Back when I was still sorting out my feelings on mainstream religious beliefs, and just newly hatching a definition of this vague and elusive thing called CONSENT.
Image swiped from #pagansofinstagram
From the dean of a Southern Baptist college:
"The therapeutic and consumerist atmosphere leads evangelicals away from a view that sees Scripture as the external, objective standard of truth and has pushed them to look inside themselves to find ultimate truth."
Ahem. So looking inside oneself for ultimate truth is a bad thing that's caused by consumerism and therapy?
Since when does ultimate truth HAVE to be objective? Or external?
And who the fuck made *that guy* an authority on my life, or anyone else's?
See, that's what I despise about mainstream religion.
They teach you to distrust your instincts and impulses, to only listen to their external, objective standards of right and wrong, true and false.
They lead you to believe that the boogeyman is all around you, even inside your own head.
And furthermore, even if you did run into the boogeyman, you're too stupid to be able to recognize him for what he is.
That's why you have to listen to the church!
"Oh come, let us put on the blinders and protect you from yourself..." Fuck that shit.
I offer a good general piece of advice:
Don't try to judge what you'll never understand...and stay away from patriarchal religious systems.
Step away from the window, go back to sleep, Safe from pain and truth and choice and other poison devils... See, they don't give a fuck about you like I do, Counting bodies like sheep to the rhythm of the war drums... ~ A Perfect Circle lyrics
I believe that patriarchal religions are a fantastic tool for grooming men to be entitled, and for grooming women to be subservient.
In both cases, I believe they prime people to be more susceptible to narcissistic abuse and emotional manipulation.