Alpha Male Manley Lectures: Why Religion Has Failed

Here's the problem: many Christians, Muslims and others who are saturated in their beliefs refuse to look into the world of science. Given that, the definition of "religion" is basically one's suspension of belief, but one that has been constructed in order to justify one's own sloppiness.

You see it all the time: That cute little, Southern Baptist church in Houston, Texas or Tupelo, Mississippi. Where everyone "praises the Lord," and yet they continue to drink the juice of Corporatization.

If you've ever watched The Big Bang Theory, then you're already familiar with Mrs. Mary Cooper. As Sheldon's mom, she could not have been any more of an archetype. Assuming that you follow the series, you already know the story: "My husband died at age 50, because I fed him Crisco for 30 years. But that's okay, 'cause 'Jesus took the wheel!'"

In many cases, you find that this is what religion does, by giving everyone who joins a platform, and one against which everything done wrong may be justified. "I kicked the shit out of my girlfriend/wife, but that's okay, because 'Jesus' forgives me!" Or even better, "I've got 72 virgins waiting on the other side!"

This thought pattern extends itself to all aspects of life: Don't eat pork, because the Old Testament says so. "Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit," but don't worry about what you eat or drink, because, as Scripture says, "Life is but a mist, or a vapor."

Christians and Muslims seem to have this in common, that they say "Yes" and "No" in the same breath. "Is it okay to divorce my spouse?!" No, because New Testament theology dictates that married couples only divorce for reasons of infidelity...but we're going to do it anyway!

I can quote John 3:16 to my kids and grandchildren, but I'm going to feed them pork chops and chitlins the whole way to Sunday School. Why? Because the whole time that you had your nose stuck on John 3:16 or the book of Revelation, you never bothered to read a Nutritional Facts label. You never bothered to buy real produce from the grocery store.

Sounds a little twisted, but I'm going to tell you guys why I think that this is. Muslims are looking forward to 72 virgins in "paradise;" what incentive do they have to live to be 85?! Christians and many Jews are looking forward to the second coming of Christ and the New Jerusalem; what incentive does the Church have in drinking green drinks, or doing cardio?!

These people don't really know what they believe, none of us do, and so based on what they've been told, they no longer have a will to live on earth. In essence, what these people do is commit suicide, but at a rate that's slow enough to not be visible on the surface.

I don't fuckin' care what "big treadmill in the sky" you're going to jump on after you drop dead; I want to know what your cardio stats are while you're still on the earth and breathing.

But here's what a lot of religious people do: "The Lord has your very hairs counted." Or better, "What does it profit you to gain the world, and yet lose your soul?!" All of these are true, but then if your version of "gaining the world" is eating grapes instead of potato chips, lemon juice instead of coffee, then you're not that bad-off.

If your version of "gaining the world" is doing an hour of cardio, enjoying a plate of salmon for lunch...going for all of those goals is not the same as going for things that really are self-centered: sleeping with as many girls as I can, getting drunk, crashing a car, etc.

So Scripture says, "Why gain the world?!" Good point: I actually don't want "the World," and I'm certainly not trying to gain it by eating broccoli and hitting the gym. But then you go back to the religious zealot, who more often than not is at the other extreme: "My life is as a vapor, so why should I care about cholesterol?!"

The world of religion also does this for other lived experiences. You'll find, for example, that the zealot who says not to look at women lustfully is the one who is scoping-out the most 14 to 15-year-old legs. The one who says, "Don't listen to secular music" is the first fucker to bump Justin Bieber from their Prius subwoofers.

Bottom line, the bulk of theology's thread has failed since the beginning of time, and that's because for at least the last 2-3,000 years, Western religion has suppressed that which is most natural to human existence. "Don't look at a woman lustfully." As in fantasizing about gag-raping someone sure, but then it is natural for us to be attracted to members of the opposite gender.

Religion, as it stands, should be able to establish that "yin-yang," light vs dark balance that we're all after. But since humans are imbalanced, then what more would you expect from their beliefs?!