And all those Salvation Army stands you walk by on the way to the mall; well the Salvation Army is an evangelical Christian organizaion founded in 1865.
Most of the ‘Rescue Missions’ around the cities of America, like The Denver Rescue Mission are Christian organizations designed to provide food, shelter, counseling and hope to those that are less fortunate. In fact, almost all of the shelters that take in the homeless, that provide meals to the hungery, that provide counseling for the addicted and hope for the hopeless are all backed by the American church.
So while many people are quick to point out where the church has failed no one and I mean no one has ever pointed to the church as the place that does good. You may not believe in God, but trust me, you don’t want to see a world without those that do.
November 21st, 2006 at 12:03 pm
What is the website to this organization “American Church”, I’d like to donate. (you’re not referring to this http://www.americanchurch.com are you?)
I’d be willing to argue that my favorite organization, the “American Individual” donates more. (I mean, the church has to get it’s money from somewhere.)
I think the Church doesn’t get much publicity about the good things it does because doing good things is it’s job priority. Such is life for all organizations in the press: do you job, get ignored. mess up, get exposed.
Journalism is meant to be critical. Advertising and propaganda are meant to let everyone know we are doing our jobs well.
Just some thoughts.
Happy Thanksgiving Mark!
November 22nd, 2006 at 1:41 am
Nice post –
The truth is that the media will never fully embrace The Church, because it is so much more in vogue to be critical.
That’s one of the coolest things about The Church, though . . . that we aren’t in it for the publicity.
Elton is a decent singer who is clearly free to formulate any opinion he chooses about the reality of living on Earth. Just remember one thing – before you go attributing too much credibility to anything he says, take another look at the video for “I’m Still Standing”.
‘Nuff Said.
Ben O.
December 2nd, 2006 at 4:48 am
There is nothing on earth that man can do or use or make, that has not been put there in the first place by our God in Heaven. Our efforts are small, and our wisdom is limited. We are like children in a play penn, who pride ourselves on the toys we have. We bite and scratch and fight with and over our childish toys, and do not have the ability to clean up where we messed up. It’s up to God to gently help us up, feed us, and look after us day and night.
What Elton John is saying here, if I understand him correctly, is nothing more than a child shouting “No more parents, no more parents”
Jesus is King! All knees will bend before him, and every tongue will admit that Jesus is King.
December 2nd, 2006 at 12:23 pm
Well, Sir Elton is only looking at the church from a very limited perspective. He is openly bisexual, and we all know that he has likely experienced a significant amount of discrimination and disapprovement from the Christian community. My guess is he just sees organized religion as an establishment of oppressive rules that govern your life. He probobly experiences a lot of “hateful lemmings” becuase of his sexual orientation. While the Christian church does not accept this behavior, some people are likely hateful to him regardless.
However, he disregards all the positive aspects that you’ve discussed above, as well many other positive things about organized religion. Empirical research actually shows that people who engage in religious behaviors actually live longer, are less likely to have mental and physical illness, and report to be generally “happier.” Anyway, Elton is entitled to his opinion, but overall it’s wrong : )