What If??

[ravencalling]

I had a weird idea the other evening. BTW I consider myself agnostic.

A fair way to deal with organized religion. If you wanted to be part of a particular organized religion, you would have to sign a contract, much like a marriage contract. Part of that contract would state that you have to follow the laws and rules of that religion without question. If you break the laws, then the organization you belong to has the right to do everything up to executing you in whatever fashion they feel is appropriate. Chopping limps, execution, whatever.

Sounds familiar right?

BUT - this only happens if you have signed the contract. Anyone not signing the contract lives by the laws of the land with full individual rights and freedoms. Your religious organization would have to abide by the laws of the land outwardly in all matters of business, politics, etc.

You are allowed to promote your religion, but whomever decides to join, must sign the binding contract - giving up their rights and personal freedom by law. Children are exempt up to age 18. You are allowed as a non-participant to point out transgressions of the ones who are "signed up". If you see them breaking the laws of their particular religion of choice so that their organization can provide appropriate punishment. Police can turn them in to their religious leaders for instance.

You could get out of the contract via religious divorce, which would have to be a legal proceeding.
Then of course the rest of the free world could look in on the natural outcomes of these pseudo-societies, scientifically noting the outcomes of internal policies such as slavery, gender-bias, anti-intellectualism, you name it.

I know I am a sick puppy, and this is like a promotion of legally binding Jim Jones scenarios. However, I wonder if ones amens really did have a bite, with regards to the policies spouted by evangelicals, where currently the populace can still go home afterwards and sin in relative freedom, that some of those mega-churches might be honed down a bit. But then maybe not.

I can't believe I am posting this! LOL!

[goddess40]

1. It comes from years of frustration watching them being hypocrites

Drives me a little around the bend myself. Like how they want to hold Hillary accountable for her husbands affairs but let McCain's self professed adultery go. Or The biggie about not judging others because that's gods job and then they're the most judgmental people in the world. Or What about thou shalt not kill but kill loads of people for the reason that they aren't like them.

[progressoid]

2. No way.

The beauty of religion is the acceptance of hypocrisy. You get to be pious and "moral" while cheating on your spouse with the church secretary.

edit: Welcome to DU by the way. :hi:

[ravencalling]

3. Thanks for the welcome!

Sort of wierd way to get started...