@Bill Boggs - yes - a lot of money is made out of religion and some, are very 'bad' people @Ina I. Wonder - wise words and I understand fully
The first person to look up and all around and ask "Why am I here?", "Who created this wondrous planet?", "Who created me?", and "What is my purpose?"...and then not see the answer but by faith believed...was the first religion
Whoever the author who wrote about Matthew may have been a brilliant scribe or writer who might well have been on the best seller list if he were writing today.
In religious circles indeed, the bible belt and on televangelist shows. Where reasonable and rational people of thought congregate such god-speak is simplistic anachronistic poetry. Scans well and well scripted but sadly translates as gobbledygook to moi. Still it may do good and cause no harm as does the occasional Quran verse selectively interpreted by radicals to their agenda.I know of no similar harmful interpretation of the Christian bible verses in contemporary times.
"all too often hypocrites are the most devote on the surface, and the first to condemn another" The history of 'hell fire, brimstone and damnation preaching by some Christian preachers of note, both from the pulpit on radio or T.V. has shown their true face when their real lives,greed, fraudulent expenditures and sexual misbehavior's are exposed.Surely you know of some without a list from me.
Then very quickly asked... but why did 'it' create that *&^(%&$#*! sabre tooth thing what's chased me up this tree?"
Understand I am not out to change minds regarding religion or the bible or imply anything bad about anyone's belief. Sometime we write to learn what we ourselves know or think about a subject or to stimulate conversation or merely because we know nothing at all.
This is Sunday morning and often I put on an album to play through out the house or with breakfast. My favorite music is religious music. I favor what is referred to as Gospel music, sung by gospel quartets, many of which I have met, especially the older ones, such as The Blackwood Brothers, The Statesmen Quartet, J.D. Sumner, and a number of other quartets that used to come to one of the churches to sing for whatever offering was taken up or to sing occasionally on one of our radio stations. But one of my favorite albums is called Gospel Praise by featuring Trumpeter B.J. Hooten and Clarinetist Bob Snyder. My son was working at a music studio in OKC and went to see these guys perform years ago and was fortunate enough to have a chat with them, then go out and eat with them after the performance was over. They gave him the album. He didn't like it and gave it to me. It its one of my favorites. I'm playing it now. And of course, the Gaither's who in a manner revived Gospel Music or put new energy into it or increased its popularity. I like those Homecoming Sessions. I have a lung disease and as its seriousness increased and my lung capacity diminished, I picked up the harmonica and learned to play it. Being older when this occurred, and with a diminished memory, the only songs I could remember were those old religious songs I grew up with. I could play those. Since I've gotten better on the harmonica I can play many country songs, rock, pop, and I play along with some of the jazz tunes but my first love is Gospel. I am as I believe most of us are, made up of both good and evil, perhaps some more than others, and maybe some who don't realize this. P.S. I watched a Ted Talk that seems to analysis the why of this: The Biology of the Best and Worst of Us.
@Bill Boggs , don't forget Elvis' gospel music. He really felt it when he sang. My late mother's very favorite...and one of mine. @Kalvin Mitnic , regarding the saber-tooth that "it" created (known to some as God)..."it" isn't responsible for the evil action chosen by the saber-tooth to "chase you up the tree". That would be the tempting handiwork of the evil one. Don't forget about the evil "it" (known to some as satan)
I was an Elvis fan. Went to see him one time in Dallas in my younger years. Have 'He Touched Me, The Gospel Music Of Elvis Presley," volumes one and two.